How to Become a NASCAR Fan
Thursday, April 10th, 2003 by adminOkay, so you've never been a fan of NASCAR, but you've noticed that lately more and more of your friends and co-workers are becoming NASCAR fans. Don't worry, even if you have never watched a single lap, I am going to help you understand the craze… mullets excluded.
1) Commit yourself. In order to get to know the sport, you must commit yourself to watching at least one race. Fox Sports does a great job of filling you in on the specifics of the cars, (i.e., the manifolds, tires, brakes, etc.) the drivers, and the tracks. After an afternoon of racing you have more than enough knowledge to contribute to the next NASCAR oriented water-cooler discussion.
2) The second, and probably the most important step in enjoying the sport which is NASCAR: Choose a Driver! If you don't have anybody to root for, the race is going to be as boring as watching bowling on ESPN. Here are the best ways to choose your first favorite driver.
a) Go Local: Pick a driver from your state. In Wisconsin, #17 Matt Kenseth is a great bet!
b) Your Favorite Color: Find a car you like and memorize the number.
c) Jump on a Bandwagon: Listen to what the person the commentators are talking about the most during the pre-race shows. Write down the number of that driver and hop on board!
d) Investigate: Nascar.com has great driver profiles. Log on and research the drivers, find out which one you find the most intriguing and make him your new favorite driver.
e) Last Race Winner: By making your favorite driver the guy who won the last race, not only will you be picking a proven winner to start with, but your friends will think that you know a thing or two about racing.
f) Sponsor: Maybe you have a deep affection towards your beer. Maybe M&M's are your favorite snack. Maybe you are just a big fan of the word Viagra. You can choose a driver simply based upon the sponsor who's logo is on the outside.
3) Get ready for the long haul. In order to make it through the full afternoon of racing, you're going to need some snacks and beverages. If you are picking a beer-sponsored car for your favorite driver, I would recommend buying that beer. If you are picking the Viagra car as your favorite driver, I would recommend… well, you understand.
Becoming a fan of NASCAR racing is as simple as giving it a chance. It is not as rednecked and white bread as it used to be. Before you know it, you will be in the minority if you are NOT a NASCAR fan.
Have fun, and don't make any right turns.
