Every Sunday from February to October, 40 men and women line up in cars and race around the track for 400 laps. This of course is NASCAR. Now unfortunately, NASCAR lacks the mass appeal that other sports such as football have. That is understandable. Football is fun to watch, and it is dynamic, unlike the monotony of NASCAR. But NASCAR is more than monotony; you just have to know what to look for.
One of the best things you can do if you are watching NASCAR for the first time is to have a friend who understands the sport to watch it with you. This way, he or she can explain to you the intricacies of the sport such as overtime rules. If you don’t have a friend who watches racing, never fear. You can either watch with someone who doesn’t understand the sport or go to sports bar. I really don’t recommend watching alone the first time because you could easily lose interest from boredom. Watching with someone else will provide you company and will force you to stick with the race.
Another thing you should do before watching a race is to choose a favorite driver. You have a pool of 40 from which to choose, so this shouldn’t be too hard. If you are unsure of a good driver to choose, current fan-favorites are Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr.. By doing this, you will find yourself more immersed in the race since you will have someone to cheer for.
Race statistics are available on websites such as NASCAR.com during races. Follow this feed on a device while watching the race to receive immediately information on average speed, in-cockpit views, and race positioning. By adding an analytical side to the race, it seems less boring and provides entertainment even during dull moments of the race. Another great thing about the NASCAR website is the live radio scanner between crew chief and driver. This allows fans to hear what the drivers are saying and to see how they respond to certain situations.
One of the most important things when it comes to watching NASCAR is the break. Even if you’re not sitting in the driver's seat for three hours, you still are just sitting and watching the race. Take breaks every 30 minutes and stretch, use the bathroom, get a snack. Just make sure that your breaks don’t go for an extremely long period of time. You don’t want to miss any excitement during the race.
NASCAR is a sport that has so many aspects; anybody can find something that he or she enjoys about the sport. You just have to look a little deeper. Below the surface you can discover a game as elegant as golf, as fast-paced as football, a game that is fun for everyone.
