[PenelopePitStop]

Please, please, don't turn this into a Thread about any driver, love 'em or hate 'em.

Ok, race fans, what matters to you? Who wins? Or the show?

You guys/gals are so smart, I have to ask. What's more important? Who wins the race or how a certain driver performs during the race?

I've seen drivers go from far back in the pack to finish in the top 10, and I've seen drivers go from the front of the pack to the back of the pack ... no wrecks involved.

Do you follow the progression/digression of the drivers during the show, or do you only care who's leading and/or wins? Do you only care about the last lap?

Me? I love the show! All of it. I love to see a close, tight finish, no matter who the drivers are, but I also enjoy the competition in the back of the pack during the entire race.

What about you?

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Please, please, don't turn this into a Thread about any driver, love 'em or hate 'em.

Ok, race fans, what matters to you? Who wins? Or the show?
================================================== ====

What about you?

The following equation applies: Race = Show

I have said at least once before, I, personally, am a race fan, and NOT a driver fan.

[jks812]

I am a race fan before a driver fan. I don't particularly care who wins as long as it's a good race. If they are racing hard for 25th position and the leader is riding by himself, show me the battle for 25th.

[WestCoast]

It's all about the SHOW, Nascar needs to put on a good one, as there is no shortage of Sports competing for our entertainment dollar.
For me there are 3 racing series, and unfortunately with only the occasional race worth talking about.

[3fanforever]

Originally Posted by jks812

I am a race fan before a driver fan. I don't particularly care who wins as long as it's a good race. If they are racing hard for 25th position and the leader is riding by himself, show me the battle for 25th.

That's what makes going to a race in person is so much better than watching it on TV. If there's no racing up front, there's usually good racing in the middle or the back of the pack. And that's something the TV guys hardly ever show. But in person, you can follow it all the way around the track.

[Racer Duck]

The only thing I miss at the track is instant replays. Otherwise, I find lots of action to watch, sometimes at the front of the pack. Even if the eventual winner has run away and hid from the rest of the field (what some people classify as "boring"), there's some good racing going on somewhere in the field. So I'll follow drivers I know/like or I'll just pick a paint job I like and follow it, often times changing as another driver/car piques my interest.

Unless it's a close personal friend or a relative driving, I'm there for the show.

[LSC9901]

I'll be following the crowd on this one. I enjoy racing. For several reasons I don't attend many tracks anymore. I too enjoy the instant replay, although not 20 times, I too wish they would show more competition else where on the track especially if the leader is alone. Like Bob T. I am a race fan. 99.9% of the time I'm happy or at least OK with whoever wins the race. Give me a good show, although I don't like it to be thought of as a "show". I just enjoy good fender to fender racing. I have many drivers I enjoy but no real favorites.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I'll be following the crowd on this one. I enjoy racing. For several reasons I don't attend many tracks anymore. I too enjoy the instant replay, although not 20 times, I too wish they would show more competition else where on the track especially if the leader is alone. Like Bob T. I am a race fan. 99.9% of the time I'm happy or at least OK with whoever wins the race. Give me a good show, although I don't like it to be thought of as a "show". I just enjoy good fender to fender racing. I have many drivers I enjoy but no real favorites.

I believe that if the general feeling we've seen in this thread would carry over to the entire NA__AR fan base, we'd have a better sport and a more enjoyable sport because the narrow minded driver fans would be in the minority and NA__AR might begin to put emphasis on the racing and not the personalities.

[wingkey1]

The sport

Yeah, know, wasn’t a provided option/box, but “driver” and “show” feel/seem superficial here.

“Driver” is an individual and unless pondered upon and expanded for the purpose of explaining, does not typically include team.

“Show” is likely/often defined as all that happens on the track competitively on/in a given weekend, heat, or perhaps “race” and is the offering for witness by those in the stands (fans?). Some may be inclined to offer – yeah well what I meant by show was really sport. Yup and then if the one is being honest the one just might be approaching recognition of – the sport – maybe.

Have direct and person experience in both (Driver via being the $$ and owner and crew, and Show via various responsibilities within the governing bodies). Likely have had (literally) dried blood circling the track from banged knuckles, made decisions to help ensure the announced show met the expectations and schedules of the “fans” as well as the competitors.

The sport speaks to the other 99% that never makes the headlines, cannot/is not televised, but is the heart and soul behind the show and its’ drivers. When ya watch the 1% (Drivers & Show), with true understanding gained through involvement of/in the 99% behind the observed effort, little/less becomes boring or in need of “tuning” for purposes of “fan” happiness. The ‘ol – change the car, change the race length, fire the governing body, change this, that, anything. The real answer – learn more, and not from anything that will EVER be attained at ones computer or in front of ones TV, or even for that matter a seat in the stands.

