fans feel snubbed by NASCAR

[Coastal89]

Last Thursday, after a Capitol Hill news conference on his sport's efforts toward diversity, NASCAR President Mike Helton told reporters, "We believe strongly that the old Southeastern redneck heritage that we had is no longer in existence."
The comment kicked up a storm from Southern racing fans, some of whom wondered if NASCAR had finally crossed a threshold - from taking its devotees for granted to publicly being embarrassed by them.
It's a new strain of the old tension between corporate NASCAR and its working-class fan base. And with the 2006 season beginning this week, it's an illustration of the sensitivities the sport still navigates nearly seven years after announcing a significant diversity effort.
Helton also managed the difficult feat of annoying several unintended targets, from Southern fans who don't like the redneck label - "Please do not stereotype all of us," said James Roland of Florence - to people who wonder if he has been attending many of his sport's events lately.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/sports/13884799.htm

[AppGuy04]

Last Thursday, after a Capitol Hill news conference on his sport's efforts toward diversity, NASCAR President Mike Helton told reporters, "We believe strongly that the old Southeastern redneck heritage that we had is no longer in existence."
The comment kicked up a storm from Southern racing fans, some of whom wondered if NASCAR had finally crossed a threshold - from taking its devotees for granted to publicly being embarrassed by them.
It's a new strain of the old tension between corporate NASCAR and its working-class fan base. And with the 2006 season beginning this week, it's an illustration of the sensitivities the sport still navigates nearly seven years after announcing a significant diversity effort.
Helton also managed the difficult feat of annoying several unintended targets, from Southern fans who don't like the redneck label - "Please do not stereotype all of us," said James Roland of Florence - to people who wonder if he has been attending many of his sport's events lately.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/sports/13884799.htm


That "heritage" fills your seats dumbass

[Tribefan]

Helton is in denial.

[Third and Long]

I really don't know what to say to that, because you do have those rednecks and people without their teeth. I am a fan of NASCAR, and I am not one of those people. Mainly my whole family is like that. Not ever NASCAR fan is 100% redneck.

[TxSt02]

GO FAST!!! TURN LEFT!!!

[blackfordpu]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Ivytalk]

:boring: :boring: :boring: :boring:

So now the culture wars have hit NASCAR? Wake me when it's over. :rolleyes:

[Tribefan]

I reme,ber when I lived in Texas, that one of the radio stations had a "count the mullet" contest every time there was a NASCAR race at TMS.

[ASU Kep]

GO FAST!!! TURN LEFT!!!

:eek: How DARE you ruin every NASCAR race for the remainder of time for me? :mad:

[blur2005]

NASCAR is exciting for exactly ten laps...as in, the LAST ten. I think it's pretty damn funny that NASCAR finds itself embarrassed by its fairly hickish following.

Then again, I could care less.

Formula 1 > NASCAR

[Tribefan]

My thoughts exactly on F1. This season will be the first season since 1993 that an American will will be on the F1 grid. I can't wait.

[FightinBluHen51]

NASCAR is exciting for exactly ten laps...as in, the LAST ten. I think it's pretty damn funny that NASCAR finds itself embarrassed by its fairly hickish following.

Then again, I could care less.

Formula 1 > NASCAR



Formula 1 is horible. You think NASCAR is bad as a sanctioning body for manding this, or templeting that, F1 is about 10xs worse. They patroniage their fans far worse than NASCAR has (to date). Remember Indy last year? That's but one example. What about the wonderful 1 tire rule that was ment to stop ferarri? (It worked, but at what cost, countless other failures that put lessor funded teams out of contention). NASCAR is more of a TV show and less racing, but the formula is there for the audiance. Close, side by side action. I will say this, I do tire of it as the season is far to long, and even now with its popularity foothold growing, I would like to see sweaping changes. I think its time for NASCAR to ditch the carbs and intro EFI, ditch the templetes and bring back the body on frame (even if they are tube chassis cars) as close to safely possible "stock" cars, and hell, if the imports wanna play, let them, but they have to play by the rules.

There is lots of other exciting motorsports out there, and granted F1 has its moments, but to say that F1 is > than NASCAR (only because the rest of the world pays attention to it) well...maybe only because it's fan base is the rest of the world, then yes, and because the technology is 1000x what is used in a Cup car, but I get just as much, if not more enjoyment out of watching WRC, Rolex GrandAm series / ALMS (sports cars), or NHRA. If there was actually A LOT of close racing in F1, maybe they'd have something.

[FightinBluHen51]

My thoughts exactly on F1. This season will be the first season since 1993 that an American will will be on the F1 grid. I can't wait.


And how long will it take before the American will be coming home for not sniffing the podium? 1~2 years like Michael Andretti did?

[Tribefan]

Michael Andretti chose to join F1 in the wrong year, on the wrong team (Mclaren) with the wrong teammate. Being the teammate of greatest F1 driver of all time was a tall order for a rookie. But in the final analysis, Michael Andretti couldn't cut it in F1. He was already too old when he got there and he didn't work at it. He chose to commute to Europe from Pa. every race weekend so he never bonded with the team. He didn't even last a complete season, and his departure allowed for the promotion of yet another F1 legend named Mika Hakkinen. Besides, Andretti wasn't anything special, he may have won more than his share of races but he only was able to win one CART title in his long career and he never won Indy as a driver.

Scott Speed is a better fit for F1 because he has been groomed to race in that series since he left Karts. He's not some nouveau riche, North Carolina, son of a Chevy dealer, ex-hick retread who is using his family's name to get himself a ride, he actually has talent.

It won't take making podiums for him to show success. If you actually knew anything about F1, when it comes to the lower tier teams a driver's performance is judged mainly by his performance against his teammate. If Scott qualifies well and consistently beats his teammate he'll get a chance to move up to a better team. F1 is a meritocracy, they don't care what country you are from if you can deliver. From what I have read about Scott, he is a selfish A-hole, which is requirement numero uno for a good F1 driver. So that is encouraging.

I'm not going to argue the USGP, that was an abomination. But I did get a nice big fat refund check from Michelin. The USGP gets 150k in attendance each year and they'll get the same 150k next year as well. It's become an annual pilgrimage for Road Racing fans in the US. And the posers in Central Indiana love to break out their Ferrari gear every season.

If you're going to try and lecture me about motorsports. Be forewarned I've seen nearly every major series in the world multiple times, that includes NASCAR,ChampCar, IRL, USAC,NHRA, WoO, ALMS, Grand-Am, F1, BTCC, ETCC, Atlantics, F3, F3000 (Now GP2). I know the ins and outs. I know F1 has a different approach than NASCAR. But if you are into true driver skill, incredible racing circuits and technical excellence then NASCAR is not the series for you.