Obama, McCain, NASCAR, Dukakis Moments & Missed Opportunities
** SATURDAY UPDATE: Obama Backpeddles on NASCAR Sponsorship**
The Obama campaign’s foray into NASCAR is a gutsy move that flirts with disaster. He can look like a trailblazer, or Michael Dukakis in a tank. Whoever is advising him on this better know that a minefield awaits, and that the Chicago Senator has already lost a golden opportunity.
NASCAR: NOT WHAT YOU THINK
The NASCAR crowd, first of all, is not a bunch of rowdy rednecks with faulty mufflers. While most latte liberals think NASCAR stands “Non Athletic Sport Centered Around Rednecks” that’s just wrong. Independent demographic surveys show the average NASCAR Nextel Cup fan makes $83,000 per year.
NASCAR.Com notes that “NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport — holding 17 of the top 20 highest-attended sporting events in the U.S., and is the No. 2-rated regular season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in more than 30 languages.”
And that’s a LOT more languages than either of the presidential candidates are ever going to speak.
Job site, Diversity.Com shows that NASCAR and their premier division “Sprint Cup” is the second most watched sport in America, only the NFL tops it for attendance and television audiences. On any given weekend during the season, more race fans pack race tracks to capacity, than any major sporting event… All-star Game, Superbowl, or PGA Golf Tournament. The website ‘NASCAR.com’ gets over ONE BILLION hits per year.
The Nextel Cup features 26 weekly races, plus a 10 race playoff type schedule. It’s the only sport that has what’s called “It’s Superbowl” as the first race of the season. The Daytona 500 is viewed by over 30 million, over 180 thousand pack the grandstands and infield each year for that event.
– A Sprint Cup Series event attracts larger crowds than the Super Bowl, a World Series game and the NBA Finals game combined.
– The 10 month racing season is one of the longest of all U.S. major sports.
– 75 Million adults, 1/3 of the U.S. adult population are NASCAR fans.
Geographic Breakdown of the NASCAR Fan Base:
– Northeast 20%
– Midwest 23%
– South 35%
– West 21%
Many assume NASCAR fans to be white, male, and southern. Well, that assumption is just plain wrong. NASCAR’s fan base is made up by 40% woman, in fact, NASCAR has more women watching, than the NFL or Major League Baseball. The minority fan base increases each week, making up about 10% at this point.
Perhaps even more importantly, NASCAR has become a refuge for families disgusted with steroid scandals, felons on the field and on the court. NASCAR holds the misbehavior bar very low. One prominent driver paid more than $500,000 in a single year for use of inappropriate language.
CAUTION FLAG: HAZARDS IN THE ROADWAY
CLEARLY, all the talk about Obama sponsoring a car means that Obama’s advisers have seen the potential.
But have they seen the hazards?
First of all, if Obama simply buys a sponsorship on a car, it ain’t gonna carry him far.
So, to avoid charges he’s trying to buy the NASCAR vote, Obama’s going to have to show up. In person. Preferably with his wife and kids. Remember? This is a FAMILY sport.
If Obama’s staff have figured this part out, their work’s just starting.
Now, NASCAR fans, while increasingly drinking the Chardonnay available at the track alongside Bud, have finely tuned bullshit detectors. If it looks fake, they’ll call you on it. If you show up at the track out of the blue because you have beaucoup d’ argent (that’s French for a TON of money, merci beaucoup), you’ll just be accused of trying to buy votes. That’s not going to fly with people struggling with $5 gas.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
BUT, even as I write this, Obama’s missing a huge opportunity. The Chicagoland Racetrack is running the Nationwide Series right now and the Sprint Cup tomorrow. Hell, if you were SERIOUS about NASCAR, you could just drop into the race. You know, like a spectator. Ordinary folks.
GET REAL!
Don’t head for the track dressed like you usually do. This is not Harvard or Princeton. This is more of a Cornell crowd. You know, baseball-cap-Levis-and-tee-shirt crowd. And snowshoes in the winter.
Anyway, this is summer, and even if you toss the snowshoes, I’ve NEVER seen Obama in any of those other articles of clothing.
NOTE 1 TO HANDLER:
Buy appropriate clothing. Make sure they look as if they have been worn more than once. Cut the $%##@!! tags out! No “Obama for Prez” tee shirts. Nothing from Old Navy, Gap, Nordstroms, A&F, Bloomingdales and absolutely NO tee shirt that cost more than about $20. And try Levis and forget the $200 jeans. Tsk!
NOTE 2 TO HANDLER:
Create photo op for Obama family in aforementioned articles of clothing BEFORE they show up at NASCAR event.
Otherwise, you get to have a Dukakis moment:
Or a Kerry moment which looks like John Wayne wielding a BAR and showing he has no clue how to handle a sporting shotgun.
Okay. Don’t be that guy.
Now, Obama and his family need to know that nearly all NASCAR and drivers races support a charity. The causes are legion as this article indicates.
Nevertheless. Pick one. Make a donation. Personal. Not a check from the campaign.
Most NASCAR races have a pedestrian walk the morning of the race. Spectators, drivers, crew members and their families walk around the track. JOIN them! Show up appropriately clad (see above) and walk the course.
NOTE 3 TO HANDLER:
Kyle Busch is currently leading the Nationwide Series in a Toyota. Toyota. While miracles do happen, most of your audience roots for Chevy, Ford or Dodge. In that order. Be prepared to field questions about what cars the Obama family drives.
NOTE 4 TO HANDLER:
Even if the Chardonnay looks good, make sure your candidate drinks beer. Chardonnay is okay for Michelle. There will be every possible soft drink and beverage for the kids, some organic and a lot with high-fructose stuff that would choke a boar hog. Teach your candidate how to hold a bottle or glass of beer. (No protruding pinkies. No effete sips.)
NOTE 5 TO HANDLER:
Even if Barack has recently and personally installed a set of tuned headers, a high-lift camshaft and plugged in a bootleg performance chip on his personal vehicle, make sure he professes to know nothing at all. “I find this a wonderful new and challenging environment. I can’t say I know enough to talk intelligently about things, but I certainly want to know more.”
That will keep him from confusing a strut from a rocker arm. Hint: differential is NOT an equation here.
NOTE 6 TO HANDLER:
This crowd WILL bow their heads for the opening prayer. They WILL hold their hands over their heart during the national anthem and most of them will quietly sing along. There will be scores and scores of American flags all around. The crowd will cheer WILDLY for the military personnel attending and for the color guard, the fly-over and any other displays. They will MEAN it.
GRAB THE DEAD CARP! … er, CARPE DIEM!
There is potential here for both Obama and McCain. The fact that Obama is seizing this opportunity says worlds about both his and the McCain campaign. McCain seems to be taking NASCAR fans for granted. Obama seems to realize that where there is risk, there is opportunity.
To quote the British Special Air Services, “Who dares, wins.”