But the sport today is lost in yearnings for time past, reality news, glitz, personalities, inane controversy, unsubstantiated criticism (questioning without a basis of/from experience), and only the good Lord knows what else.

Local tracks and many teams are begging for volunteers to help them continue to survive. The sport is learned here (at the tracks, with the teams and/or the governing body) along with the appreciation of same. It is not within 50' of the fridge. It is not in range of the TV remote. It is not a seat in the stands. It is a path to understand, contribute to, and more fully appreciate, the sport.

There are no words to fully convey a level of understanding that will be attained via regular contribution/participation. Kinda like visiting a spectacular natural wonder or national park and trying to make another feel the experience. Exactly the same. Can’t be done.

Doing little/no more than talking about or watching the “doing” makes for lively but less informed/knowing/informative exchanges. Go do, and the talking and watching become an empty experience. Till then ---- wonder.

[kcoruol]

Who wins.

[BiscuitMan]

Who wins.

[saltysenior]

both the race and WHO wins it..........what if you watched 495 miles of the greatest race ever but missed the last 5 miles and had no way of finding who won......

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by salysenior

both the race and WHO wins it..........what if you watched 495 miles of the greatest race ever but missed the last 5 miles and had no way of finding who won......

But, to me, who wins isn't as important and the race itself.

Last summer I found myself in Denver over a weekend. I went to the National Speedway, just north of Denver. I didn't know a single driver; never had heard of anyone. However, the night's races were fantastic. Lower class and LM heat races were close with lots of action. LM main event was kind of lame, due to an early, multi-car wreck but the beginner series was something to behold.

Bottom line is I didn't care who won and who lost. I was there for the racing, not an autograph session!

Folks can sing the praises of the personality side of racing all they want but it IS show vs driver and Bob will take show every time.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by wingkey1

The sport

Yeah, know, wasn’t a provided option/box, but “driver” and “show” feel/seem superficial here.

“Driver” is an individual and unless pondered upon and expanded for the purpose of explaining, does not typically include team.

“Show” is likely/often defined as all that happens on the track competitively on/in a given weekend, heat, or perhaps “race” and is the offering for witness by those in the stands (fans?). Some may be inclined to offer – yeah well what I meant by show was really sport. Yup and then if the one is being honest the one just might be approaching recognition of – the sport – maybe.

Have direct and person experience in both (Driver via being the $$ and owner and crew, and Show via various responsibilities within the governing bodies). Likely have had (literally) dried blood circling the track from banged knuckles, made decisions to help ensure the announced show met the expectations and schedules of the “fans” as well as the competitors.

The sport speaks to the other 99% that never makes the headlines, cannot/is not televised, but is the heart and soul behind the show and its’ drivers. When ya watch the 1% (Drivers & Show), with true understanding gained through involvement of/in the 99% behind the observed effort, little/less becomes boring or in need of “tuning” for purposes of “fan” happiness. The ‘ol – change the car, change the race length, fire the governing body, change this, that, anything. The real answer – learn more, and not from anything that will EVER be attained at ones computer or in front of ones TV, or even for that matter a seat in the stands.

But the sport today is lost in yearnings for time past, reality news, glitz, personalities, inane controversy, unsubstantiated criticism (questioning without a basis of/from experience), and only the good Lord knows what else.

Local tracks and many teams are begging for volunteers to help them continue to survive. The sport is learned here (at the tracks, with the teams and/or the governing body) along with the appreciation of same. It is not within 50' of the fridge. It is not in range of the TV remote. It is not a seat in the stands. It is a path to understand, contribute to, and more fully appreciate, the sport.

There are no words to fully convey a level of understanding that will be attained via regular contribution/participation. Kinda like visiting a spectacular natural wonder or national park and trying to make another feel the experience. Exactly the same. Can’t be done.

Doing little/no more than talking about or watching the “doing” makes for lively but less informed/knowing/informative exchanges. Go do, and the talking and watching become an empty experience. Till then ---- wonder.

I'm not sure how this relates to the "Show v. Race" debate, but it sure makes my case for attending your local track, vice following NASCAR or one of the other high profile series only, then calling oneself a " real race fan."

[3fanforever]

This "race/show" fan vs. "driver/win" fan debate got me to thinking about something, and it's been on my mind for some time. So if you're a "race/show" fan for racing, do you feel the same way about every sport? It doesn't matter who wins as long as the game is good?