[JRL]

By JEFF HOOD
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 10/26/07

How quickly will the NASCAR fan base, which has spent the past half century idolizing Richard Petty, the late Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon, embrace the sudden influx of international superstars, headlined by Patrick Carpentier, Dario Franchitti, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jacques Villeneuve?
According to second-year Nextel Cup driver Denny Hamlin, it certainly won't occur in time for February's 50th annual Daytona 500.

And if Hamlin's assessment is on target, NASCAR's much-maligned Car of Tomorrow will be long obsolete when the current jeers turn to cheers for the foreign-born contingent of stock-car drivers.
"I think it's going to take an entire generation to accept all the new guys coming in here," Hamlin predicted.

Villeneuve, the 1995 Indy 500 champion and a Canadian like Carpentier, was booed unmercifully at Talladega earlier this month during pre-race ceremonies before his Nextel Cup debut. Montoya, who is from Colombia, has been a popular target of hecklers during his rookie season.

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[DOF_power]

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^ Thing is, I really don't see any good all boys drivers around.

[Lefturn]

Villeneuve, the 1995 Indy 500 champion and a Canadian like Carpentier, was booed unmercifully at Talladega earlier this month during pre-race ceremonies before his Nextel Cup debut. Montoya, who is from Colombia, has been a popular target of hecklers during his rookie season.


That does nothing but paint a bad picture of the 'southern NASCAR fan'. What are they afraid of? A driver not born in America will become a top driver? Then again, these are the same idiots who throw beer bottles at race cars, so it's not surprising they feel that way.

I don't care where they were born as long as they can race and don't act like a complete ass, they are okay in my book.

[SpaceCadet]

Talladega seems to be the problem. I say get rid of it unless they behave. Ok, so obviously that's not gonna happen. Peer pressure is often the key to getting people to change. When it stops being cool to act like an ass at Talladega and then compound the situation by blaming it on the booze, which just makes you a stupid drunk, maybe things will start to settle. When the guy next to you let's you know you're an idiot for throwing stuff or booing driver's just because they're not American born, maybe the guilty parties will grow the hell up. If not, the stereotype will live on, and it will be deserved.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

Talladega seems to be the problem. I say get rid of it unless they behave. Ok, so obviously that's not gonna happen. Peer pressure is often the key to getting people to change. When it stops being cool to act like an ass at Talladega and then compound the situation by blaming it on the booze, which just makes you a stupid drunk, maybe things will start to settle. When the guy next to you let's you know you're an idiot for throwing stuff or booing driver's just because they're not American born, maybe the guilty parties will grow the hell up. If not, the stereotype will live on, and it will be deserved.

I live down here and I can't disagree with anything you said except you infer that the only ones behaving like this are native Alabamians. I'd guess a majority of them are but, trust me on this one, dumb-ass extends far beyond the borders of Alabama.

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

trust me on this one, dumb-ass extends far beyond the borders of Alabama.

I'll just bet you if I look hard enough I might even find a dumb-ass or two up here in NY! Didn't mean to imply Alabama has a corner on that market because I sure know that's not true.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

I'll just bet you if I look hard enough I might even find a dumb-ass or two up here in NY! Didn't mean to imply Alabama has a corner on that market because I sure know that's not true.

It's a State which looks to Forest Gump as its State hero. What can I say?

[PenelopePitStop]

Well, I could be among the minority, but I don't have a problem with "foreigners" racing in Cup. I have a problem with personalities and behavior on the track, thus my distain for "you know who". If you're going to jump into Cup, you damn well better behave yourself until you get accustomed to the sport, no matter where you come from.

Who cares what Shrub thinks? He's not a foreigner, but gets boo'd just as bad. For him to say that "you know who" and Villeneuve are treated unfairly is a subliminal attempt to express that he feels he is unfairly treated himself. Do you really think Shrub cares about these foreign drivers? I wish this guy would just keep his mouth shut. I, for one, don't care what he has to say about anything.

Hunter comparing international drivers to Gordon is ludicrous. I cheered Gordon on when he first started. I knew he'd be a force to be reckoned with. I knew he was a California boy, but didn't care. Eventually, I got sick of him. Yeah, "look at him today". He gets boo'd quite a bit himself. Winning races and championships hasn't changed that at all. Hunter is talking out of his a$$.

This is all a bunch of crap as far as I'm concerned. Plenty of "southern" drivers get boo'd "unmercifully". One foreign driver thinks he gets boo'd because he's foreign. I don't believe that. Not for one second. It takes time to earn fans, no matter where you are from. Fans boo'd Sr. Fans boo Gordon. The last time I went to Loudon, the loudest boo's went to Johnson.

Jeff Hood should be writing for the National Enquirer. He implies that NASCAR fans are a bunch of back-woods, Southern red-necks who wont allow anyone outside of the bayou compete in the sport. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not like that at all.

