If two incidents on Sunday don't help the anti-NASCAR crowd's argument that it's a "redneck" sport, I don't know what does.
First lady Michelle Obama, top left, watches the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011. If two incidents on Sunday don't help the anti-NASCAR crowd's argument that it's a "redneck" sport, I don't know what does.
A South Carolina man got a little too boisterous celebrating Tony Stewart's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship on Sunday night.
Brian Kevin Young, 46, of Clover, S.C., was arrested for firing his gun in the air multiple times after Stewart's victory in the Ford 400. WCNC-TV of Charlotte, N.C., has more information here.
Also, nothing does more to enhance the public perception of NASCAR as a favorite of the "red states" than booing First Lady Michelle Obama at her appearance at Sunday's race. Mrs. Obama and Second Lady Jill Biden were at Homestead-Miami Speedway to promote an initiative geared toward supporting military families.
Jay Busbee of Yahoo's "From the Marbles" NASCAR blog says it best:
NASCAR fans skew conservative. You know that, I know that, politicians know that. An overwhelmingly white fan base, rooted in Southern conservative values (we still have a pre-race prayer, for heaven's sake) ... it's no surprise that NASCAR generally tilts right.Which would be just fine, if that tilt didn't slide into toxicity. But on Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it did.
Busbee's post also includes video in which the boos are audible. Be sure to read some of the comments as well ... I'm still shaking my head from them.
And then there's Rush Limbaugh.
On his radio show on Monday, the conservative pied piper said, “people that go to NASCAR races are the very people her husband called bitter clingers.”
Says Amanda Ebersole of SkirtsAndScuffs.com:
A great thing was being done, yet some fans booed? Put politics aside, not everything is a political message sponsored by … ! The veterans are the reason that Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden were there, so not only were you doing the First Lady, but you booed those veterans as well.
Well said, Amanda and Jay!!