NASCAR as 'Our national past-time'?

[captJack88]

I was listening to a sports talk show yesterday, and the host was was asking his listening audience if anyone had watched a particular game, well, in doing this he mad e a comment along the lines of "I know baseball is no longer America's past-time, now it's football, followed by NASCAR". I don't know if that was just his opinion or if he was usuing television ratings as his guide, but his statement caught me off gaurd. Know I know that NASCAR has gained in popularity over the last few years, but America's past time? So I thought I'd come here and throw out a poll to see what you that about it. And no, I don't want this to turn into a NASCAR isn't a real sport thread, I know I couldn't do it. I just don't see it as our national past-time. Just my opinion...what do you think?

 

[keishashadow]

Everyone knows football is king and the Steelers are the world champions. .

My neighbor proudly waves his Dale Jr. flag over his cement pond & has the nerve to cut the grass when the game is on...to each their own.

 

[gris gris]

This announcer had to be using TV ratings as a guide, or reading any NASCAR publication, because that's where the "football/NASCAR/MLB" ranking shows up all the time.

I'm a HUGE NASCAR fan - when I see the 88 in your user name, I see Dale Jarrett. If this thread turns into "NASCAR isn't a true sport" I'll be defending the sport until I turn blue

I'm also a huge baseball fan and I voted for MLB. I really don't believe NASCAR is as popular as baseball or even football for that matter.

 

[Crankyshank]

Here in Red Sox and Patriots nation, half the year is all about football and the other half is all about baseball.

 

[gris gris]

Here in Red Sox and Patriots nation, half the year is all about football and the other half is all about baseball.

You got that right!! The best thing about NASCAR though is it fills in the hole between the Super Bowl and the start of spring training since NASCAR starts in February!

 

[minniecarousel]

huh?! car racing our National past-time? I don't think so! We're talking about cars going 'round & 'round on a track, right?

Baseball - whether pro or kids or college or semi-pro - that's still our National past-time!

 

[wvrevy]

Football is king. Sure, on any given Sunday there are 100,000+ attending a race. But on any given Saturday in the fall, college football stadiums from coast to coast fill up with millions of fans.

It isn't even close.

(Oh, and it isn't a sport...it's a "competition", just like horse racing, airplane racing, sailboat racing, and every other competition where the outcome is decided more by the equipment (or the horse) than by the "athlete"...and I like Nascar, btw)

 

[Galahad]

If it is, it's great evidence for the theory of social entropy.

 

[americanmale]

Football is king. Sure, on any given Sunday there are 100,000+ attending a race. But on any given Saturday in the fall, college football stadiums from coast to coast fill up with millions of fans.

It isn't even close.

(Oh, and it isn't a sport...it's a "competition", just like horse racing, airplane racing, sailboat racing, and every other competition where the outcome is decided more by the equipment (or the horse) than by the "athlete"...and I like Nascar, btw)

Football games are usually decided by the referee's whistle, not the atheletes!

 

[gris gris]

(Oh, and it isn't a sport...it's a "competition", just like horse racing, airplane racing, sailboat racing, and every other competition where the outcome is decided more by the equipment (or the horse) than by the "athlete"...and I like Nascar, btw)

Well....during the Olympics this year Mike & Mike on ESPN had a big debate about whether or not some of the events were sport or competition. Their deciding factor was if it involved subjective judgement, it was a competition. I.e., figure skating, gymnastics, etc......The judges made the determination as to who was the winner based on what they saw with their own eyes. If it involved rules defined by winning based on numbers (goals, runs, speed), it was a sport. And since I love Mike & Mike so much, I agree with them, racing is a sport.

 

[CajunDixie]

Nascar gets my vote!!

It's not all about the car....w/o a good driver the car means nothing. You can have the best car on the track and still have the driver take a corner to fast and hit the wall, take his anger out on another driver or just plain not be able to handle driving the car for 500 miles.

And just because a person loves Nascar doesn't mean they don't watch college football on Saturdays and their favorite team in the NFL. It's not an all or nothing deal. Granted the Saturday college games fill up but how many are students that don't have the time nor money to travel to a Nascar race, parents of players, and alumni? That's like comparing apples and oranges.

For the most part Nascar is still somewhat of a family, wholesome type sport in that you rarely see the racers being arrested for drugs, shootings, or for beating their wives/girlfriends. I can think of only 2 arrests in Nascar in the recent past with one being Kurt *gag* Busch and the other being Scott Wimmer.

 

[MelCald]

I would say baseball is our national past time. We can watch it and also participate in it.

Melissa

 

[wvrevy]

1 - Football games are decided by the teams playing. Period. Yes, a referee can affect the outcome. But the determining factor is almost always the play of the teams, not the officiating (despite the whining coming from the loser's camp after the game).

