Much More Than 'Just A Race'

To those in the NASCAR community, the month of January may seem to stretch out to the edge of forever despite the action it is leading up to. Teams are busy getting back into the swing of things as they prepare for Speed Weeks in Daytona and the start of a new season. Drivers look to improve from the previous season, and keep up with all of the new rule changes. Team owners scramble to find sponsorship for the drivers who need it. Drivers who were released the season before work hard to prove they can earn a spot on a team.

The anticipation for the beginning of a new NASCAR season can be felt across not only the United States, but also over many foreign countries where fans anxiously await the drop of the green flag at the Great American Race—the Daytona 500—to officially start the season. Fans from all walks of life will set in front of a television and those lucky enough to watch from the stands gear up for what is sure to be a wild race.

To an outsider, it may seem silly. They may wonder why so many people will gather on the weekends to watch men (& women) strap into a NASCAR stock car to drive in circles for hours. A few times I’ve heard non-NASCAR fans say something along the lines of “NASCAR isn’t a sport. It can’t be that hard to drive a car in circles.”

It takes true talent and nerves of steel to get behind the wheel and drive close to 200mph every race where the tiniest mistake can end in disaster or lead to the biggest upset as a another driver takes advantage of the other’s slip-up to win a race. However, a driver alone cannot win races.

Team chemistry is just as important in NASCAR as it is in the NFL or the NBA. One person can make or break the team. A pit crew member’s mistake during a stop can cost the team valuable positions during a race. A bad call by a crew chief can cost the team the victory. The spotter must be alert and quick to help a driver avoid trouble on the track. If any of them mess up, it could result in the team heading home with a finish toward the back of the pack.

Now, just where do the fans come into all of this? Without them, NASCAR probably wouldn’t exist. No matter what happens, fans support their favorite drivers and the sport. From buying a driver’s gear to spending money at a driver’s sponsor to attending races, fans help keep the sport going. But there’s more than money that keeps NASCAR fans following the sport.

To me, the one thing that I think sets NASCAR fans apart from other sports is the sense of community and family. Go to just one race and you’ll see what I mean. Campers as far as the eye can see. Tailgate parties going on all hours of the day and night. Fans who meet by chance suddenly become best friends and meet at the track every year, and I speak from experience when I say that. Fans will argue over who’s driver is better. Some will literally fight about it, but in the end, it doesn’t matter who a fan’s favorite driver is.

Fans attend races for more than just a reason to see their favorite driver. It’s the excitement that hangs in the air as the grand marshal gets ready to give the command to start the engines. It’s the side by side racing, the post-race confrontations, the short tempers, the smell of burning rubber, and the chance to see history be made. In all actuality, it’s all of those things plus so many more that keep fans coming back year after year.

To some fans, it’s a passion in life. To others, it’s a sport they hope to become a part of some day. It is the reason so many people gather with family and friends for those 36 weekends a year to argue and cheer right along side each other to see whose favorite driver will come out on top. To every NASCAR fan, each weekend is truly more than 'just a race'.