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NEWS >POLITICS > ZOGBY SHOWS MCCAIN LOSING TRACK OF NASCAR VOTE

ZOGBY SHOWS MCCAIN LOSING TRACK OF NASCAR VOTE

October 23 2008

Charlotte, NC – With John McCain falling further and further behind in seemingly every poll of late, the Arizona senator is starting to lose traction amongst some of the most traditional of Republican voters. Very specific polling is showing that more and more NASCAR drivers and fans are now leaning either towards the undecided category or even directly towards voting for Barack Obama.  

“What we are finding is that NASCAR fans are as concerned about the economy and other issues as regular people,” said John Zogby. “A large part of that shift has to do with the attitude of drivers and owners in racing. Many of them believe that McCain’s energy plans are a little lacking, and obviously in that particular field, things like the cost of gas are a major concern, and that’s shifting a lot of opinion.”

While NASCAR has traditionally been a white southern sport, some are pointing to a changing demographic and an expansion of the sport beyond its traditional parameters as at least a factor in the shift in political opinion.
“NASCAR is no longer a niche sporting event. Next to the NFL It is the most watched sport across the country and that goes beyond the demo’s that people generally associate with us,” said NASCAR president Mike Helton. “While we of course will not officially endorse either candidate, it’s refreshing to see affirmation of our expansion efforts. To some degree we see our growth as similar to the desegregation in the 1960’s. We are inclusive of everyone, well everyone with enough money to buy our merchandise anyway.”

Political observers though see the latest poll numbers as less of commentary on the expansion of the NASCAR brand and more as a deterioration of the Republican one, an erosion which is leaving more than a few in the party with major concerns for life beyond the 2008 election.

“McCain is only vaguely southern, and Palin is far from that and the reality is the stronghold for Republicans has always been the south,” said Scrape TV political analyst Gabriel Kinsey. “Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, as well as the Midwestern states. There is this down home attitude that most Republicans have and neither of the candidates have that warm cozy kind of feel to them. It is possible that McCain and Palin are going to damage the Republican case well beyond this election and set up an unprecedented democratic run.

“While it’s possible the shifting demographics for NASCAR fans has shifted, when was the last time you saw a black face in the crowd at Daytona? It’s more likely that people are actually looking at the issues facing the country and trying to make an informed decision as to who would be best to solve those problems, rather than just picking the person they would most like to have a barbeque with. Those numbers are going to be interesting ones to watch because if there is a major shift there could be serious long term issues for the Republican Party."

There are of course those who will be NASCAR fans who will vote Republican no matter what, and that core group of fans are as disturbed by the shift in vote as they are by the shift in fans of their beloved sport.

“We’re seeing all these new kinds of people at races, all these new kinds of people on TV wearing Dale Jr. Hats and stuff. Those aren’t our kind of people,” said a local fan who declined to be named. “I’ve been watching NASCAR my whole life and it’s just not the same as it used to be with all these new people around. It’s just not the same with all these new kinds of people.”

We contacted both the McCain and Obama campaigns for comment but our calls were not returned. The next Daytona 500 is set for February 15th 2009, just a month after inauguration. 

Edward Bastil, Political Correspondent

NEWS >POLITICS > ZOGBY SHOWS MCCAIN LOSING TRACK OF NASCAR VOTE

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