2 - I agree with Mike and Mike as well. If it hinges on someone else's subjective judgement, it isn't a "sport" it's a "competition". And yes, "racing" - as in the 100 meter dash - is, in my opinion, a sport. However, in Nascar - like horse racing - the winner is contingent on who has the best car that day. Sure, drivers make mistakes that cost them races. But if it was only about the driver, the same guys would win every single week, and that isn't what happens. There is very little difference between the top drivers on the circuit. The winner is determined by the car most of the time, not the driver.

3 - You can't compare ratings between football (or any other non-olympic sport) and Nascar, either. Not all football teams, baseball teams, or basketball teams are playing at the same time on the same field/court. But there are three stadiums that 100,000+ to every home football game, and many more throughout the country that draw 70,000+, including the one in my signature. I'm sorry, but there is just no comparison between the number of fans that follow football and the number that follow NASCAR.

And again...I like watching Nascar, and have been to quite a few races in my time. But, like most fans I know, if it came to a choice between a Nascar race and any WVU (insert favorite team here) football game...there is no decision to be made. Yes, Nascar has some diehard fans. But to say that it even comes close to equalling the audience of college or professional football is just not true.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I really think the national past time is internet surfing! As far as Nascar being a wholesome, family thing - I beg to differ on that one! I went to my first - and last - Nascar race in Vegas a couple of years ago. I've never seen such rude and obnoxious men! Maybe it was just cause it was Vegas, but I couldn't walk to the restroom without some drunk guy making some vulgar comment. I've never had that problem at a football game!

 

[tar heel]

If you're talking about arrests among NASCAR drivers you can hardly compare it to the entire NFL or MLB. There is a drastic difference in numbers. The number of big-time NASCAR drivers is roughly equal to the number of players on ONE NFL TEAM. Throw in the Busch series and trucks and you still only have a number equal to three or four NFL teams.

As in any sport, some NASCAR folks are wholesome, and some aren't. As someone who lives very near a superspeedway, I can tell you that there will be a lot of drunks here this weekend. Some of them will be driving and a bunch of them will arrested. And I'm talking about fans, not players.

I think baseball is still the "national" pasttime although it wouldn't be number 1 here. There are so many more teams and games, plus, as Melcald said, we can also play it. I'm not sure NASCAR is even the biggest thing in NASCAR country. Most of the people I know put either college basketball or NFL before NASCAR. For many of us, NASCAR is just an economic engine that creates jobs.

 

[kelleigh1]

Here in Red Sox and Patriots nation, half the year is all about football and the other half is all about baseball.

Amen!

 

[jgmklmhem]

Judging this sort of thing is very hard because if you go by attendence then a single sporting event such as Nascar or even football are kings because they have large stadiums/venues that are only used once a week normally on weekends and with no other major competition on TV. Baseball and Basketball play multiple times a week so their numbers are going to be lower. They are lower because of smaller venues, harder time slots (going to a Sat game is sooo much easier than a Tueday night game) and saturation. NFL plays 16 reg season games whereas baseball is 164 so getting to 16 games is also easier than 164.

In my opinion Football is king....not really based on one set of numbers but just combining all the different aspects especially when you combine college and pro.

 

[kelleigh1]

I notice that a number of people have mentioned football as both college and NFL. Yet nobody has mentioned baseball from little league to legion ball to college to Cape league to minor leagues to major leagues. There are so many different levels of baseball and you can watch a game on any day between April and October in any state across the country.

I believe that is why baseball is our national pasttime. In April, you have the start of Little League with parades and big events in towns all over the place. What other sport has that? What other sport is played with such passion by kids? You don't see many 5 year olds learning to play football, but you will see so many of them tossing a baseball with Dad (or Mom) or trying to swing a bat. And this isn't just boys, but little girls too. Sure, the majority of the girls eventually go on to softball, but it's the same concept.

Women's sports are growing in popularity and they are venturing into more and more sports, but baseball is still the sport that spans across generations and genders.

 

[Mugg Mann]

In Baseball and Football, participants are not only encouraged to have rightward mobility, but those who only turn left don't get very far in their respective sports.

Yes, the TV ratings are on the rise, but NASCAR still has a long, long way to go.

 

[PenskeSth1]

My vote is for NASCAR!!

I fall asleep watching baseball even when DS was playing LL. I was so glad he quit!

DH use to love football, He still loves the Minn. Vikings but since I introduced him to Nascar back in 1986, NASCAR takes the #1 vote for him also! We jones something terrible during the off season and I sure am glad it is a short OFF season..

We do take both our kids to the races with us. DS (8) and DD(17) they enjoy themselves and think it is alot of fun tailgating and going around getting all the free promotional stuff. DS was so excited when he got to meet his driver Carl Edwards. I don't know of to many sports where you have the chance to get up close and personal with the stars of the sports. Yes there is alot of people drinking but for us we have NEVER had anyone give us a hard time or be rude to any of us. Actually DD and I like to watch the drunk people come back looking for their seats, It is quit comical. Our kids have been attending races with us since they were little.
Everyone has their own opinion though and that is what makes everyone different....

Dh only watches the playoffs in football now and that is only part time...