NRA to sponsor Texas Nascar race

[SCVDem]

Michael Waltrip drove a Newtown memorial/fundraising car in the Daytona 500.

Now NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway has sold the naming rights for their April Sprint Cup race to the NRA!

"The deal comes at a time when the NRA is involved in a renewed debate on gun violence in the wake of the December shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

This is not the NRA's first title sponsorship in NASCAR. The group sponsored a Nationwide race at Atlanta last September.

TMS president Eddie Gossage says the NRA has been involved for several years as a partner of the Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns the track"

I've already written TMS expressing my disdain for this.


http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51039795/ns/sports-motor_sports/

[sadbear]

1. How can this race NOT be phallicly-named now?

Last edited Tue Mar 5, 2013, 03:07 PM - Edit history (1)

[uncle ray]

2. odd, considering NASCARs move away from alcohol and tobacco.

I guess nobody told nascar that guns are not good for kids either.

[Erose999]

3. Ironic that the right wing groups all want to sponsor a sport thats pretty much just turning left

for 500 laps.

[Purrfessor]

27. Ironic indeed. Look what is banned at Texas Motor Speedway:

Guests are not allowed to bring these items into Texas Motor Speedway - weapons or firearms, fireworks, illegal substances and items restricted by local, state and federal laws.

So the NRA is sponsoring an event in a gun-free zone. I wonder if the concealed-weapons holders will take TMS officials hostage or just shoot the parking lot up.

[Ezlivin]

4. Race drivers will be allowed to use firearms to "clear a lane"

"This is expected to make the race much more thrilling," said Eddie Gossage. "And it levels the playing field like nothing else can. Now a marginal driver has a real shot at winning."

[pinboy3niner]

10. In that case, James Bond may be the favorite this year...

[Democrats_win]

5. NASCAR to change their name: NAZIs.

Because only the NAZIs are responsible for more deaths than the NRA.

[Bluzmann57]

6. Contact NASCAR

NASCAR has final say over the naming rights. So contact them and tell them your disdain for this move. I am not a big nascar fan, but I may contact them anyway and let them know my unhappiness with this crazy move.

[SCVDem]

9. I can't seem to find a direct contact

I don't do social networking and their is no direct e mail address.

Anyone? A little help!

[99Forever]

17. Email addy here:

[e-mail]

[Bluzmann57]

26. Thank you

I posted "contact nascar" and then couldn't find any email address. Boy did I feel like an ass. Now I know and will contact them.

[99Forever]

15. ^^^^^THIS!^^^^^^

My letter to Nascar:

NASCAR,

I regret to have to write this letter to you, as I am and have been a huge fan for decades of your sport and of the Cup Series in particular. Your choice to take on the NRA as a sponsor of the Texas Race is highly offensive to me and I am certain many others. I fully realize that they are paying you big money to have their name on it, and it is your right and option to take their payola.

However, it is my option to cease watching NASCAR races, going to NASCAR Races, buying NASCAR memorabilia, or having anything to do with NASCAR in my future. I understand that I am just one fan, but I doubt I am the only one who feels this way. I cannot reconcile supporting any business that would associate itself with an organization that puts their deadly product above the very lives of innocent citizens.

I have a conscience. I hope you will find yours and reconsider this awful decision. If not, you will have lost at least one avid fan, permanently.

Sincerely,

99Forever

[SCVDem]

16. Well done!

:

[geologic]

23. Subject: The Epitomy...

To: [e-mail]
From: "geologic"
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2013 20:13:49 -0800 (PST)


1. Every year the NASCAR WEBsite is worse than the year before--

this year it's pretty much unusable.


2. You illegally/immorally (unconstitutionally) take-down a fanvideo of the Daytona wreck--

and then have to do the perpwalk and get it put back up.


3. And now:

"The NRA 500"!!!???...



Recent surveys have showed that the vast majority of Americans and NRA members support background checks on gun purchasers--
not so the NRA.


Universal background checks on gun buyers are favored by 92 percent of Americans, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll released in January--
not so the NRA.


Support for universal background checks on gun buyers crosses demographics, with those in favor including 93 percent of gun households, 89 percent of Republicans, and 85 percent of households with NRA members--
not so the NRA.


A previous study indicated most NASCAR fans were in favor of an assault weapons ban;
not so the NRA, or apparently--
NASCAR.


Both the NRA and NASCAR are out of touch with their fans--
and with The American People.


I won't be watching the (former) Texas 500 this year;
and neither will a whole buncha of other folks--
Brian France has to be the stupidest, greediest, political smarmologist on the planet...


[original replied to wrong post]

[nykym]

7. Gee a movie comes to mind...

Death Race.

[OGKush]

8. One would think from the replies that nascar is not about racing anymore

And that it's about shooting people.

Did the NRA change the rules about nascar?

I don't agree with the NRA, but I love the comments people are giving about nascar and the NRA.

[SCVDem]

11. Naming rights are always an issue!

For example the football stadium in Florida sponsored by a private prison.

Where do we draw the line in supporting sketchy organizations?

[OGKush]

14. Boycott the race in Texas being g sponsored by the NRA, not make fun of the people

Who go to these events and the ones who are racing.

[KamaAina]

20. You mean "Owlcatraz"?

Wouldn't you know, the staium is the home of the Florida Atlantic Owls. Hence, "Owlcatraz"!

[geologic]

25. Private Prison Company Doctors Its Own Wikipedia Page and Fabricates Facts to Fight Bad Publicity

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-takei/private-prison-company-do_b_2807202.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false ...

[dairydog91]

12. Golly, pro-gun people at a Texas NASCAR race?!?

My stars, I'm shocked.

[HereSince1628]

13. This is the first time??? Fast n Loud marriage between NRA and NASCAR

just seems natural.

Teevee says moonshiners always carrid a gun and that Nascar was born outta runnin 'shine.

[tarheelsunc]

18. A boycott is unfeasible in this case

For every fan that boycotts, 10 fans will go/watch BECAUSE of the sponsorship. As NRA awareness is already quite widespread among the NASCAR audience, this really serves no meaningful purpose. It really seems to me the NRA is trolling America.

[SCVDem]

19. Have you noticed?

NASCAR tv rarely shows shots of the empty seat grandstands?

Phoenix does have seating on the back straight but covered them with ads.

So much for popularity!

[tarheelsunc]

21. A lot of the fanbase feels the product is lacking lately

And they're mostly right, the races have become parades. But having the NRA name attached will fire up the base, especially in Texas. There are a lot of people who feel like going there represents their love of freedom or something. I was reading comments on the ESPN article concerning this and there were a ton of comments from people who loved this move. (Of course, they could be over-represented, as the mods there love deleting liberal-leaning posts).

[lapislzi]

24. They've priced themselves out of their own market

Ticket prices are insanely expensive. So much for "family entertainment." Ditto the insane paydays for drivers who "start and park."

You can barely even call it a sport (Hemingway's definition of sport, anyhow).