Quote:
Originally Posted by shinerbock
NASCAR is generally a lot more exciting (at least on the best tracks), has more personalities, etc. I have some interest in all racing, but NASCAR is much more of a sport in the typical American sense. You become a die hard fan of one driver or team, following and rooting through the season. This happens in other circuits too, but I think its a lot easier for the average person to become a fan of a NASCAR driver because of the heightened publicity and stronger personalities. Plus it is an extremely American sport. At some tracks people drink wine and socialize, at others girls flash and drink natural light (we sit in the luxury boxes at Talladega, interesting blend of both). It appeals to people of all classes, professions, locations, and increasingly, races.
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I'm quoting more for context than really a reply.
My husband is a fan, and I usually watch for the replays of the wrecks while I'm doing doing other stuff. I didn't see the race today, though.
I think that NASCAR has done an excellent job with advertising and marketing driver personalities, and because people feel a connection to the drivers, as artificial as those connections may be, it brings in folks who don't really care who can drive the fastest. Other forms of racing haven't done so much with maybe the exception of a little flurry around Danica Patrick.
Old fans of NASCAR may be driven crazy by this, but it seems to have been successful for the drivers and the products they advertise. Maybe more than any other "sport," people can tell you what product is associated with what personality because the sponsorship is right on the car.
In general the ads with drivers are excellent, lighthearted and funny and they promote driver, product and the events all at once. That's good stuff.