Tough read here about NASCAR fans

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:

@StickyBun said:
Here's the thing: this hardcore racism, very obvious trackside and in the stands, has been going on in Nascar forever. Why never reported on until now? Big money for networks, that's why. I see all of these stories from reporters that saw all this racism in the past and never said anything. Same with Nascar as an entity. Now? We've got this very public and contrived event for Bubba. How convenient for Nascar and ESPN. Glad it happened but its still something very reactive. No cameras in garage areas with incredibly expensive equipment to catch the person that put up the noose? Riiiight. Let me guess: they weren't working that day? 

JMO.

What is your experience with nascar?  I havent followed it very bn close for about a decade, but they had diversity programs in place along time ago,  I just dont think that it's been a sport that is really popular among all social and ethnic classes and consequently there are less minority candidates to reach the top levels.  As far as the fans, yes the sports history is in the south but they have been racing all over the country for over 20 years including several tracks in California and the north east parts of the US,  hardly hotbeds of racially bigoted fans IMO.

I'm sure there are race fans that are racist,  but it's pretty extreme to condemn an entire organization for racist actions and cover ups.  I would be there is as much despicable behavior in the SEC by the fans and the organizations,  we just don't see hundreds of thousands of them in one place on tv every sunday for 9 months out of the year to paint as big a picture.  

Every organization has its shit heads IMO.

Don't agree at all. I'll leave it at that. To paint a broad brush that somehow Nascar isn't worse than some other sports is naive, IMO. How many black race car drivers have their been professionally in Nascar?? Black ownership groups? Other leagues push for diversity, Nascar has been pulled kicking and screaming into it LONG after the rest of sports. 

Like I said, JMO. 

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
Here's the thing: this hardcore racism, very obvious trackside and in the stands, has been going on in Nascar forever. Why never reported on until now? Big money for networks, that's why. I see all of these stories from reporters that saw all this racism in the past and never said anything. Same with Nascar as an entity. Now? We've got this very public and contrived event for Bubba. How convenient for Nascar and ESPN. Glad it happened but its still something very reactive. No cameras in garage areas with incredibly expensive equipment to catch the person that put up the noose? Riiiight. Let me guess: they weren't working that day? 

JMO.

The idea this was contrived is interesting - there's definitely some truth to the adage that any publicity is good publicity, but I think this has too much negative impact. NASCAR fans probably hate this particular media attention and calls for change feel like condemnation of the sport. Non-fans suddenly know a few more things about NASCAR than they did last week: that many fans love Confederate symbols, they only have 1 minority driver, and someone within the sport delivered a heinous threat to that driver. Are those impressions likely to make anyone start watching NASCAR??

I do agree with your point that the racism has existed for a long time, been ignored, and announcers are disingenuous to fall all over themselves about it suddenly. But if the noose incident was contrived in some attempt to correct Nascar's image, it was badly planned.

[Guest]

I dont know Jor-El. I think a noose could help Nascars image in some hh's in the good olde USA. 

[Guest]

@Jor-El said:

@StickyBun said:
Here's the thing: this hardcore racism, very obvious trackside and in the stands, has been going on in Nascar forever. Why never reported on until now? Big money for networks, that's why. I see all of these stories from reporters that saw all this racism in the past and never said anything. Same with Nascar as an entity. Now? We've got this very public and contrived event for Bubba. How convenient for Nascar and ESPN. Glad it happened but its still something very reactive. No cameras in garage areas with incredibly expensive equipment to catch the person that put up the noose? Riiiight. Let me guess: they weren't working that day? 

JMO.

The idea this was contrived is interesting - there's definitely some truth to the adage that any publicity is good publicity, but I think this has too much negative impact. NASCAR fans probably hate this particular media attention and calls for change feel like condemnation of the sport. Non-fans suddenly know a few more things about NASCAR than they did last week: that many fans love Confederate symbols, they only have 1 minority driver, and someone within the sport delivered a heinous threat to that driver. Are those impressions likely to make anyone start watching NASCAR??

