Another Blow To Gun Sponsors

fmdog44

fmdog44

Well-known Member
Location
Houston, Texas
NASCAR rejected advertisements for its souvenir programs from multiple firearms companies earlier this summer as part of what is being seen as a "gradual shift" in its position on guns.
The move may be another example of how major companies are adjusting as the nation grapples with guns in America.
While the move did not get widespread notice, NASCAR'S apparent shift stunned gun enthusiasts who said there is a large overlap between NASCAR fans and gun owners, and left some in the firearms industry questioning why NASCAR's viewpoint has shifted and where the racing organization now stands on Second Amendment issues.
 

fmdog44 said:
NASCAR rejected advertisements for its souvenir programs from multiple firearms companies earlier this summer as part of what is being seen as a "gradual shift" in its position on guns.
The move may be another example of how major companies are adjusting as the nation grapples with guns in America.
While the move did not get widespread notice, NASCAR'S apparent shift stunned gun enthusiasts who said there is a large overlap between NASCAR fans and gun owners, and left some in the firearms industry questioning why NASCAR's viewpoint has shifted and where the racing organization now stands on Second Amendment issues.
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NASCAR fans carry guns...
 
A bit OT but..............

The grandstands have been more & more empty at the various events.....this will likely empty more of them.....jmo

Now fact,......I watched the Brickyard 400 last Sunday. It has been one of the premier events on the NASCAR calendar since it's inception. When the camera would pan, section,after section of empty seats . It's like NASCAR is eating itself.
 

NASCAR needs to get rid of some of the crappy rules they have put in the last fifteen years. Let the boys race. Rules in place for safety are OK, but some of the other stuff is over the top and unnecessary. I think they were trying to make the field more competitive, but got lost along the way. This year, they did alter some of the engine rules to do just that.

I was a bit surprised when I heard about them reducing their gun ads. After all, the NRA does some advertising and so does Bass Pro Shops.
 
oldman said:
NASCAR needs to get rid of some of the crappy rules they have put in the last fifteen years. Let the boys race. Rules in place for safety are OK, but some of the other stuff is over the top and unnecessary. I think they were trying to make the field more competitive, but got lost along the way. This year, they did alter some of the engine rules to do just that.

I was a bit surprised when I heard about them reducing their gun ads. After all, the NRA does some advertising and so does Bass Pro Shops.
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Agree completely .
 
NASCAR never has released the attendance numbers at the tracks. It was always the "fastest growing sport". Hard to challenge when they don't release data. I live near Pocono Raceway. When I first moved here about 30 years ago, race day was a big deal. Lots of traffic, etc. But attendance has dropped of remarkably. For the last 5-6 races, I didn't even know they had them-no traffic what so ever. I have noticed that TV cameras seem to miss shooting the grandstand. And if grandstands do get in the picture, there are very few fan in them. NASCAR is supposed to be "stock" cars, but there's nothing stock about them. They are race cars under a plastic shell. They have gotten away from the good ol' boys racing their own supped up cars. Plus NASCAR was super big with the WWII, Korean War vets RV crowd. They were a huge portion of their fan base, but their numbers are dwindling. Not many want to watch a 4 hour race, 500 lap race anymore..
 
fuzzybuddy said:
NASCAR never has released the attendance numbers at the tracks. It was always the "fastest growing sport". Hard to challenge when they don't release data. I live near Pocono Raceway. When I first moved here about 30 years ago, race day was a big deal. Lots of traffic, etc. But attendance has dropped of remarkably. For the last 5-6 races, I didn't even know they had them-no traffic what so ever. I have noticed that TV cameras seem to miss shooting the grandstand. And if grandstands do get in the picture, there are very few fan in them. NASCAR is supposed to be "stock" cars, but there's nothing stock about them. They are race cars under a plastic shell. They have gotten away from the good ol' boys racing their own supped up cars. Plus NASCAR was super big with the WWII, Korean War vets RV crowd. They were a huge portion of their fan base, but their numbers are dwindling. Not many want to watch a 4 hour race, 500 lap race anymore..
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Agree. NASCAR used to be races you could watch and think "Hey, I could do that". Not anymore.
The fans they have had for many years are passing away and they don't seem to be able to appeal to the younger people.
 
