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10 Signs That You Might Not Actually Be A NASCAR Fan
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Do you know NASCAR fans who aren’t really NASCAR fans? Here are some of the behaviors that they might exhibit.
Each of us has probably listened to Jeff Foxworthy’s comedy routine. You know, the one where he says, “If you’ve ever…<insert name of event or childish act here>…you might be a redneck.” Heck, some of us might even identify with his material more closely than others. However, I’ve been more than dismayed lately at what many so-called “fans” behaviors or thoughts have been. I’ll even submit that anyone who engages in anything on this list or supports those who do is not a NASCAR fan.
It might come as a surprise to some, and it might even anger others, but you read that correctly — you’re not a NASCAR fan if any of what follows applies to you. Sorry, but you’ll need to convince me otherwise.
Read on if you’re ready to say that none of it applies to you. If it doesn’t, great! Let’s get the car packed for the next race! If it does, I hear Bed, Bath and Beyond has terrific spot sales each Sunday afternoon. Why don’t you go scout out a nice new fluffy towel set.
Note: I am not broaching any politically-charged subjects. The items that follow are simple etiquette points which any true fan shall possess.
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
“What Time, Day Or Date Is The Race On?”
This is the most basic requirement of any fan. If you have to even think about asking, you’re not one.
Don’t tell me you’re too busy with work, kids, etc. to look it up. Nobody is that busy. It takes about 5 seconds to navigate to jayski.com or Google and type in the city of that week’s race followed by the acronym NASCAR. It will be there. I promise. Heck, as you’re reading articles on Beyond The Flag leading up to the race that weekend it will most likely tell you when the race is.
Heck, as a gift, here are two links which have the entire 2017 schedule with broadcast info:
Also, the NASCAR schedule came out months ago. While the average fan doesn’t need to memorize it, they should have it somewhere so they can look at it during the middle of the week to find out for themselves when and where the race is, as well as what network and time it will be on. This question is filled with a whole lot of laziness.
“What Channel Is NBCSN (or FS1) On DirecTV, Dish, Or My Cable System?”
Really? You don’t know? You’ve taken the time to invest in the equipment, some level of programming package, probably both HD and DVR access and you call yourself a NASCAR fan. Wouldn’t you want to find out what channel then will be carrying the race? I’m assuming you want to watch live, or at least DVR it for later, right? If not, you’re not a fan.
Four points of reference:
If you use another cable provider such as Cox or Time Warner, you know the drill…. check your local listings.
Imagine that… you might have to look it up! Can’t (or won’t) do so = Not a fan. Again, you’re not expected to magically know this but you are expected to take the minute it requires to find the answer as opposed to asking other NASCAR fans, who by definition are actually fans.
“I Don’t (or Won’t) Pay The Extra Money To Get A Package Which Includes NBCSN, or FS1 or FS2.”
Oh well. Your loss. Guess you won’t be watching the race, then.
Since attending in person is more expensive than watching on TV or listening on radio after you factor in travel, lodging, tickets and food, I’m guessing you’re not there, either.
Know what? Not attending, watching or listening to the race; and then asking everyone what happened or trying to be in the general conversation? Not a fan.
Sure, some folks have financial struggles, I’m not talking to those people. The folks who can’t afford to watch aren’t the people complaining about it being on certain channels. Those folks figure out a way to watch or find out how their favorite driver did on their own, it’s the other people that I have the issue with.
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
“Qualifying was just rained out and my driver was fastest in the final practice. He/she gets the pole, right?”
I will grant you that this rule has changed over the years, but true fans will stay up with updates.
In the event of the cancellation of a qualifying session due to weather or some other circumstance, the field will be set according to speeds from the first practice session. NASCAR has stated that they feel using these speeds rewards the team most-prepared to compete right off the bat at the beginning of the weekend.
Qualifying is specific to each race, so the field should be set according to performance on that race weekend, and not season-to-date points or some other measure.
Not up on current procedures = Not a fan.
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
“Who Is That Rick Hendricks Guy?”
For the one millionth time, his name is Rick Hendrick. No “s” on the end unless you’re making a singular noun possessive to signify ownership.
Examples:
As a more formal reference:
Use an apostrophe + S (‘s) to show that one person/thing owns or is a member of something.
