NASCAR vs NFL???

[RobH4413]

I'm seriously putting effort into trying to follow Nascar. The only problem is I'm not educated at ALL.

I freaking grew up in Frederick, MD. For those of you not familiar, we're known in Maryland as "Fredneck". There are Nascar fans everywhere you look. I just have never learned what makes Nascar so interesting. I've honestly tried watching, I've picked a driver (Stewart) and have failed to gain any sense of passion for the sport.

Maybe football has drained my emotion, who knows.

I think ESPN should do more to encourage learning the ins and outs of racing. I know that there is more than meets the eye, I just have yet to be fed the specifics. I'm never going to pay attention to something I don't care about, and I'm never going to care about something I don't know about. To be honest, the only reason I've ever been sparked with an iota of interest is because of a local radio show (Elliot in the morning here in D.C.) that will interview drivers, and give subjective points of view on what happens.

If I'm telling ESPN what to do to encourage viewers my age to watch, I'd probably focus my efforts on focusing viewers on the drama that goes on. Maybe you're already doing that, but in general I'm more inclined to watch something that focuses on hyping an event so it's a "must watch". I don't know what I'm missing, but I really don't ever feel compelled to watch cars making left turns.


I'm curious as to how anyone actually sits down and watches an entire race. I have textbook ADHD, and find it hard to sit down for a long period of time. How does one sit down and watch what's going on? Maybe all I need is someone that is interested to guide me through a race. Seriously, I kind of want to follow Nascar, I just have yet to be turned on by it.

At any rate, from what I hear, it's a great sport. I just have yet to understand why. It's growing, so maybe as it grows, I'll catch on. So far, it's boring as hell, and I can't pay attention. Maybe it's just a personal problem.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

I'm seriously putting effort into trying to follow Nascar. The only problem is I'm not educated at ALL.

I freaking grew up in Frederick, MD. For those of you not familiar, we're known in Maryland as "Fredneck". There are Nascar fans everywhere you look. I just have never learned what makes Nascar so interesting. I've honestly tried watching, I've picked a driver (Stewart) and have failed to gain any sense of passion for the sport.

Maybe football has drained my emotion, who knows.

I think ESPN should do more to encourage learning the ins and outs of racing. I know that there is more than meets the eye, I just have yet to be fed the specifics. I'm never going to pay attention to something I don't care about, and I'm never going to care about something I don't know about. To be honest, the only reason I've ever been sparked with an iota of interest is because of a local radio show (Elliot in the morning here in D.C.) that will interview drivers, and give subjective points of view on what happens.

If I'm telling ESPN what to do to encourage viewers my age to watch, I'd probably focus my efforts on focusing viewers on the drama that goes on. Maybe you're already doing that, but in general I'm more inclined to watch something that focuses on hyping an event so it's a "must watch". I don't know what I'm missing, but I really don't ever feel compelled to watch cars making left turns.


I'm curious as to how anyone actually sits down and watches an entire race. I have textbook ADHD, and find it hard to sit down for a long period of time. How does one sit down and watch what's going on? Maybe all I need is someone that is interested to guide me through a race. Seriously, I kind of want to follow Nascar, I just have yet to be turned on by it.

At any rate, from what I hear, it's a great sport. I just have yet to understand why. It's growing, so maybe as it grows, I'll catch on. So far, it's boring as hell, and I can't pay attention. Maybe it's just a personal problem.

I've got a pretty long response for this, but I really can't discuss certain things unfortunately.

I'd just say that I hear what you're saying and it's definitely something we work on. But the problems are not necessarily what one might think

It's a long process, and change won't happen overnight

[BDBohnzie]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

I'm curious as to how anyone actually sits down and watches an entire race. I have textbook ADHD, and find it hard to sit down for a long period of time. How does one sit down and watch what's going on? Maybe all I need is someone that is interested to guide me through a race. Seriously, I kind of want to follow Nascar, I just have yet to be turned on by it.

If you are going to sit for an entire race, be sure to have plenty of distractions around you. For Daytona, a bunch of friends and I get together and shoot the shit because we all know that it's one long race. Plenty of food and beer, and we hang out and the race becomes secondary, but it's still part of why we get together. It's funny because usually one of us has an eye on the TV, for the wrecks of course. Then once the last 20 laps come around, we all sit and watch intensely.

Unless you are there at the track, I'd imagine most TV viewers use the race as background while they're doing something else, or they are that die hard and watch each lap like it's the last.

Smoot, are there Nielsen numbers out there on how long a typical person keeps the race on for? I only ask you because of your current employment situation...I figure those numbers are pretty important to you in figuring out programming.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by BDBohnzie

If you are going to sit for an entire race, be sure to have plenty of distractions around you. For Daytona, a bunch of friends and I get together and shoot the shit because we all know that it's one long race. Plenty of food and beer, and we hang out and the race becomes secondary, but it's still part of why we get together. It's funny because usually one of us has an eye on the TV, for the wrecks of course. Then once the last 20 laps come around, we all sit and watch intensely.

Unless you are there at the track, I'd imagine most TV viewers use the race as background while they're doing something else, or they are that die hard and watch each lap like it's the last.

Smoot, are there Nielsen numbers out there on how long a typical person keeps the race on for? I only ask you because of your current employment situation...I figure those numbers are pretty important to you in figuring out programming.

