I would be proud to be associated with NASCAR
Should Canadians be embarrassed because the Conservative Party has decided to advertise by sponsoring a NASCAR team? Despite the foam-flecked rantings of Canada's left, NASCAR seems to be a sport that demands good character of its participants.
NASCAR racing is in the spotlight in Canada because of the sponsorship of Pierre Bourque's car by the Conservative Party of Canada. Many observers have ridiculed the move, focusing on the "redneck" reputation of the sport's fanbase.
Maybe the Conservatives aren't sophisticated enough to be embarrassed. But helpfully, there seems to be no shortage of busybodies on Canada's left only too happy to explain why we all should be ashamed. Consider the NDP's Judy Wasylycia-Leis strained efforts during an interview with Charles Adler to tie NASCAR to George W Bush, because we all know just how ashamed that would make us all feel:
On the day after Jack Layton's hissy fit about the Conservative Party's choice to sponsor NASCAR, his finance critic, Judy Wasylycia-Leis joined me on the Corus Radio Network program, "Adler on Line."
"Why did the Tories take a page out of George Bush's playbook?" I asked the Honourable Member whether she was serious in tying yet one more issue to George W. Bush. But that only encouraged her to blather on about how NASCAR is an American sport, one that burns too much leaded gasoline (for the record: Nascar doesn't use leaded gas) and attracts too few Canadian viewers. When asked why the Tories would take their cues on advertising from the NDP, she responded with, "Why should they take their cues from George Bush?"
One can choose to believe that the NDP's problem with NASCAR advertising is that it promotes an activity which damages the planet. But isn't it more likely the NDP is simply trying again to rev up it's base of voters by driving anti-Americanism, the oldest political clunker of all.
Well, if Americans like George W Bush like NASCAR (and I don't know that he does), then Canadians ought not to have anything to do with it.
Oh heck, if any Americans from the South like NASCAR, then NASCAR can't possibly have any redeeming values.
But the fact is, NASCAR runs a clean sport, to the point of severely punishing unsportsmanlike behaviour, as well as having no tolerance for drug use. Consider the case of Shane Hmiel:
Shane Hmiel has proven to be one of the more controversial drivers in NASCAR, having had failed two separate drug tests and openly insulting other drivers in interviews. In 2003, he was suspended for failing a drug test indefinitely but was reinstated in 2004, provided he comply with random drug tests. In his return to the Busch Series, he got into a very heated incident with Dale Jarrett during the Sharpie 250 at Bristol. When Jarrett leaned into Hmiel's window to complain about being spun out by Hmiel he said "you'll get yours", he made an obscene gesture toward Jarrett that was captured on national television. Hmiel was fined $10,000 USD and docked 25 points in the standings for the incident. This and earlier incidents caused many fans to view Hmiel as a "disrespectful punk" as quoted by more than one veteran driver, including Jamie McMurray, Jason Keller, Jason Leffler. His NASCAR career was seemingly ended at Dover in 2005, when he failed his second drug test and was escorted from the garage by several NASCAR officials. After failing a third drug test in early 2006, Hmiel was banned from NASCAR for life.
Disrespectful punk? Maybe he's just misunderstood. Maybe if American socialists had gotten funding for a basketball court in his neighbourhood, Hmiel would have turned out quite differently. Probably some conservative's fault.
You can watch the Jarrett incident here. Note how NASCAR rules require drivers involved in accidents to go to hospital -- another aspect of responsibility:
With the NBA overrun with paternity suits, and Major League Baseball utterly unembarrassed by steroid drug use, and the NHL -- well, name a professional sport in which there is a player on each team called the "goon" -- and you have to look at NASCAR's stand against drug use as well as behaviour that demeans the sport as refreshing.
The trick to appreciating NASCAR's efforts, of course, is to gently nudge the likes of Judy Wasylycia-Leis out of the way. Try not to let her sputtering on the evils of America get in the way of an enjoyable afternoon of good clean competition.
And if Pierre Bourque is driving, sporting the Conservative Party logo, spare a moment to hope for a safe conclusion to his race, and a win too.Check out what Canadian bloggers have written about NASCAR
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Comments
Attempting to link the Conservatives to G.W.Bush any time they can, seems to be the new sport of the Canadian left.
