I'm doing a school project on an American subculture, and considering many on this forum are highly knowledgable about motorsports, I'd like to throw out a few questions that I hope you can grant your insight:
1. How has NASCAR affected the United States at the economical level? Have they created an important marketing industry for American car sales?
2. As a sport, has NASCAR become an important enough pastime to consider it a staple of U.S. entertainment?
3. At a cultural level, has NASCAR affected the United States either positively or negatively?
4. To what degree can we consider the growing NASCAR phenomenon its own distinct subculture? It is a subculture or merely a business and sport, or a combination of both?
Thanks in advance for helping out. Anyone who posts may be written in a report as anonymous informer from a motorsports forum unless you request for credit, in which case I will gladly grant that credit. Thanks again.
OT: School Project: How NASCAR culture has affected America
Started by
brandnizzle
, Apr 21 2006 02:07
3 replies to this topic
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#2
card_richelieu
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- 13 posts
- Joined: April 06
New Member
Posted 21 April 2006 - 02:47
Here are mine, for what they are worth...
1. How has NASCAR affected the United States at the economical level? Have they created an important marketing industry for American car sales?
I'm not sure how anyone here could answer these - seems that you would need some objective data/studies - at leats in terms of how you have stated the questions. I'm certain that some economists have done some work on this. I would check out NBER.org for starters, or Google of course.
2. As a sport, has NASCAR become an important enough pastime to consider it a staple of U.S. entertainment?
Again, seems like pure speculation w/o some some data. How would you define staple, especially given the fickle US entertainment scene?
3. At a cultural level, has NASCAR affected the United States either positively or negatively?
What's your base level for 'culture'? If you take most realty-based TV as the 'norm' you could argue it's a positive influence.
4. To what degree can we consider the growing NASCAR phenomenon its own distinct subculture? It is a subculture or merely a business and sport, or a combination of both?
These are good questions. I'm going to suggest again that I'm certain that some Sociologists have addressed these. You will need to possibly wade through some crap but you might find some interesting analysis. I think that (like much these days) it started as a subculture but has been co-opted by business for a variety of reasons (always profit-driven but in various amnifestations - e.g., good corporate citizen, etc.).
Don't know if that was much help...
1. How has NASCAR affected the United States at the economical level? Have they created an important marketing industry for American car sales?
I'm not sure how anyone here could answer these - seems that you would need some objective data/studies - at leats in terms of how you have stated the questions. I'm certain that some economists have done some work on this. I would check out NBER.org for starters, or Google of course.
2. As a sport, has NASCAR become an important enough pastime to consider it a staple of U.S. entertainment?
Again, seems like pure speculation w/o some some data. How would you define staple, especially given the fickle US entertainment scene?
3. At a cultural level, has NASCAR affected the United States either positively or negatively?
What's your base level for 'culture'? If you take most realty-based TV as the 'norm' you could argue it's a positive influence.
4. To what degree can we consider the growing NASCAR phenomenon its own distinct subculture? It is a subculture or merely a business and sport, or a combination of both?
These are good questions. I'm going to suggest again that I'm certain that some Sociologists have addressed these. You will need to possibly wade through some crap but you might find some interesting analysis. I think that (like much these days) it started as a subculture but has been co-opted by business for a variety of reasons (always profit-driven but in various amnifestations - e.g., good corporate citizen, etc.).
Don't know if that was much help...
#3
indycarjunkie
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- 2,699 posts
- Joined: January 02
Member
Posted 21 April 2006 - 12:11
The NASCAR culture is part of the 'New South' and can be outlined in this American Heritage article: Dixie's Victory
Its a long article, but it outlines how the south has re-invented itself from the ashes of defeat from our civil war 140+ years ago to be a key part of the US economy and modern culture.
I will try to offer my opinions to your 4 questions as a true-blue yankee....
1. I do not think NASCAR has had a signifigant impact on domestic car sales. No question its the most popular motor sport series in the country, but the domestic 'brands' are suffering from slow sales and poor proffits right now. If anything, it has made some very loyal to what brand they buy, but it hasn't stimulated new sales to new loyal customers that has signifigantly impacted Detroit's bottom line.
2. NASCAR is everywhere. There is no escape from it.
NFL football is still biggest sport in the country, but NASCAR is right up there.
3. I do not think NASCAR in itself has affected the culture in any way...except that NASCAR crap is sold in damn near every store you walk into.
4. I do not believe you can relate to NASCAR fandom as being some kind of seperate 'subculture'. Its (IMO) 85% buisness and 15% sport. They are without a doubt the most brand-loyal consumers and if their favorite driver switches from Coke to Pepsi for example, so will they.
Its a long article, but it outlines how the south has re-invented itself from the ashes of defeat from our civil war 140+ years ago to be a key part of the US economy and modern culture.
I will try to offer my opinions to your 4 questions as a true-blue yankee....
1. I do not think NASCAR has had a signifigant impact on domestic car sales. No question its the most popular motor sport series in the country, but the domestic 'brands' are suffering from slow sales and poor proffits right now. If anything, it has made some very loyal to what brand they buy, but it hasn't stimulated new sales to new loyal customers that has signifigantly impacted Detroit's bottom line.
2. NASCAR is everywhere. There is no escape from it.
NFL football is still biggest sport in the country, but NASCAR is right up there.3. I do not think NASCAR in itself has affected the culture in any way...except that NASCAR crap is sold in damn near every store you walk into.
4. I do not believe you can relate to NASCAR fandom as being some kind of seperate 'subculture'. Its (IMO) 85% buisness and 15% sport. They are without a doubt the most brand-loyal consumers and if their favorite driver switches from Coke to Pepsi for example, so will they.
#4
Alaweni
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- 212 posts
- Joined: April 01
Member
Posted 21 April 2006 - 13:02
I just read this article and it talks about the financial commitment the manufactures supply to NASCAR and the possibility of one of them dropping out.
http://www.autoextre...com/page3.shtml
http://www.autoextre...com/page3.shtml
