Three lefts make a right?

I realize that with this post I am going to tread upon some hallowed ground.   I apologize in advance, but I have to. 

There is a weekend obsession amongst many that I am not sure I fully understand.  I am not talking about football--although that is something I didn’t even understand while growing up in an Eagles-crazy environment.  No, I am talking about NASCAR.

Having lived close to the Richmond International Speedway, I have experienced this strange ritual first hand.  On Thursday afternoon driving home from work I would start to see the signs: “RACEWAY TRAFFIC THIS EXIT.”  The rest of the weekend it was difficult to drive most places because of the influx of people.  These pilgrims travel hundreds (sometimes thousands) of miles, tailgate and drink for three days, cheer wildly for their favorite drivers and don crazy garb to watch grown men drive cars. 

It’s not even like they have to make more than one turn!

I understand sports obsessions.  I really do!  However, I do not understand watching someone drive around real fast.  And how in the world do they keep points?  Baseball…makes sense.  Football…makes sense (albeit the numbers are all weird). Even golf makes sense (although really boring)!  The point system is in reverse but at least there is something to count.

With NASCAR though, one guy beats the other guys at the race.  That should be it right?  Wrong.  It just doesn’t make sense really.

I even used to mock the “athletes” that drive the car.  Pish-posh.  I drive my car.  Does that make me an athlete?

Then, I read an article in Sports Illustrated that was talking about NASCAR drivers running in a half-marathon and what their times were.  Do you know that of the five NASCAR drivers participating in the race, three of them finished in less than two hours?  All 13.1 miles in less than two hours? That is ridiculous!

Guess they really are athletes…but I still don’t understand the obsession with NASCAR.

Yes...that looks fun.