Posted by: Paul M at June 24, 2007 07:41 PM
Ugh.
And I'm actually a long time race fan.
http://sheenavision.blogspot.com/2007/06/dourquey-nascar-sponsorship.html
Posted by: Sheena at June 24, 2007 07:48 PM
If the CPC want to sponsor a car. Fine with me.
Personally I'm not a fan of NASCAR. But, there's other potential voters/fence sitters out there who are.
The Libs are probably annoyed with the fact they didn't think of it first. But money used for that usually has receipts attached to the expenses. :D
Posted by: Nightmare at June 24, 2007 08:00 PM
If the CPC wants to sponsor Pierre Bouerque's car, I say fine. But to pretend that going after NASCAR fans was not a warmed over Republican strategy, that's just intellectual dishonesty Steve. Don't believe me? You don't have to. Read this.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061204/lipsyte
If the Conservatives had an original bone in their bodies I'd be worried, but as long as they ape the Republicans, I will sleep soundly.
Posted by: Greg at June 24, 2007 09:56 PM
The liberal pundits are already laughing at the NASCAR move. Just go watch the last edition of Don Newman's Politics available at http://www.cbc.ca/politics/ and listen to their amusement when Susan Delacourt brings it up (at about the 32:45 mark and beyond after the commercial break).
In the same broadcast, Greg Weston implies that the car was "sponsored by the Government of Canada."
But ... why is anyone surprised at the reactions from opponents of the Conservatives?
If PM Harper were to end world hunger, he'd probably be blamed for encouraging obesity.
Posted by: Gabby in QC at June 24, 2007 10:17 PM
Sorry - forgot to mention that you have to click on Friday's broadcast if you want to check out the link I provided.
Posted by: Gabby in QC at June 24, 2007 10:21 PM
Steve,
So how much did you know about NASCAR in general, or the Busch East Series in particular, before this issue broke out?
(And good luck hoping for a Bourque win, but FWIW he races on the 29th)
Posted by: bigcitylib at June 25, 2007 06:33 AM
Weston, Travers, Delacourt, Newman, what a bunch of tired old hacks, droning on and on in desperation.
Weston must think we all fell off a turnip truck saying Bourque was sponsored by the Government of Canada. Now that's desperation, VILE desperation.
It's become a real spectacle to look at those tools on Newman, sitting all smug and ready to trash Harper and the Conservatives with sneers and snickers. They don't even realize the public are onto them. Don't look to them for serious journalism, they're on a mission to get their Liberals back in power.
Trying to tie the Harper Conservatives to Bush at every little opportunity has absolutely no clout. That old tune has been drummed to death.
Let them all go off for the summer and watch Dion eating his hot dogs with a knife and fork.
Posted by: Libby at June 25, 2007 07:07 AM
Um... racism?
Posted by: Brian Jello at June 25, 2007 08:30 AM
"Should Canadians be embarrassed because the Conservative Party has decided to advertise by sponsoring a NASCAR team?"
No, but your readers should be embarrassed by your obsessive compulsive behaviour on something that was nothing more than a momentary, humourous distraction on a slow news day.
"Attempting to link the Conservatives to G.W.Bush any time they can, seems to be the new sport of the Canadian left."
Actually I'm trying to introduce a new sport where the left links the Conservatives to Chavez any time they can.
Is Chavez Stealing Harper's Ideas
Posted by: Robert McClelland at June 25, 2007 08:36 AM
OOOOOOHHH...NASCAR! I just love the foreskin-like front bumpers, and the perky, Jennifer Lopez-like rear ends on those sexy racecars...
Posted by: Feldwebel Wolfenstool at June 25, 2007 09:16 AM
Speaking of slow news days, what's new with the Liberals these days?
Is Dion learning how to eat a hot dog? Is that on his agenda for the summer BBQ circuit?
How about talking about another defection to the Conservatives? Nah, that's not newsworthy.
Posted by: Libby at June 25, 2007 10:05 AM
Pervert.
Posted by: iowavette at June 25, 2007 01:13 PM
Libby, ho-ho, what a bullseye. Yeouch !!!!
Posted by: Gary at June 25, 2007 04:14 PM
Maybe the Tories will pay your legal fees.
Posted by: Anon at June 25, 2007 08:48 PM
 
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