| G.O.P. candidate Rudy Giuliani made an appearance | | | | presents himself - whatever that matters for." |
| at Daytona International Speedway over the | | | | Let's burst the redneck Nascar fan myth and look |
| weekend announcing - "I want a ride in a pace | | | | at why politicians will continue to romance Nascar |
| car." | | | | fans. |
| Giuliani spoke to reporters in the garage stall of | | | | According to a NASCAR survey, published in |
| Rusty Wallace Racing, wanting to climb in one of | | | | 2004, about 40% of fans are female and their |
| the team's race cars. Rudy was denied the | | | | numbers are rising. About 75% have attended |
| opportunity because, according to Rusty Wallace, | | | | college and more than 25% own their own |
| Giuliani wouldn't fit through the window. "I said, | | | | homes. About 36% of NASCAR fans make more |
| 'Rudy, the problem is I'm too big to get in there, | | | | than $50,000 a year. |
| and you're too big to get in there." | | | | Surprised? |
| Wallace told reporters, "If he's really serious about | | | | NASCAR fans are evenly distributed across the |
| it, I'll find a car for him to get in. He wants to get | | | | country. For example, 20% of NASCAR fans live |
| in the real car and get on the race track." Rudy | | | | in the Northeast U.S.; this is in line with the general |
| ended up riding in his campaign bus around the | | | | population. 20% of the U.S. population lives in the |
| track but vowed to return during the campaign to | | | | Northeast. While the largest base of NASCAR |
| hitch a ride in a pace car. | | | | fans live in the Southern U.S., only 38% of the |
| Kevin Harvick, the defending Daytona 500 | | | | NASCAR fans live in the South. Again, this is in line |
| champion said Monday (January 21) he started | | | | with the general population. 35% of the population |
| watching MSNBC coverage of the presidential | | | | lives in the South. |
| primaries and said he found it "pretty entertaining." | | | | If you think that most NASCAR fans are redneck |
| "Politics is a dirty sport," Harvick said. "I thought | | | | and caucasian, think again. According to the same |
| our sport was backstabbing. Man." | | | | NASCAR survey, about 10% of NASCAR fans |
| During a news conference at Daytona | | | | are African-American, which is a slightly smaller |
| International Speedway, where the second week | | | | percentage of Blacks than in the general |
| of Sprint Cup testing got under way Monday, | | | | population. This compares to the NFL, where Black |
| Harvick was asked if he has a favorite among | | | | NFL fans represent about 11.7% of the total NFL |
| the Presidential candidates. When asked about the | | | | base. |
| Democrat candidates, Harvick replied, "No, please. | | | | The percentage of African-American NASCAR |
| I don't want my president to cry," referring to | | | | fans has grown by 86% since 1999. There have |
| Sen. Clinton, who misted up on the campaign trail | | | | also been some attempts by NASCAR to bring in |
| in New Hampshire. | | | | more African-American fans into the seats, and |
| Who does Harvick like? Former Arkansas Gov. | | | | drivers into the races. The survey did not indicate |
| Mike Huckabee, a Republican. | | | | what percentage of fans are Hispanic. |
| "I like Huckabee, to be honest with you," Harvick | | | | What can we conclude? Nascar fans are |
| said. "I just like the way he presents himself and | | | | everywhere and number in the millions. In a close |
| the way he talks. Giuliani has been to a lot of | | | | race, they could make the difference as to whom |
| NASCAR races, but I just like the way Huckabee | | | | is chosen the next President of the United States. |