How can anyone watch NASCAR?

[WillJ]

Any NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) fans here?

If so, can you please let me in on the secret of how you can stand watching it? I mean, come on, 30 or so identical looking cars (except for the ads) racing in 200+ laps around an oval-shaped speedway. How does that not drive you insane? Do you not pay attention to the entire race?

And most NASCAR fans seems to have a favorite driver. How is this determined? It's not like team sports, where you root for the local team. And at least with other individual sports (i.e. tennis), you get to actually look at the person and sort of get a persona/aura that you either like or dislike; with NASCAR, you just see cars racing around (except of course before and after the races). What, do you choose the driver with the best sponsor? ("Woo, go Viagra!")

 

[blindside]

I used to watch Formula 1 back in the day and it was somewhat exciting towards the end. But nascar is just plain boring. The cars don't even look so cool and I don't think they go as fast either. Simple minds are pleased by simple things, in this case a car going round and round.

 

[taper]

I've been a NASCAR fan for about 6 years now, and I'm not a Southern redneck that drinks Miller Light. I'm a fan of Roush Racing, Mark Martin in particular(he was sponsored by Valvoline when I started watching, not the other 'V'), and I don't think there's a difference with following a certain driver or team than following a stick and ball team. There's always plenty of interviews with drivers, so you do get to see their faces and hear them speak, and most of them are pretty down to earth, unlike bling-bling crazy NFL and NBA starts.

I will readily admit some of the tracks they race at are boring, the one tomorrow being one of them, but the majority of tracks allow side by side racing, and passing, which is almost non-existant in Formula 1, and uncommon in the IRL and Champ Cars. I still prefer Saturday night sprint cars at local dirt tracks, but NASCAR has it's place, and if you're a gear head like me, you get a rush from the sound of forty-three 800 hp cars running close to 200 mph.

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

I watch for the crashes. Call it morbid if you like but some of them are really neat(assuming no one is seriously hurt of course).

 

[dgfred]

In my area (south-east) almost EVERYONE knows about it and watches , but not me. I can't stand to watch .
Playing golf yesterday several guys wanted to rush in the clubhouse, just
to see who was winning the Race , I just have never got it .

 

[WillJ]

I've been a NASCAR fan for about 6 years now, and I'm not a Southern redneck that drinks Miller Light. I'm a fan of Roush Racing, Mark Martin in particular(he was sponsored by Valvoline when I started watching, not the other 'V'), and I don't think there's a difference with following a certain driver or team than following a stick and ball team. There's always plenty of interviews with drivers, so you do get to see their faces and hear them speak, and most of them are pretty down to earth, unlike bling-bling crazy NFL and NBA starts.

I will readily admit some of the tracks they race at are boring, the one tomorrow being one of them, but the majority of tracks allow side by side racing, and passing, which is almost non-existant in Formula 1, and uncommon in the IRL and Champ Cars. I still prefer Saturday night sprint cars at local dirt tracks, but NASCAR has it's place, and if you're a gear head like me, you get a rush from the sound of forty-three 800 hp cars running close to 200 mph.

Okay, I'll buy the driver-recognition thing. But what do mean by "passing"? The same kind of passing that regular drivers like you and me do on normal streets? How do racers advance in F1 without passing?

And still, I can't imagine how you can stand watching hundreds of laps. I'm a big fan of racing video games, and I would probably like watching people race through interesting tracks, where the challenge is maneuvering with speed, not endurace. But watching cars go through a track with only four turns, hundreds of times, the main challenge being the strategy behind it all? If all you do is check by once in a while to look at your favorite driver's progress, I might understand, but I doubt I'll ever get how someone could sit down and watch it all.

 

[dgfred]

Okay, I'll buy the driver-recognition thing. But what do mean by "passing"? The same kind of passing that regular drivers like you and me do on normal streets? How do racers advance in F1 without passing?

And still, I can't imagine how you can stand watching hundreds of laps. I'm a big fan of racing video games, and I would probably like watching people race through interesting tracks, where the challenge is maneuvering with speed, not endurace. But watching cars go through a track with only four turns, hundreds of times, the main challenge being the strategy behind it all? If all you do is check by once in a while to look at your favorite driver's progress, I might understand, but I doubt I'll ever get how someone could sit down and watch it all.

Will, Even the WOMEN around here watch, I have NEVER understood it. I just

know better than to say anything about it due to so many avid fans

 

[Serutan]

...and I would probably like watching people race through interesting tracks, where the challenge is maneuvering with speed, not endurace.But watching cars go through a track with only four turns, hundreds of times, the main challenge being the strategy behind it all? If all you do is check by once in a while to look at your favorite driver's progress, I might understand, but I doubt I'll ever get how someone could sit down and watch it all.

I know what you're saying. The only NASCAR races I find really interesting
are the two on F1 type courses, where they have to do actual maneuvering. Another problem with NASCAR is that they obviously play favorites;
enforcement of the rules is inconsistent, to put it mildly.

 

[taper]

NASCAR's enforcement of the rules has been "arbitrary" at best recently, but the racing itself has been good, so I keep watching. If you don't know what passing is, I suggest you watch a race sometime. Tune in for the last hour or so if you don't want to spend 3-4 hours at once, you should see a good show. And the drivers have to worry about the other drivers just as much as where they are on the track, because it is relatively easy to pass on most tracks, even the ovals. As for passing in F1, races often go the entire distance without a single pass for the lead on the track. Sometimes the lead changes during pit stops, but it's pretty much a follow-the-red-car event.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

"because it is relatively easy to pass on most tracks, even the ovals"

Specially in the ovals. And Nascar is all-2 ovals. And when there are 1000 passes in any race the passes lost all relevancy. It has sense to see the last two minutes of the race only.

BTW did you see the last GP in Hockenheim?

 

[brandonbowler]

I cant watch it either just cars going around in circles. I cant watch golf either. If theres sumthing exciting i can just watch it on Top Ten the next morning.

 

[PantheraTigris2]

I do not watch NASCAR. In fact I try to avoid it as much as possible. F1, on the other hand, I never miss race, or even practice session for that matter.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

I'll never get NASCAR...never.

It does not have a real foothold up here in Michigan, however, my cousin is a big fan.

To me, its just a bunch of idiots making hundreds of left turns.

Woo... Fun......