Who's more passionate: NASCAR or F1 fans?
Posted by Nick Trott at 1:15PM on Monday 30 April, 2007 3 Comments
F1 could learn from beer-can throwing NASCAR fans. Honest.
Although it's impossible to condone the actions of the NASCAR fans on the final lap of the Aaron's 499 race at Talladega at the weekend, the passion shown by the beer-can throwing Earnhardt fans should not be trivialised.
The late Dale Earnhardt exceeded sportsman status to become an American cultural icon. Think Michael Jordan in a race suit.
The 'Intimidator' won as many NASCAR championships as the great Richard Petty in a career that spanned four decades, and his death in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500 was reminiscent of Jim Clark's passing. It was just impossible to believe that it could happen to him, such was his skill behind the wheel.
Jeff Gordon was Earnhardt's arch-nemesis. At Talladega, a track where Earnhardt achieved 10 victories, Gordon has now exceeded Earnhardt's NASCAR win tally.
Earnhardt would have been 56 yesterday too. And his last NASCAR victory was at Talladega. NASCAR's chiefs were aware trouble was brewing, and implored the fans to behave. They even asked that if they were to throw anything at Gordon, it should be toilet rolls.
The police also threatened to arrest anyone lobbing stuff at the track - and they did.
It was a sad way to end another exciting NASCAR race, but it was difficult not to be intrigued by the passion shown at Talladega.
Misplaced passion, but passion nonetheless.
Formula One could do well to look at why NASCAR fans get so passionate about their sport.
Nick Trott
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3 Comments for "Who's more passionate: NASCAR or F1 fans?"
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NASCAR fans throwing beer cans passionate?
Idiotic more like, considering motorsport is dangerous enough already.
Just think of the damage a flying beer can could do to an F1 cars tyres/bodywork or, God forbid, a driver's head.
F1 fans not passionate? Ever heard of the Tiffosi?
Nick has obviously not been to Monza where the Tiffosi spread like blood across the stands creating a noise you would not believe, spitting in the face of any other fan who dares not cheer their driver (that happened to me).
He has also obviously never been to Catalunya to watch as 130,000 quite frankly crazy Spandiards chant "Alonnnnso, Alonnnnso". The atmosphere there is reminiscent of a bullring - tense and explosive.
I would be very surpised if Nick has experienced any of the above. I have and loved every minute of it. In fact, has he ever been to an F1 event?
Nascar fans throwing cans at a driver for beating their man? Tame, very very tame. And if anyone remembers, a few cans and objects found their way onto the Indy circuit in '05, and no one thought that was particularly clever.
Totally with you there Andy, it's not that F1 fans aren't passionate, they just generally don't see the need to become yobs.
Passion and being a moron are not the same thing.
Should we all be like football fans and fight outside the tracks after a race? McLaren fans attacking Ferrari fans? I think not.
Also there is one big difference between a NASCAR car and an F1 car, F1 cars don't have roofs, that's why we never get any low flying objects.