NASCAR running thread

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NRA is set to sponsor next month's race in Texas.

wow... never saw this coming. said no one. ever.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/schedule/2013/03/04/national-rifle-association-sponsoring-nascar-sprint-cup-race/1962211/

 

I can understand the kerfluffle from people who don't follow NASCAR or care about the NRA, but really I'm more surprised NASCAR signed off on it. The new tracks were built thinking the sport was on the cusp of being mainstream and getting lots of casual fans, not just the long-term fans.
This won't help.
But still, NASCAR is a sport where cars drive very fast and are decorated with beer logos, drivers often celebrate throwing beer around. They even have a race sponsored by Crown Royal.
It shouldn't be a big deal.

 

Saw a headline on Yahoo today, didn't quite believe it so I looked at the story. Yep, NASCAR is indeed fining Denny Hamlin for pointing out it's hard to pass so far with the new cars. Holy moly, has the sport ever changed.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/hamlin-fined-25k-nascar-criticizing-182711224--nascar.html
Back in 2000 Earnhardt would call other drivers candy asses and growl things like "they killed the racing at Daytona" and "Bill France Sr. is rolling in his grave." He wasn't fined, though if he spoke against restrictor plate "racing" (as he often did), his plate car would magically not pass tech next time out. And it's morphed into Hamlin being fined for pointing out it's hard to pass? I just hope this blows up in Brain France's face.

 

Boys have at it...just keep it amongst yerselves...

 

As a lifelong fan of the sport, I truly wish it would come tumbling down and something resembling what NASCAR used to be rise in its place.

 

I think NASCAR's always been run like this, though.

 

Mentioned this on another thread, but is it really that big of a deal? After all, the NASCAR trophies at Texas include a rifle and a set of pistols. Letting the NRA sponsor a race there kind of fits the motif.

 

It has but I don't think to this extent. Kyle Busch was fined for not praising the COT right out of the box and now this. It's not like they were making some super negative comment. They just honetly gave an opinion, and because it didn't match the Fox race broadcast muster of sucking NASCAR's dick the drivers were fined.

 

The surprise to me is that guns and firearms aren't allowed at TMS.

 

Well, the blowback for "just honestly giving an opinion" is how Big Bill broke the fledgling drivers' union at Talledega in 1970.

A France has always decided - arbitrarily and by divine right - what goes and what doesn't in NASCAR.

 

Just because you fervently support the right to bear arms, doesn't mean you have to think it's a good idea to put them in close proximity to large crowds, traffic jams, alcohol and a high level of testosterone. I'm pro-gun, and even I think it's a bad idea to allow weapons inside stadiums.