Underneath the surface of the NASCAR action; lurks a darker side of the sport which is hardly addressed in open forums or community circles. A side of the sport where it’s dog eat dog. Where would be tough guys attempt to belittle others through hard words and many time unwarranted and senseless verbal attacks. This friends; is the underbelly of NASCAR known as fan rivalry.

The heartbeat of NASCAR is the fan base which drives everything from TV ratings to sponsorship dollars. Our favorite drivers are walking billboards for the advertising monster; which preys upon our loyalties in hopes of gaining brand loyalty and ultimately boosting their bottom line. Why you may ask; does this philosophy prove to be so lucrative for the investors who funnel their dollars so the teams brandish their colors. The answer is us, the legions of fans who prove to as loyal as the family pet, buying their products and filling their pocket.

It’s this same philosophy that creates some one of the most volatile communities known in the world of sporting events. We as fans can be so blinded by our team and driver loyalties, that we cannot or simply will not recognize the accomplishments and/or talents of others. Blinded in such a way; that we conjure up unfounded rivalries between drivers in an attempt to fuel our own selfish motives. It’s a passion which causes normally rational individuals to lash out with hatred laced comments seemingly void of any intelligent forethought. It deafens our ears to rational input from others around us, blinds us at times to the purity of truth which lies directly before our eyes, and in this fans opinion has the potential to corrupt the very foundation of the sport we all enjoy so very much.

Now; please do not misinterpret my comments, for I am not suggesting that we fans relinquish our passion for the sport or our chosen icons within. What I would propose is for individuals to look before they leap, to take those few extra moments to analyze the situation in an attempt to add substance rather than detracting from the situation. That friends would be one step forward, without the need for looking behind us to verify there’s room for two steps back. Why do we love to hate? It’s human nature to covet the things we love; however this need not lead to verbal sparring sessions where our primary goal is to beat or rivals into submission. Share your opinion, respect those of others and make an attempt to see the flip side of the coin. You never will know what lies beneath until you give it a fair chance.

To close this thought, I would like to reiterate that this is a sport founded on passion, fueled by speed, and driven by determination. It’s a sport where the strong flourish, the weak fade, and the middle of the road are often forgotten. We are but a blur in the overall scheme of things, and it would do us well to embrace our passion, respect our fellow fans, and give each other a little room to race. It’s a long way to the finish and ultimately, in life as in racing; cooler heads prevail.

Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed this discussion check back in for future updates, who knows what topic I will tackle next.