It's been years, but have been to NASCAR races, as my late husband was a big fan.... it was a family affair back then. (60's-70's)

Times have changed everything with all the gun violence everywhere .... and reading about the empty stands, and fans allowed to carry guns,
I would be more than leery in this volatile climate to ever want to set foot in those places again ...

And just maybe, the gun advertisers are getting the message.
 
The times and interests of young people are changing.

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Patio Life said:
Agree. NASCAR used to be races you could watch and think "Hey, I could do that". Not anymore.
The fans they have had for many years are passing away and they don't seem to be able to appeal to the younger people.
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It became a millionaires game years ago. And so many of the "patrons" now, are actually corporate people from the sponsors & vendors .

I watched the Las Vegas race , & again , section after section of empty grandstands.

I really do not see how they can last @ this rate.
 
Many see racing as a useless waste of a precious energy resource and damaging to the atmosphere. An average NASCAR weekend adds about 120 thousand pounds of CO2 to the atmosphere. To add perspective, the average person adds about 45 lbs. of CO2 in an entire year.
 
gennie said:
Many see racing as a useless waste of a precious energy resource and damaging to the atmosphere. An average NASCAR weekend adds about 120 thousand pounds of CO2 to the atmosphere. To add perspective, the average person adds about 45 lbs. of CO2 in an entire year.
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Yeah, and how many pounds are added by all the cars driving to and from a baseball/football/basketball game ? Not that I care because each is a chosen form of recreation / entertainment.
 
NASCAR has hurt themselves. When they started changing the rules, it seemed to me that they didn’t know when to stop. Then, they changed the way the Champion was chosen, so now if my driver doesn’t make it into the playoff field of 16 cars, my season is over. The last 10 races are just for fun. However, the fun and excitement has been diminished by NASCAR. They have basically ruined their own sport.

I was never an avid fan, but I did like watching the few Saturday evening races and the drivers back in the 70’s and 80’s were better drivers than today, IMO. I also enjoyed getting in the weekly pool at work.
 
Napcar has been on a downhill spiral for a long time. This will just empty out a few more seats. Years ago, when we raced in Nascar feeder series there was a time when you might actually make it to the big time. Today, if you don't bring a big money sponsor with you, there's not much hope of breaking in.
First it was the C.O.T. and messing with areo ideas.
Then it was cover the empty seats with tarps, then it was "we've pulled seats and spread them out so you aren't cramped together,"
then it was just ignore it and tell cameras to not pan the seats.
Then came the drunk, doper, Brian France and his ideas of turning the sport into an elimination style playoff. (stupid)
Not long ago, the direction of competition said, we need to enhance the entertainment value. What???? Oh... I see, let's see if we can alter the race outcomes( think phantom debris cautions)
Of course, there has always been the problem of rules seemingly written on a chalkboard and changed on a whim.
 
And it's sad as they had a good thing going for many years. Came to pass Indy cars as the U'S's favorite auto racing.

USAC did the same thing with their Champ car circuit. Drivers used to climb through the midget, sprint car chain and then get picked for one of the front engined roadsters and on to Indy if they were lucky. Today it's another "big money" circuit driving cars similar to the Gran Prix cars of Europe and South America, and that's where the majority of drivers are from. Sprints are a dead-end for the big time today, except for the WOO. We ran a few of their shows with a home built 410 and it was fun but we locals were totally out-classed. Even the WOO is a big bucks series today.

Somehow guns and racing had no connection back then (late 80's). We were based in Mass. and raced with URC sprint car group. Hauled south as far as S. Carolina and west to Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio with never the need to pack an arsenal or even a single weapon and it wasn't like mixing with choirboys. Nobody else did as far as I ever knew or saw. Today some folks can't go to the grocery store without their piece or they'll crap their pants.

Sorry, but you got me off-topic, S'dog, talking about racing. Brings back good memories.
 
