A lot of folks tease me about my liking NASCAR. The typical jokes fly: “Let’s drive in circles. That’ll be fun!” Ha, ha. Okay, you know it’s more than that. I could make similar boring jokes about baseball, basketball or football; all of which are insanely boring… to me.
But, I dig cars. I can’t work on them as I know squat about them, but I love driving them and have spent my fair share of time sliding cars around country gravel roads. That’s an adrenaline rush! Which should explain why I’m drawn to NASCAR.
NASCAR also allows fans access to their drivers unlike any other sport. Try and talk with an NBA superstar. Not going to happen. Walk into a track, and you can (with some diligence) meet your favorite driver and get an autograph.
But NASCAR also let’s their drivers settle things the old fashion way. With their fists. Sure hockey allows players to beat the crap out of each other, but nothing beats a set of mad drivers piling it on at the end of the race on Pit Road. That’s some good TV right there! As an example, watch Jeff Gordon mix it up with Brad Keselowski after a race in Texas recently. Now that’s entertainment!
Living in Upstate NY, we like to say: “Watkins Glen – where NASCAR goes to learn how to make right turns.”
I have great memories of my childhood watching NASCAR with my dad. Back in the days of Cale Yarborough, Kyle Petty, Ricky Rudd, etc.