Why Nascar? What is it about this sport that sends chills down my spine every time I hear the roar of a stock car firing up? Why does my heartbeat speed up when the drivers approach the green flag? This is the question I am asked all the time. It's a question I can't answer in words. You have to love cars and speed. Ever since I was a little boy, I have loved fast cars. My father and uncle would take us kids to a local quarter mile track, and the cars were so loud and cool looking. Drivers trading paint and rubber on each other’s cars while working their way through the field. You can't do that with Indy cars, now can you? After the nights' races were over, the drivers would just walk around and mingle with the crowd, giving autographs. You could get to know your favorite driver and follow his status through the season. I remember growing up watching Nascar races on TV. Watching drivers like, "The King" Richard Petty, Cal Yarborough, David Person, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Neil Bonnet, A. J. Foyt, Benny Parsons, Buddy Baker, and the list can just go on and on. These guys were the good 'ol boys. They would show up at a different track every weekend and line up and see who had the fastest car. But today it is different. This sport is more of a business than just a bunch of good 'ol boys racing each other. With big time sponsorships now, there is a ton of money at stake, and the technology needed to be a winner on the Winston Cup level is just unbelievable. But one thing has not changed. It is the driver/fan relationship. We the fans are the foundation; the backbone of Nascar Racing and the sport has not lost sight of that. I think it is amazing that, with the way this sport has all of a sudden gained such popularity today, that everyone, from Bill France Jr. (Son of Nascar founder Bill France Sr.), to the track owners, the team owners, the drivers, and right down to each member of the pit crew of these teams, openly express their thanks to the fans, and that we are the reason for the success of Nascar. Listen to what Bill Elliot said about the fans when he accepted his Winston Cup Championship Trophy. A track owner's thoughts about fans. Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt thanking the fans, after Dale finally won the Daytona 500. Fans are loyal to their favorite driver or drivers. Through good times and bad, the fans will stick by their driver, and we will come up with any excuse we can think of to justify our driver's misfortune. We put on our driver's T-shirts and hats on race day, wave our flags if we have one, and boo the heck out of any good-for-nothing wannabe who is in front of our driver, or if someone tries to take a position away from us. We cheer good clean racing, like two guys coming off a turn side by side, heading down a straight-a-way fighting for that spot on the track. The drivers are looking for any advantage they can get, "Rubbing" each other out of the way, with doughnut marks on those fabulous paint jobs from the other's tires as they rub. We fans jumping up screaming, "That bum tried to put us into the wall!" Sometimes we win the battle, sometimes we loose. But when it's all over and done with, win or loose, the drivers and us fans are all friends again. As a fan, you become connected to your driver. And sometimes, when your driver hangs up that helmet, there's a new generation to take his place. Father/son combos like these famous names: Lee, Richard, Kyle Petty, and soon Kyle's son Adam. Ralph and Dale Earnhardt, and now Dale Jr., Ned and Dale Jarrett, and soon Dale's son Jason. Buck and Buddy Baker. And the list goes on. But with all the glory and glamour of being a Nascar driver, there is the danger every time they climb into that car. The saddest thing I can think of is one of the original good 'ol boys from Alabama. Bobby Allison and his up and coming son Davey. Bobby at age 50, won the Daytona 500 with Davey right behind. A few months later, Bobby had a terrible crash at Pocono. The injuries were so bad he lost parts of his memory. He can't remember his Daytona win, one of the greatest days of his life. No matter who you cheer for, when something like this happens, the drivers, officials, and fans all come together in support of one of their own. This sets Nascar fans apart from all other sports fans. So, why do these guys put themselves in such danger? It's because they are a form of gladiators. They have wrecks, look around at the car, and ask, "Can I still drive it?" If so, they jump right back in and off they go, as evidenced by Dale Earnhardt in the "1997 Daytona 500." With just a few laps to go, Dale was turned over while traveling close to 200 mph. He slid down the backstretch on the roof and side of his car. The car ended up on its tires. Again, Dale walked away from another devastating crash. While climbing into the ambulance, he looked back and saw all four wheels still on the car. He ran back and tries to fire it up. The car fired, and off he went, back to the pits for a tape job, and then back out on the track. And