Shirley
05-07-2007, 02:07 PM
The flashy spectacle that is NASCAR took a major step in reverse recently at Talladega Superspeedway.
In fact, the barrage of beer cans and assorted projectiles after Jeff Gordon’s historic win on April 29 might have set the sport back several years in terms of national credibility and respect.
While the warm and fuzzy NASCAR commercials and public statements present the image of a "family’’ sport, no self-respecting father would allow his kid to be exposed to the type of behavior displayed at Talladega.
Any true NASCAR fan should have been disgusted at the scene.
Fair or not, the entire sport has once again been labeled as redneck or akin to professional wrestling. It’s ironic that famed southern comedian Jeff Foxworthy served as grand marshal for the Talladega race.
Various national media outlets, including the New York Times and industry publications, have chimed in on the state of NASCAR over the past two weeks. The reviews have been far from positive.
And many tracks, including Bristol Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, have banned the 14 individuals charged with disorderly conduct at Talladega from attending races at their tracks.
What’s really sad about this story is how some fans have offered lame excuses or justification for the incident, then pointed to unruly behavior in other sports.
There is a big difference between throwing a snowball or dog bone on a football field and hurling a full beer can at a moving vehicle.
A large segment of the Talladega fan base has a fixation on the Earnhardt family, and they were upset that Gordon passed Dale Earnhardt in all-time wins on Earnhardt’s birthday. The fact that Gordon was helped by a NASCAR ruling in the final laps compounded the rage. Again, that is no excuse for putting fellow fans, officials and drivers at risk. Can you say lawsuit?
It’s interesting to note that Earnhardt and Gordon were friends and business partners.
One has to ponder a bigger picture here and it goes to the heart of NASCAR’s success. The growth of stock car racing has been fueled by the dollars of Fortune 500 corporations.
Imagine how executives from those image-savvy companies felt when they saw one of their primary marketing tools become the centerpiece of a massive bar fight.
Heck, pro wrestling fans have more decorum than those drunkards at Talladega.
If other similar incidents occur, every fan will be hurt and painted with a broad red-neck brush What other sport allow its customers to bring food and beverages to the event? It’s possible that those prized coolers may become a thing of the past. Enjoy those $5 concession stand beers served in paper cups.
Fans of NASCAR are famous for their passion and loyalty. Passion is wonderful, but how do you expect children to feel after watching angry adults react with nasty language, crude hand gestures and flying beer cans.
NASCAR has already been hit a serious slump in attendance and television ratings in recent years. Ratings for this year’s Food City 500 at Bristol were actually down 17.7 from last season.
Part of the season for that decline is due to a revolt from old-school fans to the new NASCAR, which puts an emphasis on major media markets, telegenic young drivers and image.
Whether you look him or not, Gordon has undeniable talent and has represented his sport with class.
To many fans, Gordon represents the new age of stock car racing and he has become the focus for much of the pent-up frustration.
One thing is clear from the Talladega debacle and a similar fan display earlier this season at Phoenix International Raceway.
NASCAR is extremely popular in certain areas of the country, but this boat still hasn’t reached the national mainstream.
Thanks to TriCities.com
In fact, the barrage of beer cans and assorted projectiles after Jeff Gordon’s historic win on April 29 might have set the sport back several years in terms of national credibility and respect.
While the warm and fuzzy NASCAR commercials and public statements present the image of a "family’’ sport, no self-respecting father would allow his kid to be exposed to the type of behavior displayed at Talladega.
Any true NASCAR fan should have been disgusted at the scene.
Fair or not, the entire sport has once again been labeled as redneck or akin to professional wrestling. It’s ironic that famed southern comedian Jeff Foxworthy served as grand marshal for the Talladega race.
Various national media outlets, including the New York Times and industry publications, have chimed in on the state of NASCAR over the past two weeks. The reviews have been far from positive.
And many tracks, including Bristol Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, have banned the 14 individuals charged with disorderly conduct at Talladega from attending races at their tracks.
What’s really sad about this story is how some fans have offered lame excuses or justification for the incident, then pointed to unruly behavior in other sports.
There is a big difference between throwing a snowball or dog bone on a football field and hurling a full beer can at a moving vehicle.
A large segment of the Talladega fan base has a fixation on the Earnhardt family, and they were upset that Gordon passed Dale Earnhardt in all-time wins on Earnhardt’s birthday. The fact that Gordon was helped by a NASCAR ruling in the final laps compounded the rage. Again, that is no excuse for putting fellow fans, officials and drivers at risk. Can you say lawsuit?
It’s interesting to note that Earnhardt and Gordon were friends and business partners.
One has to ponder a bigger picture here and it goes to the heart of NASCAR’s success. The growth of stock car racing has been fueled by the dollars of Fortune 500 corporations.
Imagine how executives from those image-savvy companies felt when they saw one of their primary marketing tools become the centerpiece of a massive bar fight.
Heck, pro wrestling fans have more decorum than those drunkards at Talladega.
If other similar incidents occur, every fan will be hurt and painted with a broad red-neck brush What other sport allow its customers to bring food and beverages to the event? It’s possible that those prized coolers may become a thing of the past. Enjoy those $5 concession stand beers served in paper cups.
Fans of NASCAR are famous for their passion and loyalty. Passion is wonderful, but how do you expect children to feel after watching angry adults react with nasty language, crude hand gestures and flying beer cans.
NASCAR has already been hit a serious slump in attendance and television ratings in recent years. Ratings for this year’s Food City 500 at Bristol were actually down 17.7 from last season.
Part of the season for that decline is due to a revolt from old-school fans to the new NASCAR, which puts an emphasis on major media markets, telegenic young drivers and image.
Whether you look him or not, Gordon has undeniable talent and has represented his sport with class.
To many fans, Gordon represents the new age of stock car racing and he has become the focus for much of the pent-up frustration.
One thing is clear from the Talladega debacle and a similar fan display earlier this season at Phoenix International Raceway.
NASCAR is extremely popular in certain areas of the country, but this boat still hasn’t reached the national mainstream.
Thanks to TriCities.com