NASCAR fan does not equal "redneck republican"

[Speed8098]

I am an avid Nascar fan. When I was a little boy, my dad raced cars ,a 1940 Ford Coupe was the last one I remember.
That was before Nascar existed as it does today.

My dad is a staunch Democrat as am I.

People have this misconception that if you like car racing, you're a right winger. WRONG!

Please stop stereotyping us. It is offensive.

For the record, I'm a New Yorker for the last 25 years. I'm 49 years old and a father of a 15 year old girl.
I don't drink beer. I don't smoke cigarettes, but I do puff on another substance once in awhile.

Thanks for letting me vent.

(on edit: fixed typo)

[Maddy McCall]

1. I'm more liberal than anyone I know, and I, too, am a NASCAR fan.

My son started following Jeff Gordon's career, and I got interested as a result. I love watching NASCAR on TV so much that I am looking into getting tickets to Taladega in November for the big Nextel Cup race.

I'm a very involved liberal Democrat. I DO drink beer, and I do a lot of other things that some elitist people here might consider "redneck." I fish, I camp, I raise chickens and ducks, and I'm an eagle-eye target shooter with the rifle my dad handed down to me. I love my southern neighbors, whether they're Democrats or Republicans. I look at people's hearts, not their political affiliation.

I'm also finishing my PhD and teach at a university.

I'm with you, Speed. People need to quit stereotyping those of us who enjoy things that they consider "Republican" leisure activities.

[jmcon007]

2. I'm pretty liberal myself and grew up working on my old '56

Chevy ragtop, 265 w/powerpack heads, etc.....(would I like to have it today?!) I always loved hot cars and if I lived near a track I could get hooked pretty easy.
After what you wrote...I agree. Everyone needs to back off, including myself.

[ClintonTyree]

3. You're in the minority...

and I agree, people should avoid all mass generalizations. But you have to agree that a vast majority of NASCAR fans fit the "redneck republican" description. That's a fact no one can deny. However, I am glad that there are those, like you, that have the ability to not be swayed by the majority.

[Maddy McCall]

11. How do you know that?

Show me the stats. I'm curious to read any kind of statistical info that proves your assertion.

[eridani]

4. People who like bike racing are stereotyped as French elitists

I'll admit that I can understand why people like to race cars and bikes, but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone likes to watch other people do either. With other sports you can more easily see game strategy, IMO.

[Maine-ah]

5. I'll second that

I am not a nascar fan, but there are plenty in Maine that are and are far from being republican/right wing. Though, the ones I know are rednecks, but we're a different kind of redneck. "northen rednecks" are quite a bit different than "southern rednecks".

I've got three dead cars in my yard. I'm a redneck. My husband is a redneck, and so are most of our friends.

[Clark2008]

9. You know, I love hearing you say that.

Because there are a lot of people on this board (who shall remain nameless) who think rednecks are only located in the South and/or in the mid-West.
:hi:

P.S. I, however, am born and raised in the South and - other than I think the best cars should be a little "redneck" - I don't have a redneck bone in my body. It works both ways! But, I love my redneck step-Dad! :7

[Maine-ah]

12. I was born and raised in the north

and in small towns.

Rednecks are living all over this country and there are different types, depending on where you come from.

[catzies]

17. Born & raised in the south, now a Californian - there ARE Calif. rednecks

And NASCAR's gained a lot in popularity around here.

My brother & his family live near Atlanta. They're NASCAR fans AND Democrats.

His friends have certain preconceived notions about me but I'm not a stereotypical California liberal. Well, mostly.

I have certain preconceived notions about his friends and neighbors but I'm sure they're all not knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, few-toothed, Bible-thumpers.

Like most things, it's not black & white. And we all have to live here together somehow. Not hating each other helps.

[Kipling]

6. Hey...

My American relatives don't like car racing and they're Libertarian extremist hicks.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. I once had a 250 lb, liberal, gay boss who was a massive NASCAR fan

loved to drink beer, watch sports.

he couldn't have been more flaming, either.

The dude shot about 10 or 12 different stereotypes to hell at any given time, I should think.

[Clark2008]

8. My step-Dad is an avid NASCAR fan, is from the country, drives a

pick-up truck, lives in the South and thinks Bush is the worst president - EVER. He says he's definitely NOT for the working man and woman.

We need to do away with stereotypes.

[liberal N proud]

10. So what you guys are saying is that the reukes stole

NASCAR as well as Christianity?

The problem with most of Americans is they are willing to allow stereotyping of others and themselves. People will simply say if one fits the type, all must be the same.

Is still wonder about Country and Western though, it seems most of them there country folk are redneck and republican, LOL
Only the Toby Keith fans am I right?

[unhappycamper]

13. Put me in the NASCAR / Democrat column.

Here's what I did on 5/1/2005 with a few of my friends:

[zbdent]

14. The problem is this - it seems similar to throwing a rock at a fish

You know the fish is there, but you're most likely to hit water than a fish.

There seems to be much more water (Repub NASCAR fans) than fish (non-Repub NASCAR fans).

[Speed8098]

15. Where do you get your information from?

It seems to me that people are making assumptions when it comes to the political leanings of a Nascar fan.

I would really like to see some statistics that back up the assertion that "There seems to be much more water (Repub NASCAR fans) than fish (non-Repub NASCAR fans)."

I've never seen any type of poll states that fact.
Maybe you can enlighten me.

[zbdent]

16. Gee, where should I get statistics?

Can't. That's why I said "THE IMPRESSION".

Let's see - NASCAR (until recently) was mostly a "southern boy" sport. That was the image. The fact is that a lot of people all over the US like NASCAR. Even if you didn't, you probably understood the significance of the # 43.

Ann Coulter lamented (actually screamed) incorrectly that the death of one of the sport's biggest stars was ignored by the New York Times - a "liberal bastion". A quick check of the next day's NYT proved her false, but it's entered into the Repuke mythology. Anybody who believes it should be dragged kicking and screaming into the nearest (probably Socialist concept) public library with a microfilm viewer (with the NYTs available) and smashed repeatedly over the head with the copies made from the microfilm.

It just appears that there's plenty more Repukes than Liberals when it comes to NASCAR. A good friend of mine is a supporter of the 2nd amendment, an anti-abortion Catholic, a hard worker (salaried), a beer drinker, and his favorite driver is Mark Martin. Although he would absolutely refuse to vote for Dennis Kucinich, he is still fairly liberal in his leanings, and voted Dem for pres as long as I've been aware of him.

Besides, do you think that George W. Bush would have been flown into a U2 concert? He wouldn't, because he would expect to be run out of the stadium in tar and feathers. Yet he flew into a NASCAR event, and got a fairly negative reaction.

I'm not saying that ALL NASCAR fans are Righties - but that's the image that the righties claim as their own. When's the last time you saw a racing event for electric cars on a sports show? (Not counting those robot wars) . . .