NASCAR Dads - General Posted by Jeff (Sunday January 18 2004 @ 12:19PM EST)

This week, the New York Times ran a piece on NASCAR Dads, a large and fickle political demographic that resembles Virginia ham: pickled by Budweiser and smoked with Marlboro Reds. In a presidential election year characterized by a polarized electorate, nonaffiliated NASCAR Dad is a hot commodity. He is now heavility courted by both sides of the aisle. The political establishment is up to its stuffed shirt in redneck politics. An average of 186,000 rednecks attend 36 events a year in which cars painted with corporate logos turn left for several hundred miles. The question on the political establishment's collective lips is this: "How do I convince these seven million rednecks that my policies will best enable them to buy the giant screen TV of their dreams?" According to the Times, the puzzle is more complex than it seems. Sure, NASCAR dad wants is another beer, an Earnhardt in Victory Lane and a 56-inch plasma flat screen. "NASCAR dad wants a happy hour booth at Hooters, and a double order of buffalo wings." He "wants another shot of Jim or Jack or Johnny, another week on disability, another satellite dish, another four-color neck tattoo of a showroom stock '68 GTO." But NASCAR dad has other desires which add subtle complexities to his character. "NASCAR dad wants not to be talked down to. NASCAR dad wants not to be told what he thinks. NASCAR dad wants not to be pandered to by candidates or condescended to by operatives or deconstructed by eggheads and television's talking haircuts." Yeah, right. Like that's possible... Of note, the sum off all NASCAR dads pales in comparison to enthusiasts of major league sports. (Auto racing is NOT a sport, it's 186,000 people hoping for an accident.) Last year, 6.7 million people attended Winston Cup races yet 16 million people attended NFL games, 20 million attended NBA contests and a whopping 67 million people attended Major League baseball games. "Yet poor Baseball Dad sits home alone with no one to poll him."

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By Funkman (Monday January 19 2004 @ 07:45AM EST)

But from a demographics point of view, NASCAR is a dream. There are 36 NASCAR events. There are 256 NFL regular season games and a whopping 2430 games. From a cost point of view - its cheaper to go after NASCAR fans since you have less events to worry about and more fans you can crash into in one fell swoop.

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By Anonymous (Monday January 19 2004 @ 09:42AM EST)

Funkman. I am assuming you ment 2430 baseball games? Also what makes you think that if people watch cars turning left why they won't watch guys try to hit a ball? Jeff I will spell this out for you. NASCAR dads are also Baseball dads, and egads Football dads. But not all Baseball, and football dads are NASCAR dads. Basketball watchers are just dumb

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By Jeff (Monday January 19 2004 @ 04:19PM EST) Anyway you slice it, few things are grosser than the man with the "3" shaved in his back hair... [ reply | parent ]

By Vernon G Spot (Friday January 30 2004 @ 05:14PM EST) Any man [I am speculating] who uses the word "egads" should not be allowed to write about sports period! [if you consider NASCAR a sport] Maybe he should try writing about something a "tad" more feminine such as sychronized swimming or rhythmic gymnastics! IMHO [ reply | parent ]

By Tom (Monday January 19 2004 @ 10:35AM EST)

While allowing that patriotism is but the love of the hams of one's youth, I'm suprised by your characterization of Virginia hams. The true Virginia ham (and other southeastern hams) is a dry salt cured ham, hardwood smoked and aged for 9 months to 2 years. Traditionally, the pigs were allowed to free range across the peanut fields of southeastern Virginia, this producing an oil fat content that took to curing well. Smithfield hams are a state-designated appellation and are required to be produced within 25 miles of the original Jamestown settlement. Virginia hams are the only US hams that approach the taste and quality of European dry salt-cured hams (prosciutto, westphalian, Jamon Serrano, Bayonne). They have been a Virginia export for 300 years and are best served cut paper-thin. I always enjoy it with a side of collard or mustard greens laden with red peppers, onions and garlic. As far as the Nascar-Dads...let them be. I have no evidence that they are actually swing voters and I'd expect them to follow the same ole company line that the Southern Man has been following for the last 40 years. I only regret that they don't hold big races on election tuesday.

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By BIg Bad John (Sunday August 14 2005 @ 09:26PM EDT) Man you are SUCH a buzz kill. [ reply | parent ]

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