How I became a NASCAR fan
I wasn't raised on NASCAR. I was raised on football. When you grow up in Dallas during the Roger Staubauch and Tom Landry years, that's what you watched. Throughout the years, I found myself watching NASCAR off and on during the weekends when football was over. But I never really WATCHED it. It was background noise. But, I didn't choose Indy cars, it was always stock cars.
In early 2004 I was tired of yet another end of football and nothing on Sundays. I tried to watch arena football and nope, it didn't do it for me. Then NASCAR was coming to Texas April 2004. You really don't hear much about NASCAR in sports here. Unless you listen to country & western radio, which I don't. The 2 weeks before the Texas race, then the media hypes it up big here. When the race is over, the media dies back and you hear little of it again. It's a shame. There are a lot of fans here. I wish the media would pick up on that.
Anyway, I got caught up in the hype and watched the Texas Busch Race in April 2004 and Matt Kenseth was the race winner. Now, that may be part of why I like him today, but I gave other drivers fair shots too, but it always came back to Matt for me. I started watching this sport every Saturday and Sunday. Found out more and more about it. Learned the drivers, the personalities, some of the history. I tried liking other drivers besides Matt. But the thing that always drew me back to Kenseth, was he almost always started near the rear of the field and I got to watch the top of the ticker as he moved up a spot every few laps or so and there he'd be soon, up in the top 10. Of course, now I have Trackpass and can watch him move that way too. I didn't even know he was the previous season Cup Champ for a long time. I just knew I liked watching him race and I liked his racing style. He didn't really cause shit, but didn't take shit from other drivers either.
The more I got into NASCAR and SPEED Channel etc., the more I saw his personality that he doesn't let out much in public view. People say he's boring. He's not. He's a big smart ass that prefers to be quiet in the media arena. He will goof off with the media on smaller events like testing and qualifying (or even tell the media when asked if the changes made to his car will help his next test run, "I'd know if you media would leave me alone" and turn his back and get into his car.) Or give the shortest acceptance speech on record at a NASCAR awards banquet. But he's always got his game face on for the races.
Now, Elliott Sadler has worked his way into my heart this past year. What can I say? He's adorable. I could listen to him read the phone book with that sweet Virginia accent of his and be mesmerized. He does let his sense of humor show all the time and is vocal and seems to almost always be in a good mood. And willing to draw people maps of gas pedals vs. brake pedals. Plus, he is gorgeous. What a handsome man! I'm not too fond of the square thing he grows on his chin, would prefer either full scruffiness or none at all. But he's still adorable. Matt may be my driver, but Elliott has my lust. I won't say heart, because I'd be lying. I don't personally know the guy.
And I will never claim to be anyone's number one fan. What is that? How are you the number one fan? Was there a contest and people voted for you? I'm a NASCAR fan. I'm not anyone's biggest fan at 5' 9", I'm sure there are some bigger fans than I, even though I'm far from being tiny. I may be new to the sport, but don't hate me for it. I appreciate the ones that have watched for the last however many years you have watched this great sport. And I know newbies like me piss some of you off. Well, that's your problem, not mine. I got no hate for you, but don't be hating me either because my parents didn't raise me in NASCAR pampers.
Also, I don't hate any drivers. I may pick on Jeff Gordon and call him "he who shall not be mentioned on my blog", but I respect that he is a great driver. A short, whiney driver, but a great driver. I have no issues with Dale Earnhardt Jr., except when he wrecked Mikey at Charlotte last year, which ending up wrecking Kenseth and I cursed him out in my regular blog that night. Jr's a good guy from what I can see, another great driver, but he doesn't make MY top 10 list of favorite drivers. I don't follow the crowd. I pick drivers because I like them, not because everyone else does.
I'll be moving my NASCAR posts over here from my regular blog. It may take me some time. But I'm ready for some racin'. And all I got is this until Speedweeks. Also, I now put NASCAR ahead of football. When NASCAR season is over I switch back to football.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it until I decide to change it. Until then the countdown clock to Daytona ticks away......