then... preparing for the 1998 Daytona, Kenny Schrader, while running in a qualifying race, hit the wall at 185 mph, cracked his sternum and three days later, he was out there racing and contending to win his first Daytona 500. There are countless stories of heroics in this sport. Why do we as fans of Nascar keep filling the Daytona track with 200,000 people for the "Daytona 500," and 300,000 people into Indianapolis for the running of the "Brickyard 400?" Is it because we like to see the cars wreck? No way!! That’s not it. No one wants to see anyone get hurt. So why do we do it? I believe it's that driver/fan connection. What is that connection? It's a feeling inside we share with these guys. I went to my first Nascar race in 1998 in Michiganfor the "Miller 400!" Come take a look at my Tribute to... "The Greatest Nascar Driver Of All Time," #3 Dale Earnhardt #3: Daytona History Daytona 1998 Picture Page Track Talk Home View My Guestbook Times I've been visited
What is it about this sport that sends chills down my spine every time I hear the roar of a stock car firing up? Why does my heartbeat speed up when the drivers approach the green flag? This is the question I am asked all the time. It's a question I can't answer in words. You have to love cars and speed. Ever since I was a little boy, I have loved fast cars. My father and uncle would take us kids to a local quarter mile track, and the cars were so loud and cool looking. Drivers trading paint and rubber on each other’s cars while working their way through the field. You can't do that with Indy cars, now can you? After the nights' races were over, the drivers would just walk around and mingle with the crowd, giving autographs. You could get to know your favorite driver and follow his status through the season. I remember growing up watching Nascar races on TV. Watching drivers like, "The King" Richard Petty, Cal Yarborough, David Person, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Neil Bonnet, A. J. Foyt, Benny Parsons, Buddy Baker, and the list can just go on and on. These guys were the good 'ol boys. They would show up at a different track every weekend and line up and see who had the fastest car. But today it is different. This sport is more of a business than just a bunch of good 'ol boys racing each other. With big time sponsorships now, there is a ton of money at stake, and the technology needed to be a winner on the Winston Cup level is just unbelievable. But one thing has not changed. It is the driver/fan relationship. We the fans are the foundation; the backbone of Nascar Racing and the sport has not lost sight of that. I think it is amazing that, with the way this sport has all of a sudden gained such popularity today, that everyone, from Bill France Jr. (Son of Nascar founder Bill France Sr.), to the track owners, the team owners, the drivers, and right down to each member of the pit crew of these teams, openly express their thanks to the fans, and that we are the reason for the success of Nascar.
It's a question I can't answer in words. You have to love cars and speed. Ever since I was a little boy, I have loved fast cars. My father and uncle would take us kids to a local quarter mile track, and the cars were so loud and cool looking. Drivers trading paint and rubber on each other’s cars while working their way through the field. You can't do that with Indy cars, now can you? After the nights' races were over, the drivers would just walk around and mingle with the crowd, giving autographs. You could get to know your favorite driver and follow his status through the season.
I remember growing up watching Nascar races on TV. Watching drivers like, "The King" Richard Petty, Cal Yarborough, David Person, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Neil Bonnet, A. J. Foyt, Benny Parsons, Buddy Baker, and the list can just go on and on. These guys were the good 'ol boys. They would show up at a different track every weekend and line up and see who had the fastest car. But today it is different. This sport is more of a business than just a bunch of good 'ol boys racing each other. With big time sponsorships now, there is a ton of money at stake, and the technology needed to be a winner on the Winston Cup level is just unbelievable. But one thing has not changed. It is the driver/fan relationship. We the fans are the foundation; the backbone of Nascar Racing and the sport has not lost sight of that.
I think it is amazing that, with the way this sport has all of a sudden gained such popularity today, that everyone, from Bill France Jr. (Son of Nascar founder Bill France Sr.), to the track owners, the team owners, the drivers, and right down to each member of the pit crew of these teams, openly express their thanks to the fans, and that we are the reason for the success of Nascar.
Listen to what Bill Elliot said about the fans when he accepted his Winston Cup Championship Trophy. A track owner's thoughts about fans. Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt thanking the fans, after Dale finally won the Daytona 500.
