[vincesanity82]

While NASCAR touts its improved safety record, might some adrenaline-seeking fans lose interest because its sense of danger is waning? "I do think that danger and the chance you get injured is an important part of the appeal of motorsports,'' says Orin Starn, a professor of cultural anthropology at Duke who specializes in sports and culture. "It's really kind of a voyeurism.'' Ricky Rudd reminded many of racing's danger last weekend. He separated his left shoulder in an accident at California Speedway and will miss Saturday night's Richmond race. However, Rudd is the first full-time Nextel Cup driver to be sidelined for even a single race by a crash since Jerry Nadeau's career-ending head injury at Richmond in May 2003. For a sport that mourned four driver fatalities between May 2000 and February 2001 – including the death of one of its all-time greats, Dale Earnhardt – the recent safety record is remarkable. Yet it also can lead some to view driver peril as relatively minimal. -- The Virginian-Pilot

ARTICLE: Is less danger in NASCAR turning off fans? (The Virginian-Pilot - HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com)

[PettyBlue]

It seems I am in more danger driving down the highway with the 16 year or 86 year old's than the race drivers now.I just want no one hurt period.

[DOF_power]

>



^ Unfortunately there are such fans.

[jks812]

There are people who are fans of racing and some who watch for the wrecks. I'm a fan of the racing. Take Bristol for example, I loved watching it this year cause they actually raced for long green flag periods. But some didn't like it cause there wasn't a wreck every 20 laps or so.

I guess my opinion is that less danger probaly isn't turning away true fans.

[suedon70]

Originally Posted by jks812

I guess my opinion is that less danger probaly isn't turning away true fans.

Completely agree. True fans of the sport love the racing and the strategic aspects, while casual fans attend just to see a spectacular wreck(s), which is very similar to casual hockey fans, who only go to games hoping to see fights.....

[PenelopePitStop]

This post makes me furious!

" ... adrenaline-seeking fans lose interest because its sense of danger is waning?" Are you out of your flippin' mind?

"I do think that danger and the chance you get injured is an important part of the appeal of motorsports,'' says Orin Starn, a professor of cultural anthropology at Duke who specializes in sports and culture. "It's really kind of a voyeurism.'' Are you kidding me? This guy has no clue what the hell he's talking about. I don't care how educated he might be. Obviously, a degree doesn't come with any level of common sense!

Real fans, and I consider myself a "real" fan, don't watch a race to see wrecks or the potential of someone getting injured. That's just BS! This Orin guy should have his credentials revoked!

I'm all for safety for our drivers. Roof flaps to prevent cars from getting airborne is one of the best engineering inventions ever! Let's not forget that if Sr. would have worn the HANS device, he might still be with us.

I'm so pi$$ed right now, I could just spit!

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

This post makes me furious!

" ... adrenaline-seeking fans lose interest because its sense of danger is waning?" Are you out of your flippin' mind?

"I do think that danger and the chance you get injured is an important part of the appeal of motorsports,'' says Orin Starn, a professor of cultural anthropology at Duke who specializes in sports and culture. "It's really kind of a voyeurism.'' Are you kidding me? This guy has no clue what the hell he's talking about. I don't care how educated he might be. Obviously, a degree doesn't come with any level of common sense!

Real fans, and I consider myself a "real" fan, don't watch a race to see wrecks or the potential of someone getting injured. That's just BS! This Orin guy should have his credentials revoked!

I'm all for safety for our drivers. Roof flaps to prevent cars from getting airborne is one of the best engineering inventions ever! Let's not forget that if Sr. would have worn the HANS device, he might still be with us.

I'm so pi$$ed right now, I could just spit!

Still its a legitimate question pps, like jks812 said I remember hearing people say the bristol race was boring cause of the lack of wrecks..

[Lefty Noob]

Well, at the risk of sticking my nose into this debate...

I think Starn is right, but with qualifiers.
1. There is a segment of the populace who tune into NASCAR to watch spectacular wrecks.
2. They are not "real fans" in that they enjoy the crashes, but not the sport as a whole. Let's call them "crash fans".
3. Some (hopefully most or nearly all) of them wish no injury upon the crash-ee. They want to see the big spectular wreck where the driver gets up and walks away.
4. This is the same type of fan NASCAR themselves recognized the existence of in their comments following the Montoya vs. Harvick squabble, when they referred to the viewers who probably though that was "cool".

In short, I think there is a very real chance that less crashes / less crash prone cars will hurt NASCAR's rating and such, as these folks start changing the channel to watch "The World's Wildest Police Chases" or something of that ilk.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

While NASCAR touts its improved safety record, might some adrenaline-seeking fans lose interest because its sense of danger is waning? "I do think that danger and the chance you get injured is an important part of the appeal of motorsports,'' says Orin Starn, a professor of cultural anthropology at Duke who specializes in sports and culture. "It's really kind of a voyeurism.'' ]

To such "fans" I can only say, "Good Riddance!"

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

While NASCAR touts its improved safety record, might some adrenaline-seeking fans lose interest because its sense of danger is waning?

They are not race fans, just folks looking for some quick rush of excitement. Bye-bye !!

[hank static]

Why would people just watch for the wrecks? They happen in an instant.. spectacular yes but then the next ten minutes is spent under pace car so you get to have ads ads ads, boredomsville i think. Todays race is a good example, so far there's been about 60 odd laps under caution so i left to play on the computer, give me safe, clean green flag racing all the way.

\m/\m/

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by hank static

Why would people just watch for the wrecks? They happen in an instant.. spectacular yes but then the next ten minutes is spent under pace car so you get to have ads ads ads, boredomsville i think. Todays race is a good example, so far there's been about 60 odd laps under caution so i left to play on the computer, give me safe, clean green flag racing all the way.

\m/\m/

That's just the difference between a long time fan and one who is looking for a quick rush. Those are also the ones who watch or attend for a short period of time and then move to the next exciting sport.

[obrien]

I have had people tell me thats the only reason they watch, but I quess its more becuase they don't have any understanding of the sport or the technology in the cars.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by obrien

I have had people tell me thats the only reason they watch, but I quess its more becuase they don't have any understanding of the sport or the technology in the cars.

For what it's worth, I've found most people who like to watch auto racing for the wrecks fall into two, or both categories:

(1) Have never personally endured a serious auto wreck, or
(2) Have never had to work on, or repair, their own seriously damaged car.

Generally speaking, once one experiences one or both of the above, auto wrecks lose a lot of their luster.

[DOF_power]

Jean-Pierre Sarti: And did you see them rush to see Peter burn? Did you see the looks on their faces? *I* saw. For the first time today I *really* saw those faces.
Louise Frederickson: But not all of them, Jean-Pierre. There are some who come for that, for the accidents and the fires. But the others... the others ride with you all. You put something in their lives they can't put there themselves.

From the movie
Grand Prix (1966) directed by John Frankenheimer


So its nothing new, unknown or unheard of.
To these freaks I say good bye and good ridance.