[legion]

See, and I go to the NASCAR races in Joliet every year. At $150 a seat--and even more for pit-passes and such--there isn't much of a redneck factor. What there is is a bunch of professionals blowing off steam for a weekend by pretending to be rednecks. Any given Bears or Cubs or Sox game has a rowdier crowd. The police pressence at these events is unreal--over 1000 police officers, many on horseback, keeping the peace.

Even if NASCAR isn't the most exciting thing to watch, no one can argue that it isn't a driver's series. The cars are pretty identical, so it is driver skill and strategy that makes winners. Also, it is currently paying drivers the best of any series (except maybe F1)--don't think for a second that IRL and ALMS drivers wouldn't rather be living the NASCAR lifestyle.