Bristol Boys

Bristol Boys

For too many years, it seemed the leadership of NASCAR had no interest in the rich tradition of stock car racing.

Faced with two years of lackluster interest, NASCAR chairman Brian France dared to salute the core fans of the sport during a couple of speeches earlier this year.

Yes, France did say core and not cor-poration.

If NASCAR officials really want to get a read on their followers, they should spend a couple nights in the campgrounds at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Forget the luxury-filled rolling palaces, seek out the wild-eyed southern boys in the fold-up tents who are listening to Hank Williams, Jr. or Robert Earl Keen. These guys arrived in town last week and have braved the 30-degree nights in style

That’s your core fan, not some fancy businessman who watches the race from the suites and only knows the name of about three drivers.

Since the glory days of Curtis Turner and Fireball Roberts, NASCAR has been built by blue-collar guys who work all week in a factory, farm or garage.

They save their money, pool their funds with buddies, and head out to the track for a great escape.

Yeah, the weekend warriors might get a little wild at times but they truly love the sport and will make great sacrifices to fuel their passion.

From rule changes to look-a-like cars, NASCAR has become too polished and citified. Who cares which driver is the cutest.

Racing, dating back to the time when ol’ Ben Hur ruled the track, has been a simple game for the masses.

Whether it be through lowered ticket and concession prices or more compelling racing, the core fan and the traditions of his sport need to be embraced before it’s too late.