I Love NASCAR

I Love NASCAR.

It's the sport that I will do whatever I can not to miss on television.

You heard me right.  NASCAR is the one sporting event during the week that I try to plan around. 

For awhile I have been hiding that.  Living in North Carolina makes it easier not too, since it is the state sport.

NASCAR is just awesome.  I have to go to a race because I honestly LOVE listening to the cars zoom past me, and even an engine flying into the stands wouldn't keep me from standing close to the fence to hear the deafening sound of the cars zooming by.  You can hear the cars for a week after the event they are so loud. 

It's one reason I love it.  The sound of the engines are peaceful yet manly.  Nothing gets the testosterone flowing quite like a NASCAR engine at full throttle.

I've actually got some sounds of cars on my Ipod that I have used before while exercising.  It really get's me going, especially when I am biking inside at the gym. 

Daytona is a special event.  I've been looking forward to the 500 for a long time now.  It's dramatic with all of the drafting and inevitable multi-car wrecks.  I don't usually root for wrecks, but sometimes a caution plays to my favorite drivers advantage. 

Danica Patrick earned a lot of respect today.  She drove an awesome race and was a top driver.  NASCAR has provided female sports for something relatively unique.  A level playing field for women to directly compete against a man.

You can't have women and men compete against each other in football, basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey, golf etc.  Those sports require so much strength.  Strength and athleticism that is far above the physical differences of elite males and females.  You can't have the best male basketball players and best female players go against each other in 5 v 5.  You maybe could have them compete in drills for accuracy or consistency, but not strength or pure athletic ability.  In NASCAR you can have the best men and women compete.  NASCAR is a sport.  It requires you to be fit enough to have your heart race.  It requires amazing reflexes and concentration.  The same concentration if not even more then golf.    It requires strength to hold the wheel tight for five hours and to be able to absorb the G-Forces.  You have to be strong enough not to wilt physically after hours in the car.  You can't let a soreness effect your decision while racing. 

Racing isn't marathon running but it requires all of the essentials that all other sports have.  NASCAR gives Danica and women and even playing field to go up against men. 

Now I don't root for Danica Patrick because she is a women.  I root for her as an underdog.  I root for her because she drives a Chevy and is associated with my favorite team.  

Danica has a chance to be a special driver for NASCAR and it's popularity if she continues to succeed.  Hopefully women will take notice of her and pay more attention to the sport.  Too often women don't do a good job supporting female athletes when they succeed.