In NASCAR, a world I do not understand, don't you find it creepy that people?

Question

pick their drivers as their favorites. Thats my guy number so and so. I understand children following sports teams but adults picking a guy whos job it is to drive as fast as possible, cut people off cause accidents and have alcohol stickers all over their outfits and cars. I am a tenth generation American but fail to understand this stuff or the adoration of the drivers. Explain it for me thanks?

Answer 1

Not all of the drivers do those things or support the consumption of alcohol.  Richard Petty's cars are not eligible for the pole awards because he will not put any stickers of alcoholic beverages on his cars.  There are many different reasons to support a specific driver or team.  They may be from your community, you may work for their sponsors or you just might like the way they conduct themselves both on and/or off the track.  One of the great things about NASCAR is the support of charities and people in need.  Almost all the drivers have their own foundations that raise money for the causes that are most important to them.  From the drivers, owners and fans themselves, countless millions are raised annually that go to non profit organizations, hospitals and the like.  There is SO much more to it than just a bunch of cars going around in circles.  If you try to get past that you might be surprised at how captivating it is when you have your favorite team to cheer for.

3 STR8 N 08!!!

Answer 2

What treg said and well said I might add

Answer 3

It's just like any other sport. Don't you have a favorite baseball, football, hockey, etc... team/player you root for to do well??

Answer 4

Yes, because guys who put pads on, throw around a pigskin full of air and try to knock each other heads off makes so much more sense! Or maybe the guys who hit the ball of yarn covered in pigskin with a wooden stick are even better? Oh no wait, it's got to be the guys who bounce the pigskin filled with air and try to throw it through a metal ring? Or maybe it's the guys who skate around on ice with razorblades on their feet and try to hit a rubber donut into a net?? I don't know, I'm sooo confused?? Give me a break man, it's a sport and some people enjoy watching it. It's not any less legitimate than any other sport on the planet. As far as the alcohol reference is concerned, every major sports league in existence is heavily sponsored by these types of companies. One more thing,  it's not just children that follow sports teams. You see, children tend to not have a whole lot of money, or drivers licenses for that matter. I think it would be really hard to fill all of these stadiums, arenas and tracks without just a few adults also being fans? Take it or leave it man, it's every persons choice, but don't try and dumb it down for the fans who do enjoy it. NASCAR is full of very intelligent, technical and educated people.

Answer 5

Nascar is also a team sport.  It is absolutely no different than having a favorite baseball team or player.  Of course there are going to be hundreds of thousands of people who dont get it.  I dont get opera, ballet, modern art, mtv, musicals, fishing, hunting, running marathons, etc.  I could go on forever.  You dont get it and you never will.  Thats fine.  Different strokes for different folks.

Answer 6

For me personaly I had watched it every now and then. And I had always went for the underdog or rookies and when my driver started his rookie year I was kinda hooked. I worked at a bar in Jacksonville Fl 2 hours from Daytona the night after the 2001 Daytona 500 (when Sr died) I saw just what nascar was all about. I have never seen so many grown men come in crying. This is the only sport where the fans feel a personal connection with the athletes (and yes these guys are in better shape than most steriod popping football/ baseball players). There's alot more to the sport than driving in circles it's only something you could understand if you actually gave it a chance. And there's nothing like being at a race the drivers the fans it's an awesome experiance

Answer 7

Non-NASCAR fans will never understand NASCAR completely. Most of them just assume it;s cars going around in circles, and it truly isn't. Most adults pick their driver for an actual reason. If they can win races, race clean, and have a good personality, you'll be popular. (Except for Tony Stewart #20, he can't race clean but people love him. He has been racing cleaner though.)

Answer 8

Being a fan of a driver is comparable to being a supporter of a baseball team; you want them to win!

10 generations or not, people fresh off the boat can understand and appreciate NASCAR.

It is a team sport, the driver, his crew cheif & pit crew are all important factors in doing all they can do to pit correctly and cross the checkered flag.

Answer 9

Yeah, great answer Tregosteevo! And Themoe too!!

You know, I often find myself wondering the same thing about baseball or football.  Grown men chasing after a ball? But when you sit down and familiarize yourself with those sports you realize that it's about the competition, the talents of each participant and what they are able to accomplish each and every event, the way the team works together (and believe me, NASCAR is a team sport),  and many, many times what they represent (hometown, family favorite tradition, overcoming adversity, etc).  All these elements can be found in NASCAR.  The bottom line, it's about the human need to compete and be the best. And many times we pick a favorite because there is something that we admire about them, whether it be their sportsmanship, their drive, or something more personal.  That is something we find in every sport. It just takes many forms.

Answer 10

My question to you is have you every been to a race? It one of the greatest event and it more interactive than most sport. Everyone picks the drive they like but it doesn't mean that they buy everything that's on the car. When you watch TV ads come on for alcohol does that stop you from watching your favorite show. NASCAR is a sport and things happen in all sports. People make cheap shots in  football, throw at players in baseball etc. Just because these guys are in car going 180 mph and they are being competitive doesn't mean they are trying to hurt people. At these speeds they just may end up hurting themselves and who wants that. So if you haven't been go see a race you'll have a lot of fun and you will understand why we love it.

Answer 11

"Hawaiianbird" True you asked a question and would like it explained,but in your observation of this SPORT you failed to see that :  "not all drivers have alcohol stickers all over their outfits",only the ones sponsered by them do."cut people off cause accidents",is not what they do this SPORT requires the drivers to be alert and concious of vehicles traveling sometimes over 200mph only inches away from each other,the accidents the majority of the time is caused by blown tires,worn parts,and the fact they are driving at times 500 miles within a 3 hour period with total concentration.You "fail to understand this stuff or the adoration of the drivers",basically this SPORT has the athletic compition of various teams competing to achive a victory just as other SPORTS do.Their is a first place winner in this SPORT,but really all drivers win only in a lesser degree they all get a variety of rewards according to where they place in the final lap( placement,points,$$,etc)."Adoration" is not really what the fans feel,more correctly is "Praise"due to the fact that inspite of expensive toys they buy they also contribute LARGE AMOUNTS of $$ to charities,hospitals,needy&nature.Please Iam as a fan of Nascar only trying to explain why we as fans look forward each week toward the competitive challenge the teams strive to win to contribute to a SPORT that has much history behind it.