Why I’m a NASCAR fan now
I joined a NASCAR fantasy sports league this year.
It’s been a LOT of fun for me…and been a pleasant diversion when I’ve needed one. And Lord only knows that there have been lots of times in the past few months when I’ve needed something to take my eyes off the rest of the world.
And in the process, I’ve been won over…I am now a fan of NASCAR. Why?
Like many, I used to wonder what the appeal of auto racing was…how exciting is watching cars just race each other? You’d think I’d have an idea how physically strenuous driving can be, since I lived for several years in auto-crazy Southern California…but the appreciation for the athletic skills involved in driving a car never transferred over from my own experience to the race track.
Since I have to do my homework on the sport to be a good fantasy player at it, I’ve come to appreciate the considerable skills and attributes involved in being a stock car champion.
Obviously, it takes great coordination and concentration to drive an automobile at high speed, and get as much performance out of it as is possible to get. To hear drivers discuss their cars is an education in how these machines can have almost human attributes. It’s reminiscent to me of how horse racing jockeys peak of their horses as if they were human…these NASCAR drivers really understand their cars, and how they work. It’s NOT just about driving the car…it’s about understanding the machine, and knowing how to get the most performznce from it. In that sense, it’s not unlike any other athlete understanding how to get the most from his body to compete in whatever he/she is doing. The best drivers describe their cars as if they were physical extensions of themselves, which gives me respect for them as almost like artists of their craft.
And it is truly a TEAM sport. It’s not all about the driver…the driver is just one part of the whole mix. There are mechanics, the pit crew, and of course, the crew chief…who is the supervisor of the whole team. And anyone who has ever been involved with racing knows that every member of the team is vital to the whole operation. When you hear drivers being interviewed, you never hear “I” or me” or “I did this or that”…you always hear “we” and “us” and what “we need to do to win”…the drivers know what side their bread is buttered on. That emphasis on teamwork is an important concept in being successful not only in racing, but in life. So in that sense, NASCAR can be instructive to people.
And the drivers themselves are unique human beings with attributes that are similar to ours. Pick any driver you like, and there’s bound to be one who is similar to you in personality and temperament. And if we observe how they relate to the other personalities they encounter, perhaps ther are things we can learn from them as well. When the emphasis is so prominent on teamwork and working together to reach a common goal, we can see how their example can be instructive to us in our lives.
Beyond that, what athletes! Those pit crews are simply remarkable…to be able to do a complete change of four tires, do mechanical adjustments and chassis work, and top of a car with gas and oil…and do all of that within 15 seconds, requires as much athleticism as any huiman activity. Too bad there isn’t Olympic competition in pit work…it would really be something to behold!
And some of the invocation prayers before events are instructive in their own way as well….not that one would go to a race to hear the gospel, but it’s heartening to hear people relate the gospel to the degree that is done at NASCAR events.
And some of the huiman moments are touching indeed. Yesterday was the final race for NASCAR legend Terry Labonte, who decided to make his final race in his native Texas, a fitting way to go out. During the prerace festivities, his daughter gave him the command to “start your engine”. That was really nice to see.
I have been learning about NASCAR the whole year…and my team has done well. I’m not in first, but I’ve been in second place in my league for most of the year. And most important, I’ve had lots of fun doing it…which alone makes it all worthwhile.
But I’ve learned some lessons from my new NASCAR heroes about teamwork, and stress, and life itself. And to them I say thank you, and I’m glad to have become a NASCAR fan.
Posted on Nov 06, 2006 - 09:40 PM | [0]
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