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