Fans are loyal to their favorite driver or drivers. Through good times and bad, the fans will stick by their driver, and we will come up with any excuse we can think of to justify our driver's misfortune. We put on our driver's T-shirts and hats on race day, wave our flags if we have one, and boo the heck out of any good-for-nothing wannabe who is in front of our driver, or if someone tries to take a position away from us. We cheer good clean racing, like two guys coming off a turn side by side, heading down a straight-a-way fighting for that spot on the track. The drivers are looking for any advantage they can get, "Rubbing" each other out of the way, with doughnut marks on those fabulous paint jobs from the other's tires as they rub. We fans jumping up screaming,
Sometimes we win the battle, sometimes we loose. But when it's all over and done with, win or loose, the drivers and us fans are all friends again. As a fan, you become connected to your driver. And sometimes, when your driver hangs up that helmet, there's a new generation to take his place. Father/son combos like these famous names: Lee, Richard, Kyle Petty, and soon Kyle's son Adam. Ralph and Dale Earnhardt, and now Dale Jr., Ned and Dale Jarrett, and soon Dale's son Jason. Buck and Buddy Baker. And the list goes on. But with all the glory and glamour of being a Nascar driver, there is the danger every time they climb into that car. The saddest thing I can think of is one of the original good 'ol boys from Alabama. Bobby Allison and his up and coming son Davey. Bobby at age 50, won the Daytona 500 with Davey right behind. A few months later, Bobby had a terrible crash at Pocono. The injuries were so bad he lost parts of his memory. He can't remember his Daytona win, one of the greatest days of his life. No matter who you cheer for, when something like this happens, the drivers, officials, and fans all come together in support of one of their own. This sets Nascar fans apart from all other sports fans. So, why do these guys put themselves in such danger? It's because they are a form of gladiators. They have wrecks, look around at the car, and ask, "Can I still drive it?" If so, they jump right back in and off they go, as evidenced by Dale Earnhardt in the "1997 Daytona 500." With just a few laps to go, Dale was turned over while traveling close to 200 mph. He slid down the backstretch on the roof and side of his car. The car ended up on its tires. Again, Dale walked away from another devastating crash. While climbing into the ambulance, he looked back and saw all four wheels still on the car. He ran back and tries to fire it up. The car fired, and off he went, back to the pits for a tape job, and then back out on the track. And then... preparing for the 1998 Daytona, Kenny Schrader, while running in a qualifying race, hit the wall at 185 mph, cracked his sternum and three days later, he was out there racing and contending to win his first Daytona 500. There are countless stories of heroics in this sport. Why do we as fans of Nascar keep filling the Daytona track with 200,000 people for the "Daytona 500," and 300,000 people into Indianapolis for the running of the "Brickyard 400?" Is it because we like to see the cars wreck? No way!! That’s not it. No one wants to see anyone get hurt. So why do we do it? I believe it's that driver/fan connection. What is that connection? It's a feeling inside we share with these guys.
As a fan, you become connected to your driver. And sometimes, when your driver hangs up that helmet, there's a new generation to take his place. Father/son combos like these famous names: Lee,
But with all the glory and glamour of being a Nascar driver, there is the danger every time they climb into that car. The saddest thing I can think of is one of the original good 'ol boys from Alabama. Bobby Allison and his up and coming son Davey. Bobby at age 50, won the Daytona 500 with Davey right behind. A few months later, Bobby had a terrible crash at Pocono. The injuries were so bad he lost parts of his memory. He can't remember his Daytona win, one of the greatest days of his life. No matter who you cheer for, when something like this happens, the drivers, officials, and fans all come together in support of one of their own. This sets Nascar fans apart from all other sports fans. So, why do these guys put themselves in such danger? It's because they are a form of gladiators. They have wrecks, look around at the car, and ask, "Can I still drive it?" If so, they jump right back in and off they go, as evidenced by Dale Earnhardt in the "1997 Daytona 500." With just a few laps to go, Dale was turned over while traveling close to 200 mph. He slid down the backstretch on the roof and side of his car. The car ended up on its tires. Again, Dale walked away from another devastating crash. While climbing into the ambulance, he looked back and saw all four wheels still on the car. He ran back and tries to fire it up. The car fired, and off he went, back to the pits for a tape job, and then back out on the track. And then... preparing for the 1998 Daytona, Kenny Schrader, while running in a qualifying race, hit the wall at 185 mph, cracked his sternum and three days later, he was out there racing and contending to win his first Daytona 500. There are countless stories of heroics in this sport. Why do we as fans of Nascar keep filling the Daytona track with 200,000 people for the "Daytona 500," and 300,000 people into Indianapolis for the running of the "Brickyard 400?" Is it because we like to see the cars wreck? No way!! That’s not it. No one wants to see anyone get hurt. So why do we do it? I believe it's that driver/fan connection. What is that connection? It's a feeling inside we share with these guys.
So, why do these guys put themselves in such danger? It's because they are a form of gladiators. They have wrecks, look around at the car, and ask, "Can I still drive it?" If so, they jump right back in and off they go, as evidenced by Dale Earnhardt in the "1997 Daytona 500." With just a few laps to go, Dale was turned over while traveling close to 200 mph. He slid down the backstretch on the roof and side of his car. The car ended up on its tires. Again, Dale walked away from another devastating crash. While climbing into the ambulance, he looked back and saw all four wheels still on the car. He ran back and tries to fire it up. The car fired, and off he went, back to the pits for a tape job, and then back out on the track. And then... preparing for the 1998 Daytona,
Why do we as fans of Nascar keep filling the Daytona track with 200,000 people for the "Daytona 500," and 300,000 people into Indianapolis for the running of the "Brickyard 400?" Is it because we like to see the cars wreck? No way!! That’s not it. No one wants to see anyone get hurt. So why do we do it? I believe it's that driver/fan connection. What is that connection? It's a feeling inside we share with these guys.
"The Greatest Nascar Driver Of All Time,"
#3 Dale Earnhardt #3:
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