This is 2nd-grade grammar, folks. So there. Using the “s” when not required = Not a fan. Nothing sticks out more in a NASCAR conversation amongst fans than when someone mispronounces a driver or owners name. If this was IndyCar or F1 you might have an excuse, but it’s not, it’s NASCAR and all of the names are pretty straight-forward if you’re paying attention.
“I saw all the races this weekend – the truck race, the Busch race and then the NASCAR race.”
NASCAR is a sanctioning body. All three national touring series are NASCAR series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity, Camping World Truck). In fact there are seven more series under the NASCAR umbrella as well. Now let’s see…. 3 +7 = 10, right?
You also have responsibility as a fan to use each series’ name along with the current sponsor. So, repeat after me:
Still confused? Just go home. I can’t help you if you don’t understand the difference. Not a fan.
“Any Word On The Race?”
Why don’t you turn on the TV or radio and find out? Or, visit BeyondTheFlag.com or NASCAR.com or ESPN.com?.
I can’t believe you actually took the time to go to a computer, sign-in to Facebook and post this question in a NASCAR-themed group. If you’re that adept, take the extra steps suggested above already….
Too lazy I guess. Not a fan.
Yes, this is for the folks who go on social media (which means they have internet) to ask a question that they could have gotten the answer to (and probably a lot faster to boot) themselves.
“The Firecracker 400 is always on Saturday. I don’t know why they changed it.”
First of all, it hasn’t been called the Firecracker 400 for years. If you’re still calling it that, you’re one of those fans whom Mike Helton says is “stuck in 1949” and whose business is no longer wanted. Shuffle on, Jack.
Also – imagine you’re NBC and have just paid 4.4 billion (with a “b”) dollars to air the final 20 NASCAR Cup Series and final 19 Xfinity Series races for each of the next 10 years. You’re going to damn well schedule your broadcasts to maximize the audience. Why? Here’s a basic TV economics lesson:
Larger audience = Higher ratings > Higher ratings = Networks can charge more for advertising > Charging more for advertising = Shorter time needed in which to recover the $4.4B investment > Greater opportunity to make money
Money talks, folks. Period. The end. Don’t believe me = Not a fan.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
“I’m Boycotting NASCAR and NBC and Fox and Monster Energy.”
Why?
You’re going to give up following a sport that you supposedly enjoy and support because one date in however many years you’ve been a “fan” didn’t suit you? OK, I guess. You’re entitled to that.
Do the 50,000 or so fans who waited it out in the rain most of the day at Daytona (any given year) not have a voice in the process? NASCAR maintains that they do. In fact, it is their regard that is considered first. Nobody knows when a season begins which weekends it will rain and which races will be impacted as a result. Nobody knows if some other once-in-a-lifetime sporting event (like the US Women being in the World Cup a couple of years ago) is going to bump race coverage one weekend.
Yes, NASCAR does it’s best to stick to their schedule as far as when a race begins, what network it’s going to be on and attempting to get the full race in. However, sometimes [beep] happens. Sometimes a race starts on one channel and is moved to another, does that mean you should wuit the sport?
Or maybe it means you don’t want to part with the extra cash that a cable or satellite package would cost that includes NBCSN if your current package doesn’t have it? That’s fine too I suppose, but how about one less pack of smokes each week — that’ll cover it!
If indeed you choose to boycott, don’t let the door hit ‘ya where the good Lord split ‘ya. Not a fan.
“I don’t have time to listen. Please let me know what was said.”
This comes from a website that follows the sport, too. Unbelievable.
This attitude is symbolic of a larger societal problem these days – nobody is able to think critically for themselves. They want everything analyzed for them and given to them in sound bytes. They want the “Cliff’s Notes” version of everything and are just too damn lazy or incompetent to take the time to process anything for themselves.
If you want to know what a driver said, go find out. If you want to know why NASCAR made a decision, go read about it. Take all of the information out there, process it and come up with your own conclusion, don’t rely on others to keep your well-informed.
Attend, watch or listen to the race and subsequent analysis yourself and form your own opinions. It’s OK. We won’t tell.
There you go, folks. Let me have it. Are you really a NASCAR fan? How many of these are you guilty of? Discuss below or reach us via Social Media!
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