Yeah I don't know if those numbers are necessarily public knowledge, but I do get numbers breaking down time spent viewing, what times of the races are peaks, demographic breakdowns, etc. And yes it's vital info

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

I'm seriously putting effort into trying to follow Nascar. The only problem is I'm not educated at ALL.

I freaking grew up in Frederick, MD. For those of you not familiar, we're known in Maryland as "Fredneck". There are Nascar fans everywhere you look. I just have never learned what makes Nascar so interesting. I've honestly tried watching, I've picked a driver (Stewart) and have failed to gain any sense of passion for the sport.

You just picked the wrong driver!

I'm curious as to how anyone actually sits down and watches an entire race. I have textbook ADHD, and find it hard to sit down for a long period of time. How does one sit down and watch what's going on? Maybe all I need is someone that is interested to guide me through a race. Seriously, I kind of want to follow Nascar, I just have yet to be turned on by it.

I do other things while watching, like play on the internet, or play with my Nintendo DS or something like that. There is absolutely no need to focus 100% on the race. If you plan to do it 100%, then 3 or 4 hours of next to boredom occur. It's like watching Soccer. I do pay more attention than a lot of people cause I watch the small aspects of the sport, each pass is something that is calculated. A lot of people see just a pass (hell we do it every day on our way to work, what's the big deal right?) but in fact, it takes a lot to pass people in NASCAR. I used to think like you until I actually dove in with both feet and tried to put myself in their shoes. The fastest I have ever been in a car was around 160. You have no idea how fast that is until you go that fast. I regularly drive around 100-120 around these deserted highways out here, and you are MOVING...NASCAR travels at close to 200 all the time. They take corners at speeds we only dream about. They "get loose" at 190 MPH, and if we "got loose" at 75 MPH our hearts would leap out of our chests. Focus on that kind of stuff.

[Dlyne8r]

Originally Posted by jsarno

You just picked the wrong driver!



I do other things while watching, like play on the internet, or play with my Nintendo DS or something like that. There is absolutely no need to focus 100% on the race. If you plan to do it 100%, then 3 or 4 hours of next to boredom occur. It's like watching Soccer. I do pay more attention than a lot of people cause I watch the small aspects of the sport, each pass is something that is calculated. A lot of people see just a pass (hell we do it every day on our way to work, what's the big deal right?) but in fact, it takes a lot to pass people in NASCAR. I used to think like you until I actually dove in with both feet and tried to put myself in their shoes. The fastest I have ever been in a car was around 160. You have no idea how fast that is until you go that fast. I regularly drive around 100-120 around these deserted highways out here, and you are MOVING...NASCAR travels at close to 200 all the time. They take corners at speeds we only dream about. They "get loose" at 190 MPH, and if we "got loose" at 75 MPH our hearts would leap out of our chests. Focus on that kind of stuff.

And it also takes some brass ones to drive those cars as fast as they do in what has now become a common occurance: FOUR WIDE! Yikes! If you want the thrill of a lifetime (please hold all alternative "thrills of a lifetime" suggestions for another thread , try enrolling in one of the many NASCAR driving events like "Be Petty." I had the opportunity to drive one of their cars here a couple of years ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway and I have yet to calm down. It's basically a watered down Cup car (slightly shorter wheel base and ONLY 600 hp!), but man that was bar none the most exhilarating ride I've ever been on. I did 6 or 7 (don't remember, I was hyperventilating) hot laps alone behind the wheel of this monster. I followed a "professional" driver around the track and was not allowed to pass him. I didn't matter, I simply did not have the courage to even try coming out of turn two at AMS as I could have reached out and touched the freakin' wall. Dependant of the pace I was driving, the "pro" would either wave to slow me down (never happened) or the flag man at the start/finish line would wave for me to pick it up (yes, it happened ). It was awesome. I averaged only around 140 mph a lap, but I was later told that I was clipping down the back straight at about 160. How cool was that? Anyway, if you ever get a chance to do this, try it, you'll have a whole new perspective of what these guys do every Sunday.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Dlyne8r

And it also takes some brass ones to drive those cars as fast as they do in what has now become a common occurance: FOUR WIDE! Yikes! If you want the thrill of a lifetime (please hold all alternative "thrills of a lifetime" suggestions for another thread , try enrolling in one of the many NASCAR driving events like "Be Petty." I had the opportunity to drive one of their cars here a couple of years ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway and I have yet to calm down. It's basically a watered down Cup car (slightly shorter wheel base and ONLY 600 hp!), but man that was bar none the most exhilarating ride I've ever been on. I did 6 or 7 (don't remember, I was hyperventilating) hot laps alone behind the wheel of this monster. I followed a "professional" driver around the track and was not allowed to pass him. I didn't matter, I simply did not have the courage to even try coming out of turn two at AMS as I could have reached out and touched the freakin' wall. Dependant of the pace I was driving, the "pro" would either wave to slow me down (never happened) or the flag man at the start/finish line would wave for me to pick it up (yes, it happened ). It was awesome. I averaged only around 140 mph a lap, but I was later told that I was clipping down the back straight at about 160. How cool was that? Anyway, if you ever get a chance to do this, try it, you'll have a whole new perspective of what these guys do every Sunday.

I would LOVE to try that. I just don't have the typical fear that others have while driving a car. My wife tells me all the time I missed my calling as a NASCAR driver.
I wonder how I would respond to that? You never really know how you'll do until you're there. Considering I have driven 160mph in a real car with no jitters, I think I would do well with a NASCAR.