DaveA, Yep, jumping into the way back machine. I too had a sprint car and in 1993, while living out west, was dumb enough to think that I'd get on TV during the "Winter series" they had on TNN. (remember that?). My car (A updated Nance) weighed 1340 lbs. and I had a pretty decent 410 in it, but, was I surprised to find I had a tank while watching weigh ins, with a field of 160 cars :eek: :D Anyway, On a Wednesday you had to time trial into the top 100 cars just to make it to the heat races. I timed at I think it was 130th and that was the end of that thought. :) Now, I've got to say though, that running the sprint actually was more cost effective than when we ran a late model. There was a real money drainer. ;) Ahhhh, the good old days ehh?

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squatting dog said:
Napcar has been on a downhill spiral for a long time. This will just empty out a few more seats. Years ago, when we raced in Nascar feeder series there was a time when you might actually make it to the big time. Today, if you don't bring a big money sponsor with you, there's not much hope of breaking in.
First it was the C.O.T. and messing with areo ideas.
Then it was cover the empty seats with tarps, then it was "we've pulled seats and spread them out so you aren't cramped together,"
then it was just ignore it and tell cameras to not pan the seats.
Then came the drunk, doper, Brian France and his ideas of turning the sport into an elimination style playoff. (stupid)
Not long ago, the direction of competition said, we need to enhance the entertainment value. What???? Oh... I see, let's see if we can alter the race outcomes( think phantom debris cautions)
Of course, there has always been the problem of rules seemingly written on a chalkboard and changed on a whim.
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( think phantom debris cautions)

If those weren't so ridiculously obvious.....they'd been funny. I do remember them, and it seemed to me the "debris" was almost always spotted whenever an ahem..... favorite, needed a re-start .......... you know just to get another chance.......... :rolleyes:

As for the "playoffs" , just like the overtime......they NASCAR, are bending over backwards to make it sound more & more like a damn football game.

They recently cut HP @ some tracks. Here's my take on it all...........remove the restrictor plate, let the driver re-learn how to use the throttle, and when. Remove the spotters, again, make the drivers learn to drive the car & the race itself. These things alone will slow down the cars when needed, and let them speed up when it is safe to do so.

End all the NASCAR mandate packages & specs, [except for engine cu/in] and safety measures. Let the teams mechanics & engineers build the car.

Enlarge the wheel width to ?? And have more than just Goodyear tires allowed/available/used.

OR!.........

Go back to true "stock-car" racing, which will mean,........4cylinder or V-6 4 door , front wheel drive , automatics.........

Like the cars we are [damn-near] forced to drive.
 
NASCAR has got to be one of the dumbest sports there is.

I want my vehicles to last as long as possible. And I drive them accordingly. Like my 10 year old Honda with 122,000 miles on it that stills runs like new. I have no interest in watching a bunch idiots run theirs into the ground in 500 miles or less. I just don't get it. To me it's vehicle abuse. You might as well take a sledge hammer to your vehicle.
 
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Trade said:
NASCAR has got to be one of the dumbest sports there is.

I want my vehicles to last as long as possible. And I drive them accordingly. Like my 10 year old Honda with 122,000 miles on it that stills runs like new. I have no interest in watching a bunch idiots run theirs into the ground in 500 miles or less. I just don't get it. To me it's vehicle abuse. You might as well take a sledge hammer to your vehicle.
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Allot of "tech" that is in your street car, came from racing, Tires as much or perhaps more than anything.........jus'sayin'
 
I remember an old book. I can't think of the name of it now.

It was about the world coming to an end and they had run out of gasoline and there was a final race in Australia with the small amount of fuel left.
 
Camper6 said:
I remember an old book. I can't think of the name of it now.

It was about the world coming to an end and they had run out of gasoline and there was a final race in Australia with the small amount of fuel left.
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Sounds a bit like the movie "The Road Warrior"

 
What others do or don't do is completely irrelevant to me. I don't make my life's decisions based on what other do or what companies sponsor.
 

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