If there’s one thing I’ll never understand in this world, it’s NASCAR. From what I’ve gathered (remember, this is from a non-American point of view, before you shoot me down), it consists of plastic shells you can barely call “cars” turning left for a few hours while the spectators pay no attention and get utterly smashed off of their faces on cheap beer. Well, maybe I can understand the appeal… The only times NASCAR has engaged my interest at all are in fictional movies, namely Talladega Nights and the NASCAR-esque Piston Cup plotline in Cars.
What’s the appeal? In fact, more to the point, what’s the appeal of a recycled NASCAR video game? Potentially aggravating opinions follow…
As I said above, I just don’t get the appeal of NASCAR. It consists of driving around in circles (alright, ovals, calm down) for hours at a time over a distance of several hundred miles. It makes me wonder: do American race drivers know how to turn right? No country but America seems to have a multitude of oval tracks; Daytona, Indianapolis, to name a couple. What’s the obsession and what makes it so attractive?
Not only as a motorsport does it seem totally unappealing (personally I vouch for the glamour and sheer skill and reactions needed in Formula 1, and the balls of steel needed for the World Rally Championship) but as a video game NASCAR just seems to be the worst sort of idea conceivable. F1 and WRC games are fun, involving racing games; with the Formula One games, there’s skill in learning racing lines and breaking points so you’re getting round the course fastest, often topping 200mph, and in rally driving it’s all about split-second reactions to take narrow, often highly dangerous corners in as nimble a way as possible.
With NASCAR though, the only strategy I can find seems to be the good old slingshot. It’s a very simple little move: just pull up behind whoever’s in front, wait a second or so for your speed to build up (since you’re no longer driving into the wind, there’s a handy little diagram explaining it a little created by yours truly right here) then shoot off in front. That’s about it. You can forget about braking points, because there are none. You can forget about nimble cornering skills too, because there’s not much in the way of corners at all. NASCAR is boring, it’s a little pointless and as far as I can see requires the least skill of any motorsport out there.
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21 responses so far ↓
1 Juvenileimp // Jun 16, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I dont understand the appeal of nascar either
2 DeathByWaffle // Jun 16, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I am American, and I watch F1 over NASCAR.
3 Havok Saunders // Jun 16, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Prepare to feel the anger of the legions of NASCAR fans! Personally, I agree with you. NASCAR is incredibly boring. It’s not a sport and should not be a game. However, since it is apparently the most popular “sport” in America, there is a game.
4 Doc // Jun 16, 2008 at 1:51 pm
NASCAR is southerners going really fast and occasionally dying, while crowds of other southerners stand around drunk waiting to see if their favorite laundry detergent decaled car will, after 200 laps finish 100 feet this way to win, or 100 feet that way and lose.
Meh
5 Tictoon // Jun 16, 2008 at 1:54 pm
“the cars go VROOM!!”
is what I imagine to be the appeal of many fans.
6 Yamster // Jun 16, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Haha, I was terrified at suffering a slow, painful death at the hands of several angry Americans. Phew.
7 Boringsupreez // Jun 16, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I think the reason you aren’t suffering a slow, painful death at the hand of several angry Americans is that most Nascar fans don’t go to videogame sites.
8 SilverTorch // Jun 16, 2008 at 3:16 pm
My dad likes NASCAR, I hate it. Thank god I didn’t get the NASCAR infection from him
9 Davey // Jun 16, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I’m not a super fan but I enjoy a bit of it. You’ve mostly nailed the appeal with two additions:
The cars are loud… I mean… LOUD. Thunder in you bones loud. Secondly… the wrecks! BOOM! FIRE!! WEEE. Did we mention tons and tons of beer?
10 DWK // Jun 16, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Americans like NASCAR because it’s so simple and stupid, just like Americans. You can always see your driver, and the crashes, and here the noises. And that appeals to your average dull American.
11 Pyro mage // Jun 16, 2008 at 6:00 pm
NASCAR (or SUCKAR as i like to call it) is boring without the crashes. But F1 is awesome because it has passing that matters, and better crashes.
P.S. the little box says madman and destruction.
12 Pablos102030 // Jun 16, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Cars sucked. Why would you name a movie Cars and not have the song “Cars” by Gary Numan playing every 5 minutes?
13 Rihwin // Jun 16, 2008 at 10:25 pm
The fans don’t get smashed on cheap beer, the beer at those race tracks is expensive as hell!
14 Apex // Jun 17, 2008 at 4:47 am
yeah u shud all watch the V8 supercars (yeah im from Australia) it owns u get extremely loud awesome cars, fast turns, passing and wait for it …………. right turns!
15 Echlon // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:04 am
@DWK
You are so ignoant, i am an American and I hate nascar. Only the people in the south like nascar. What you just said is like me calling you a pussy because you live in Europe with the French. It has nothing to do with you and if Americans are so stupid as you say get off American web sites.
16 Echlon // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:11 am
im not saying that French are pussy, it was just an example of another stupid stereotype
17 Echlon // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:19 am
i am not saying that the French are pussy’s its just an example of another stupid stereotype
18 Yamster // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:40 am
We have to remember this site is called Sarcastic Gamer, you guys…everyone needs to chill out a bit.
19 emonerd // Jun 17, 2008 at 9:58 pm
these people just don’t understand NASCAR.
20 emonerd // Jun 17, 2008 at 9:59 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6dgjc5cbts
21 V3NOM // Jun 18, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I’m American and I could care less about NASCAR. I completely agree with you.
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