Whew! That topic surely put me on my soap box, now didn't it?!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Well, I could be among the minority, but I don't have a problem with "foreigners" racing in Cup. I have a problem with personalities and behavior on the track, thus my distain for "you know who". If you're going to jump into Cup, you damn well better behave yourself until you get accustomed to the sport, no matter where you come from.

Who cares what Shrub thinks? He's not a foreigner, but gets boo'd just as bad. For him to say that "you know who" and Villeneuve are treated unfairly is a subliminal attempt to express that he feels he is unfairly treated himself. Do you really think Shrub cares about these foreign drivers? I wish this guy would just keep his mouth shut. I, for one, don't care what he has to say about anything.

Hunter comparing international drivers to Gordon is ludicrous. I cheered Gordon on when he first started. I knew he'd be a force to be reckoned with. I knew he was a California boy, but didn't care. Eventually, I got sick of him. Yeah, "look at him today". He gets boo'd quite a bit himself. Winning races and championships hasn't changed that at all. Hunter is talking out of his a$$.

This is all a bunch of crap as far as I'm concerned. Plenty of "southern" drivers get boo'd "unmercifully". One foreign driver thinks he gets boo'd because he's foreign. I don't believe that. Not for one second. It takes time to earn fans, no matter where you are from. Fans boo'd Sr. Fans boo Gordon. The last time I went to Loudon, the loudest boo's went to Johnson.

Jeff Hood should be writing for the National Enquirer. He implies that NASCAR fans are a bunch of back-woods, Southern red-necks who wont allow anyone outside of the bayou compete in the sport. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not like that at all.

Whew! That topic surely put me on my soap box, now didn't it?!

If you're in the minority, there's a minority of two.

I feel that if NASCAR doesn't make allowances for the Indy/F1 drivers and they play in our sandbox on an equal footing, they'll be accepted. If they win, they'll be cheered for their success. If they're A-holes, they'll be boo'd because their act like jerks.

If NA$CAR comes up with some bogus affirmative action plan to encourage drivers from other areas to come to NA$CAR then all bets are off and believe me, I'll probably be bitching the loudest!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

If they're A-holes, they'll be boo'd because their act like jerks.

Just like Gordon

If NA$CAR comes up with some bogus affirmative action plan to encourage drivers from other areas to come to NA$CAR then all bets are off and believe me, I'll probably be bitching the loudest!

I won't be suprised if they do Bob.

[lyn3]

when i first started watching nascar (1990).Nascar was on the bottom of the ladder,no F1 indy or other wanted to come over.now it'S the biggest thing to do.I DON'T have a problem with it,but i think they need to pay there dues (BIG TIME).In a way i guess i'm old fashion i like the good old boys just the way they are.In the words of Dale SR' I don't care if they are cheering or booing as long as they are making noise.So to the new drivers be happy the fans are booing silence IS NOT GOLDEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jks812]

I don't have a problem with them coming to Nascar. I do think they should do like the rest though, work their way up to cup.

[3fanforever]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

Talladega seems to be the problem.

That small group of Talladega fans are just frustrated because they don't have an Alabama Gang anymore in NASCAR. And their other hero is dead. But booing someone has always been a part of NASCAR. Just need to get used to it. At least if they're booing you, they're acknowledging you're there.

[Bob Tanner]

I guess that I'm the contrarian here on this one.

In my mind Winning a World Championship pays dues at least equal to putting in a year in Cup Lite and finishing fifteenth in points.

I figure Franchitti's winning the Indy 500 AND the IRL Championship gives him a leg up over any of the current Non-Cup drivers I see in Cup Lite.

Off hand I'd say Montoya, Villenuenue, Franchitti, and Allmendinger all have better looking resumès than Biffle, McMurray, Johnson, or even Jeff Gordon did when they first drove a Cup car.

Of course I remember much grousing about how Jeff never paid his dues, either. I never did figure out that logic.

I guess "being qualified" and "paying your dues" is all in the eyes of the beholder.

[SpaceCadet]

I have a problem with booing anyone at all for anything unless it's something that could get someone hurt. What ever happened to sportsmanship is sports? I've coached soccer at the beginning level up to the high school level for over 20 years. Never have I allowed my players, especially my own kids to boo at any other team or player or the refs. My husband booed a driver at our local track this year, along with half the crowd, because this driver won his 6th Classic. The guy is just plain good. My son started to follow suit. I can't stop hubby from doing his thing, no matter how much I don't like it, but one look from me told my son his time on earth would be shortened if his behavior continued. What has happened to doing the right thing? Why do fans of NASCAR or any other sport think it's ok to completely forget about sportsmanship? Well, I wasn't raised like that and I choose not to do it or let my kids do it. It's not funny or cool and excusing it is not acceptable for me. I don't believe it is the majority of NASCAR fans who vocally display their displeasure at having foreign drivers on the track. But good sportsmanship is certainly not the norm in the grandstand these days. Sadder yet, it will continue and also continue to be accepted. Well, not by me. Foreign drivers are welcome as long as they can actually drive. I won't boo them or any driver, even when they're constantly having trouble walking because the other foot is always in their mouth.