[February 23, 2015] Joey Logano #22 just won the NASCAR race at the Daytona 500 in Florida while driving for the Penske Racing team in a Ford. The Daytona 500 is known as the Great American Race. Interestingly, NASCAR fans have been called the most loyal among all sports and there is an estimated 75 million fans – this is no accident. Leaders can learn from the success of racing and from Bill France who started NASCAR in 1947.
But 1947 was not the beginning of NASCAR.1,2 Americans have always loved the combination of strength, skill, and speed. Racing combines all these qualities into one sport and all sports have some version of these three attributes. Bill France took advantage of this and built a loyal fan base over many years through his leadership and through promoting many types of car races throughout the year.
The Daytona 500 may not be the most difficult or demanding race but it is certainly the most coveted by race car teams and by fans. If you’ve never been to a race in person, it differs markedly from watching it on television. My first race was in Nürburg, Germany watching Formula 1 cars – I was hooked as were my friends. Racing has a special intoxicating quality and explains, in part, the fascination of its fans around the world.
Congratulations to Joey Logano and his team for winning the Daytona 500, the Great American Race.
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[1] National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR
[2] A good history of the beginning of NASCAR and how it was founded by Bill France can be found in this Decades of Racing website: http://www.decadesofracing.net/TheBeginning.htm
[Special Note] Jeff Gordon was involved in a multi-car crash on the final lap in his final start in a race he has won three times (1997, ’99 and 2005). He started from the pole position and said his attempt would be “all or nothing.” The four-time champion announced before the season this would be his final full-time season in Cup.