Daytona 500

I've never really been a NASCAR fan, but it always amazes me how many people enjoy watching the sport. Every year when the Daytona 500 comes along, I always hear people start to talk about the huge event. A lot of people may be upset because they haven't had football to watch on Sunday for the best couple of weekends. NASCAR brings along another pastime for bored men on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I wondered why so many people in America watch the races on Sunday, so I sat back and thought for a moment. Then it struck me, there's nothing better than sitting back in the lazy-boy with a cold beer watching 43 drivers trying to prove they're the best. There's tons of key American ideas in NASCAR. First, it involves loud, powerful cars which have been a symbol of Americana since the World War II. Second, it involves fierce competition. While it may look boring, the drivers are constantly battling to gain position. Finally, according to Wikipedia, stock car racing originated with moon shine runners racing there cars to see who could deliver the shine the quickest. Moonshine is considered by many to be a huge American tradition. The roots of the sport make many Americans take even more pride in it. Most people think that NASCAR is strictly for rednecks. While this is probably a rather accurate assumption, there are plenty of "high-rollers" that enjoy the sport as well. My uncle is a software engineer in Richmond and he is the biggest NASCAR fan I know. There are however plenty of fans that make most people view the sport as white trash. I personally don't watch NASCAR, but I don't think people are "rednecks" just if they enjoy watching the sport. This years Daytona was postponed until tomorrow due to rain according to ESPN, so we will have to wait until tomorrow to find out who this years champion is.