In early 2004 I was tired of yet another end of football and nothing on Sundays. I tried to watch arena football and nope, it didn't do it for me. Then NASCAR was coming to Texas April 2004. You really don't hear much about NASCAR in sports here. Unless you listen to country & western radio, which I don't. The 2 weeks before the Texas race, then the media hypes it up big here. When the race is over, the media dies back and you hear little of it again. It's a shame. There are a lot of fans here. I wish the media would pick up on that.
Anyway, I got caught up in the hype and watched the Texas Busch Race in April 2004 and Matt Kenseth was the race winner. Now, that may be part of why I like him today, but I gave other drivers fair shots too, but it always came back to Matt for me. I started watching this sport every Saturday and Sunday. Found out more and more about it. Learned the drivers, the personalities, some of the history. I tried liking other drivers besides Matt. But the thing that always drew me back to Kenseth, was he almost always started near the rear of the field and I got to watch the top of the ticker as he moved up a spot every few laps or so and there he'd be soon, up in the top 10. Of course, now I have Trackpass and can watch him move that way too. I didn't even know he was the previous season Cup Champ for a long time. I just knew I liked watching him race and I liked his racing style. He didn't really cause shit, but didn't take shit from other drivers either.
The more I got into NASCAR and SPEED Channel etc., the more I saw his personality that he doesn't let out much in public view. People say he's boring. He's not. He's a big smart ass that prefers to be quiet in the media arena. He will goof off with the media on smaller events like testing and qualifying (or even tell the media when asked if the changes made to his car will help his next test run, "I'd know if you media would leave me alone" and turn his back and get into his car.) Or give the shortest acceptance speech on record at a NASCAR awards banquet. But he's always got his game face on for the races.
Now, Elliott Sadler has worked his way into my heart this past year. What can I say? He's adorable. I could listen to him read the phone book with that sweet Virginia accent of his and be mesmerized. He does let his sense of humor show all the time and is vocal and seems to almost always be in a good mood. And willing to draw people maps of gas pedals vs. brake pedals. Plus, he is gorgeous. What a handsome man! I'm not too fond of the square thing he grows on his chin, would prefer either full scruffiness or none at all. But he's still adorable. Matt may be my driver, but Elliott has my lust. I won't say heart, because I'd be lying. I don't personally know the guy.
And I will never claim to be anyone's number one fan. What is that? How are you the number one fan? Was there a contest and people voted for you? I'm a NASCAR fan. I'm not anyone's biggest fan at 5' 9", I'm sure there are some bigger fans than I, even though I'm far from being tiny. I may be new to the sport, but don't hate me for it. I appreciate the ones that have watched for the last however many years you have watched this great sport. And I know newbies like me piss some of you off. Well, that's your problem, not mine. I got no hate for you, but don't be hating me either because my parents didn't raise me in NASCAR pampers.
Also, I don't hate any drivers. I may pick on Jeff Gordon and call him "he who shall not be mentioned on my blog", but I respect that he is a great driver. A short, whiney driver, but a great driver. I have no issues with Dale Earnhardt Jr., except when he wrecked Mikey at Charlotte last year, which ending up wrecking Kenseth and I cursed him out in my regular blog that night. Jr's a good guy from what I can see, another great driver, but he doesn't make MY top 10 list of favorite drivers. I don't follow the crowd. I pick drivers because I like them, not because everyone else does.
I'll be moving my NASCAR posts over here from my regular blog. It may take me some time. But I'm ready for some racin'. And all I got is this until Speedweeks. Also, I now put NASCAR ahead of football. When NASCAR season is over I switch back to football.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it until I decide to change it. Until then the countdown clock to Daytona ticks away......
posted by at 1/08/2006 10:18:00 PM
3 Comments:
Nice site with good content. I will bookmark you and visit often. Floods of memorie came back when I saw Landry and Staubach's names. Once I can figure out how to put you up as a link I will. Come by sometime http://tiredawg.blogspot.com/
And now we know....the REST of the story...
Great post Bab's!
Have I ever told you how I got into Nascar? I think I will post it on my normal blog tomorrow. Might raise a smile from one or two. Maybe even from me.
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