We all know that NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. But what does it mean to you? I'll tell you what it means to me!
N- No Shoes or Shirt Required
A- All American
S- Strategy
C- Charity
A- All About Family
R- Reality
No Shoes or Shirt Required
NASCAR is a "come as you are" kind of sport. On a typical race day, you'll see many kinds of people, in many kinds of attire. There is no set way to dress to go to a race. However, jeans and my favorite driver's shirt is what I'll choose every time. You'll see those in the suites, dressed in their finest "Sunday clothes", you'll see fans in the stands with tee-shirts and blue jeans on. You'll even see shirt-less men or bikini clad females working on their tan, in the stands as they watch the on-track action. At any given track, on any given weekend, you'll probably see some fans who decide to go to the race wearing their strangest costumes. And boy, are some of them strange! No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you decide to wear, NASCAR has a place for you! NASCAR is a sport that has all kinds of fans. What kind are you?
All-American
NASCAR is an All-American sport. The NASCAR community cares about our country, a country that was built on faith. From the hot dogs and hamburgers sold in the concession areas, to the decorated service men who perform pre-race ceremonies, NASCAR is all about patriotism. Before any NASCAR sanctioned event, we pray, and you'll see the best singers in the world sing our national anthem! And those fly-overs, featuring our great countries military aircraft, well, it'll leave you with goosebumps!
Strategy
Our NASCAR teams and drivers have strategy all right! There are so many strategic calls that can and will determine the difference between winning and losing. Some teams want to win by being the fastest car on the track, and simply get to the Finish Line first. Some drivers use pit strategy to get them the best finish they can. And let's not forget, the driver's who get to Victory Lane by conserving fuel. There are many ways a driver can get his car into Victory Lane on Sunday. I for one, love to see the strategy those guys use to get them there!
Charity
The NASCAR community is a caring community. And what does a caring community do? A caring community gives back! It's not only the fans who give back, but the drivers and teams as well. Many NASCAR teams and drivers care about giving back to their community. Whether it be Victory Junction, Cell Phones For Soldiers, or even Prelude to the Dream, NASCAR teams and drivers care about our community and are well known for "giving back".
All About Family
NASCAR is a family sport. Parents bring their children to races for good, clean fun. Today's young NASCAR fans are tomorrow's fans, and possibly future NASCAR drivers. Many families plan their vacations around NASCAR events. Have you seen the campgrounds at Talladega Superspeedway? Some think there is no better way to spend their vacation time or money than to spend it at a NASCAR track. Being a family sport isn't just for the fans, but for the driver's and teams as well. Many driver's bring their wives and children along with them to the track. Watch a televised NASCAR race, and see how many NASCAR wives and children you see on Pit Road during pre-race ceremonies. Another way that NASCAR is all about family is with drivers themselves. From the Allison, Earnhardt, Petty, Waltrip and Wallace families, NASCAR is all about family, with more than one family member living the dream of being a race car driver!
Reality
NASCAR is the ultimate reality show. Forget about 'Wipe Out', 'The Real World', or even 'Jersey Shore'. NASCAR has them all beat. NASCAR drivers share their lives with us, share their highs, and even share their lows. Our NASCAR drivers aren't afraid to tell you that another driver has pissed them off. And even though they are pissed, some of the stuff they say is pretty funny. For instance Brian Vickers and his "Kyle Busch Show" remarks or Joey Logano's "Firesuit in the family" remarks, you never know what will come out of a driver's mouth during their post-race interviews. When drivers have a bad day, they share their pain with the fans. When a driver is fortunate enough to win a race, the emotion on the driver's face will warm any fans heart. Let's not forget about the good guys and the bad guys. NASCAR has that too! Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson are two drivers that many fans love to hate, while the Jamie McMurray's, Mark Martin's, and David Reutimann's of the sport are guys that you can't help but to love. Whatever you're looking for in a race, NASCAR has it all: action, suspense, drama, victory, and even defeat. NASCAR is an emotional sport, and when watching a race on television, or witnessing it live from the stands, you're in for one hell of a ride!
So, now that I've told you what NASCAR means to me, tell me, what does NASCAR mean to YOU?
