NASCAR fans like no other

Driving around Bloomington you will see flags and banners on cars signaling a devotion to NASCAR. Like fans of other sports, NASCAR fans tend to be very committed and pledge allegiance to their driver. \nMatt Kovacinski, a recent IU grad, summed up the devotion of NASCAR fans like himself.\n"(NASCAR) is lots of fun and watching the cars going around full speed creates drama unfelt otherwise," Kovacinski said. \nJay Santa, another NASCAR fan who spent his evening at Macri's Deli watching NASCAR's Busch Race, had a similar view on the excitement that comes with NASCAR.\n"The driving and the need for speed create a reason to watch it," Santa said.\nIn terms of the devotion of NASCAR fans, Santa and Kovacinski had different views on what makes the sport popular. \nKovacinski felt it was a connection fans feel to the drivers.\n"Fans get behind the drivers and feel a connection to them," he said.\nSanta, however, felt it was NASCAR's "if you build it they will come" method that makes the sport so popular.\n"(The main reason) fans are so fired up about NASCAR is because the sport markets itself so well," he said.\nNASCAR was founded by William France Sr. and ran as a small, family-owned sport for many years. \nHowever, since Brian France took over as the new CEO of NASCAR in 2003, the sport has expanded greatly in its development as a corporate business.\nSome fans like Kovacinski feel this is a good thing. \n"Everyone makes a lot of money so it is good for the evolution of the sport," he said.\nSanta disagrees. He said the business side of NASCAR is tainting what some refer to as the most popular form of motorsports in the United States.\n"I hate the business approach NASCAR has taken and feel it is ruining the sport," he said.\nNo matter how people may feel about NASCAR, fans still flock to the races in bunches as is evident by the quarter of a million devout fans that attended the Brickyard 400 Sunday.