If you’re in the market for the really really loud, this is your weekend. The Daytona 500 (Fox, DISH 247, 1 PM Sunday) is kicking off the NASCAR season on Sunday, February 15th.
I’m a member of the class of Americans left utterly bewildered by the popularity of auto racing in all its open-wheel, closed-wheel, and whatever-wheel forms: “Yep, they’re going past us again!” Perhaps I was poisoned to it during my residency in Daytona Beach, where my near-trackside apartment and I were subjected to the Rolex 24 Hour sports car race on a yearly basis. But I’m in a mixed marriage, you see, and my fan of a husband makes sure it’s a significant part of my life all Sunday, every Sunday.
But this is big business: NASCAR has established itself as a fan-friendly sport, and accessibility to the drivers coupled with staggering amounts of tie-in merchandise (I once saw a Jeff Gordon fishing rod) help to boost brand loyalty. When a team travels to a track for a race, his motor coach goes, his car goes, his pit crew goes—and an Official Merchandise truck brings up the rear. We always knew that NASCAR is breathtakingly commercial; the recent winner of a preliminary all-star race once said, “I’d like to thank…um…” then turned to check the decals on his car to remind himself of who he was contractually obligated to show gratitude.
It’s a fast-growing sport, but to attract those who think like me, broadcasters do what they can to jazz along the five hours of circling. Headset-wearing reporters shout updates from the pits as crews dart around the cars; strategically mounted microphones and wireless mics are often deployed to create a “you are there” experience. If nothing else, you’ll give your speakers a great workout.
