Wednesday, September 19, 2007

NASCAR: For the Masses


Let me begin by saying that this blog will not be a comfortable home for NASCAR fans. Yes, I know, when someone says "auto-racing" or "motorsports" almost every American thinks, "Oh yeah, those cars that go in circles." But all one has to do is take a trip overseas to realize that NASCAR does not epitimize motorsports.

Our facination with NASCAR is only eclipsed by that of European's to Formula One. F1 is one of the most watched sports in Europe besides their "football." But there's a valid reason for this. Let's look at a quick comparison.

F1 cars reach G forces of a fighter pilot. NASCAR cars reach G forces of an ice-cream stand. When an F1 car crashes, it can cost up to a million dollars to repair. When a NASCAR car crashes, the team beats out the sheet metal, and the race continues. F1 cars are assisted by the most advanced technology on the planet, including stability control, traction control, and engine management systems. NASCAR cars are assisted by the crew chief touching his tongue to the spark plug and saying that it's working.

But there are also solid reasons for the proponents of NASCAR. We will here those in our next blog. Farewell for now.

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