There are a number of things that make the Daytona 500 a unique sporting experience. First of all, unlike other major athletic schedules, this championship starts the racing season, rather than ends it. With the largest purse of any of the Sprint Cup races, Daytona provides an added excitement for the competitors and fans.
For racing fans Daytona is their Superbowl.And like the Superbowl, advertisers take advantage of the larger-than-normal audience. This is one of the things I HATE about Nascar. The advertisements throughout this year's race where specifically themed for NASCAR. Companies who sponser racers and their vehicles shamelessly plug their drivers during their 30 second spots (Home Depot, was a perfect example of this for the 2009 race). Not only does each car feature a company logo or slogan, but the announcers feel compelled to restate this affiliation every time they talk about a driver.
"Oh look at Jeff Gordon in the DuPont car...he's working his way around Tony Stewart's Home Depot Chevrolet."
I know that advertising is a necessary evil for NASCAR, much like it is for every other sport, but it shouldn't define how a broadcaster does his/her job. That would be like the announcer for a Michigan sport adding "wearing Adidas" before he gives the player's name. It's uncalled for and shows a potential bias in the reporting.
As much as I dislike watching NASCAR, I understand why it is so popular. It's the everyman's sport. You don't have to have super abilities to get behind the wheel and drive a car. It is a skill, for sure, but it's something people can easily envision themselves doing. The crashes and thrill that comes with such high speeds add the necessary drama to the sport. The drivers themselves are incredibly marketable and are easy to get attached to (in this year's race Dale Earnherdt Jr.'s crash got more attention than the winner, especially considering the fact that rain shortened the race). They are generally seen in their cowboy hats and jeans, whereas other professional athletes are generally marketed with a more monied look (Escalades, suits, bling, etc.). Feuds between drivers, real or imagined (Gordon versus Earnherdt), keep the sport alive when the race ends, and provides fans with fuel for their fire. Unlike other major sports NASCAR fans can watch without knowing intimate details of the sport. The person who crosses the finish line last is the winner. It is almost as cut and dry as it can get.
