Because of Facebook, I know there are NASCAR fans at N.C. State.
It’s just that I rarely meet people who follow the sport. Instead, most of the time when I mention NASCAR, I get a funny look from my friends.
It shouldn’t be that way, either.
The sport suffers from one of the greatest forms of ignorance — assumptions made by people who don’t watch the races.
“It’s boring,” they say.
“Who wants to watch cars go in circles for 500 miles?”
Well, I can think of much more accurate things to say about NASCAR, and I have watched enough races to know.
It brings the excitement every week, and during the course of a telecast, plenty of other things will keep your attention — if, that is, you need more than just the racing to keep you entertained.
Every week one of the top-recording artists in the country — and not just country music artists — sings the national anthem.
This week, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas will sing the anthem before Sunday’s Daytona 500.
At tracks like Daytona and Talladega, the cars speed around the track at close to 200 miles per hour, and they don’t go too slow at the other tracks either.
A few times during the race, the cars make their way to pit road, most of the time for four tires and fuel. These stops are usually about 15 seconds long.
Try that the next time you go to the gas station or to the car shop — changing four tires and filling up your gas tank in 15 seconds.
I won’t hold my breath counting on you getting all that done in 15 minutes, let alone 15 seconds.
Perhaps the most appealing part of the sport to those who don’t watch NASCAR much is seeing a wreck.
And with the large number of talented, but still inexperienced, drivers in the sport today and the revenge impulse that sometimes overtakes veterans, there will be plenty of wrecks for one’s viewing pleasure in the course of a race. Think of it this way — wrecks are to NASCAR what fights are to hockey.
But when it comes down to it, the racing itself will also keep you on the edge of your seat while watching these men go in circles.
Almost every week, the race comes down to the final laps, and NASCAR has been willing to change with the times to make for better endings.
In response to fan criticism and a desire for races to have a fast finish rather than a snail’s pace finish, the officials now extend a race if a caution — a period of slow-pace driving under which no passing is allowed while the track is cleaned up after a wreck — starts in the last two laps of a race. The cars will keep driving slowly until the track is ready for green-flag racing, and when it is, the cars have two laps of all-out havoc to decide the race.
But the new system still has provided exciting finishes that would have been impossible under old rules.
If none of these things has gotten you excited about NASCAR yet, then one thing will: the celebrations.
Who doesn’t enjoy seeing some well-executed celebratory doughnuts performed by the race winner?
Perhaps the best celebration started last year, though, when Tony Stewart decided he was Spiderman.
Starting with his second win of the season in July’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona, Stewart began climbing the fence at racetracks after most of his victories.
Watching someone Stewart’s size climb the fence was pretty entertaining.
Then, he topped it off by quipping, “I’m too [expletive] fat to be climbing fences.”
Such are the personalities that fill the auto-racing world.
And if I haven’t convinced the ladies yet that this sport is worth watching, have any of you seen some of the attractive young drivers in the sport?
I have heard some talk from women I know who think Kasey Kahne, Casey Mears and Jamie McMurray are easy on the eyes. But that’s just hearsay.
So, whether you’re tuning in for the national anthem, the speed, the wrecks or the good looks, take a seat in front of your TV on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Chances are you’ll see at least one thing you like.
If I turn out to be wrong on this prediction, let me know.
Until then, enjoy the race.
Tell Clark what you think about NASCAR at [email protected]