I do agree with your point that the racism has existed for a long time, been ignored, and announcers are disingenuous to fall all over themselves about it suddenly. But if the noose incident was contrived in some attempt to correct Nascar's image, it was badly planned.

Not the noose incident being contrived, the response. There's no wholesome corporate response to anything, its all planned to look spontaneous and is about damage control. 

Somebody close to the car teams/in the car teams put that noose up. Nobody else is allowed in. No video? Really? That's very interesting. 

[Guest]

@purplefaithful said:
I dont know Jor-El. I think a noose could help Nascars image in some hh's in the good olde USA. 

Sadly that may be true...but I think they already have the loyal attention of everyone in that particular demographic.

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:

@JimmyinSD said:

@StickyBun said:
Here's the thing: this hardcore racism, very obvious trackside and in the stands, has been going on in Nascar forever. Why never reported on until now? Big money for networks, that's why. I see all of these stories from reporters that saw all this racism in the past and never said anything. Same with Nascar as an entity. Now? We've got this very public and contrived event for Bubba. How convenient for Nascar and ESPN. Glad it happened but its still something very reactive. No cameras in garage areas with incredibly expensive equipment to catch the person that put up the noose? Riiiight. Let me guess: they weren't working that day? 

JMO.

What is your experience with nascar?  I havent followed it very bn close for about a decade, but they had diversity programs in place along time ago,  I just dont think that it's been a sport that is really popular among all social and ethnic classes and consequently there are less minority candidates to reach the top levels.  As far as the fans, yes the sports history is in the south but they have been racing all over the country for over 20 years including several tracks in California and the north east parts of the US,  hardly hotbeds of racially bigoted fans IMO.

I'm sure there are race fans that are racist,  but it's pretty extreme to condemn an entire organization for racist actions and cover ups.  I would be there is as much despicable behavior in the SEC by the fans and the organizations,  we just don't see hundreds of thousands of them in one place on tv every sunday for 9 months out of the year to paint as big a picture.  

Every organization has its shit heads IMO.

Don't agree at all. I'll leave it at that. To paint a broad brush that somehow Nascar isn't worse than some other sports is naive, IMO. How many black race car drivers have their been professionally in Nascar?? Black ownership groups? Other leagues push for diversity, Nascar has been pulled kicking and screaming into it LONG after the rest of sports. 

Like I said, JMO. 

It's not like the nfl or other major sports,  if somebody has the money and wants to put a team together they pretty much can.  It's not a cheap sport and I know how much that keeps a lot people of all colors,  or lack of, from entering it.  I would suspect that the racial implications at the lower levels are more to blame for a lack of diversity in the sport than by nascar itself.  It's not like you just wake up one day and say you are a cup driver,  even the best come up through other series.  

I would call bullshit on the no video though,  with the money involved in that sport somebody has to be watching everything.

[Guest]

The FBI concluded that this noose (a knot in the pull cord) was there since last October.  Not exactly a hate crime directed at this driver. 

[Guest]

@greediron said:
The FBI concluded that this noose (a knot in the pull cord) was there since last October.  Not exactly a hate crime directed at this driver. 

Good news, glad to hear not a hate crime!  I'm sure the news media will be all over apologizing for running with the hate crime story.  How many discuss the FBI finding or simply shrug shoulders move on?

[Guest]

this sounds like the media blowing something innocent way out of proportion in order to:
1.) Get clicks/sell advertising
2.) Get people to be angry at a certain political party
3.) Get people to vote for the other political party

[Guest]

@IDVikingfan said:

@greediron said:
The FBI concluded that this noose (a knot in the pull cord) was there since last October.  Not exactly a hate crime directed at this driver. 

Good news, glad to hear not a hate crime!  I'm sure the news media will be all over apologizing for running with the hate crime story.  How many discuss the FBI finding or simply shrug shoulders move on?

Nice, good to see most are mentioning the FBI report.