Why Nascar?
I have been a NASCAR fan for ten years now and I still get asked why I find cars turning left interesting. Just the other night I was asked, “why NASCAR?” I usually give a quick answer saying that there is way more to the sport than just 43 cars turning left for a few hundred miles and you have to go to a race to really begin to appreciate the sport. I have been asked this question many times but for some reason this time was different. I spent the next few days thinking about what it is that makes NASCAR special. Why is it more than just 43 three cars following each other around for three hours?
As I often do in a situation like this, I made a list. I came up with ten answers to the question, “why NASCAR?”.
1. It is family owned and operated.
2. It has a close community.
3. The athletes’ careers generally last longer than in other organized sports.
4. Fans have more access to the athletes.
5. Strategy is key.
6. The race is about more than just the athlete.
7. The veterans are still very much involved.
8. The season is long.
9. The “playing field” switches up weekly.
10. A good relationship between the athletes is encouraged.
I read the list over a few times and noticed that seven of the ten answers could be summed up by the word community. It has been said before that NASCAR is like a family, and I really think there is something to this. For one, NASCAR is the only family owned sport franchise in America. The France family started NASCAR back in the late 40’s and are still managing the sport today. The fact that they have kept the sport in the family is valued by the participants and fans and the effect of this can been seen in most every aspect of the sport.
NASCAR itself has become a family. The athletes are much more interconnected than most sports. Unlike team sports such as soccer or basketball, the drivers “play” against each other every week. The 43 drivers starting each race varies a little, but the top 35 usually stay the same week in and week out even over the course of a few seasons. This allows the drivers and teams more time to interact. After all, they are with each other 38 weeks out of the year.
Because these drivers spend so much time in the same vicinity, they cannot make any real enemies. Sure you can avoid a guy for a few laps, maybe even an entire race, but the reality is you are going to run into him sooner or later on or off the track. When something does happen between two drivers, the unwritten protocol is to call each other and smooth things over before the next race. This does not happen in any other sport.
Another aspect of the family side of NASCAR is the veteran involvement. Names such as Petty, Waltrip and Wallace mean even more to the sport then just their legacies. Richard Petty still attends each race and will head up his own race team for the 2011 season. Michael Waltrip is continuing the family name through Michael Waltrip Racing. Darrell Waltrip is still a popular personality even though he has not raced in decades. Rusty Wallace has become an ESPN analyst and owns a Nationwide team. I believe due the involvement of names like these, the sport has stayed grounded in its roots. The focus on tradition gives the sport a personality like no other.
Aside from the family aspect, the strategy and changing “playing field” switch up also add to NASCAR’s uniqueness. A race does not merely consist of 43 cars turning left. There is strategy involved with each lap. How many tires will everyone take, will a wedge adjustment work, should I pit now or in five laps? The answers to each of these questions can change the entire outcome of a race. The driver has to be able to accurately describe what is going on in the car to his crew chief and the crew chief has to be able to apply those concerns to an immediate solution.
In addition to important strategy and communication, the “playing field” of NASCAR, otherwise known as the track, changes each week. Yes, the cars still drive in circles for hours at a time, but strategy and skill must be adjusted each week. What worked last week, probably won’t work next, some drivers excel at certain tracks while others struggle but do well elsewhere. It keeps the driver, teams and fans on their toes.
All this to say, I find NASCAR to be much more than 43 cars going in circles. It is a sport that has a unique familial foundation. The experience is a traveling city with a small town feel. NASCAR has held true to its past and values its roots. As far as the specific races go, between strategy and driver-team communication, a race is composed of much more that driving left. I hope this article will inspire readers to attend a race and give NASCAR a chance. When you walk around pit road, the unique personality of this amazing sport will be hard to deny.
