American automotive racing started out like moonshine–homemade and rough. What started out like bootlegging in Appalachia evolved into an afternoon of drinking beer all across the South. And racing stayed that way for half a century, but over the last few years NASCAR has been shaped, polished, and (dare I say) fermented into something new: a sport even wine-drinkers could love.
NASCAR had been riding a wave of popularity that has propelled it into “major American sport” status; but despite (or maybe because of) the 100,000 seat tracks, or the 8-figure cost of sponsorships, it turns out that NASCAR–like tech and real estate–was just another bubble. And now NASCAR has been hit hard by a new economy that doesn’t necessarily have room for racing’s extravagances anymore. Largely being paid for by the big three American car companies, the sport now has a guillotine hanging over it worthy of Louis XVI. What if the bailout of the auto companies forbids them from dropping tens of millions on NASCAR sponsorships? What if the president’s Efficiency Czar decides that NASCAR isn’t the best way for the Big Three to market themselves? Even if NASCAR survives this (and I do think it will), it definitely will not survive wholly intact; the crowds have already begun to dwindle, the layoffs have already begun (hundreds, then thousands), the R&D and practice budgets have shrunk, and soon even the big-name drivers will feel the pinch. There are monumental changes just around the corner (my suggestion: shorten each race and shorten the season), but before all hell breaks loose, give NASCAR a chance. This Sunday is the Daytona 500, the sport’s opening race and premiere event. Sit down, grab a glass, and I will take you, the wine-drinker, through the six drivers that you may (or may not) want to cheer for, but will definitely want to pay attention to.
Tony Stewart: think Mondavi’s Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 1992
Deep, rich, and abrasive to newbies, Mondavi’s Cab definitely belongs to the racer who’s nicknamed “Smoke.” Tony Stewart is NASCAR’s Charles Barkley (an over-weight, tremendous talent that has no problem telling the truth or at least his version of it). The similarities go further when you hear the story of Stewart asking the two girls working a rental car counter if they were 18 yet. But think back to the Barkley from 15 years ago: post-NBA finals, pre-TNT infamy. What if, the year after making the NBA finals with the Suns, Barkley had decided to create an expansion team? He would be the owner of this new franchise (and designer of the arena and training facility), also the General Manager (and builder of the coaching and front office staffs), and he would play for the new team too. Now picture him trying to set all this up while he was still playing for the Suns. This is exactly what the Tony Stewart saga was last year, as he split from Joe Gibbs Racing after ten years to take over part-ownership and head driving duties for Stewart-Haas Racing. But this season is where, if you’ll pardon the expression, the rubber meets the road. If Stewart (and new teammate Ryan Newman) come out in their first year and do well, then Stewart with his #14 car will be the new standard of success. But if they come out and fail, then he will be just another aging champion who thought he could do everything.
Joey Logano: think Cakebread Napa Chardonnay, 2007
Young, well-balanced, and “with a hint of gold,” a review of Cakebread’s Chardonnay is a perfect fit for Joey Logano–if he were allowed to drink. The young wine and the 18-year-old phenom are bursting onto the scene together, and Cakebread just makes sense for the driver who is nicknamed “Sliced Bread” (as in The Greatest Thing Since…). Logano has been as hyped (in NASCAR circles) as LeBron James, and last season on the Nationwide tour (kinda like NASCAR’s minor-league) he won his third start, making him the youngest race winner ever. This year he takes over the #20 car (previously occupied by Tony Stewart). Stewart’s one win last year leaves the bar low enough that Logano could top it right away, but ultimately these are still big shoes to fill. This year he could take a step backwards and show some signs of an adjustment period. Or he could continue his LeBron-like success and compete in his first year in the Bigs.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: think Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc (the $1.99 variety)
Cheap and popular, 2-Buck-Chuck and Junior are likeable and accessible. I don’t mean that to be an insult to Junior for two reasons: 1) I do actually like him and 2) I’m terrified of “Junior Nation.” They are NASCAR’s “Raider Nation”- both fan groups are large (in numbers and in size, if you know what I mean), they are loud and obnoxious, and they both very much overrate themselves and their team.
Junior raced for Dale Earnhardt Inc for years before a fall-out with his step-mother put him on the open market. Last season he signed with Hendrick Motorsports, and with their superior cars and talent he was supposed to set the world on fire. He did not. He won once. In a rain-shortened race. But that fluke win was on Father’s Day, so even in a cheap win Junior once again was NASCAR’s Crown Prince. While most NASCAR fans think of Dale Jr. as beer, we wine-drinkers know he is 2-Buck-Chuck: far more rich and famous than his record or talent would suggest, he is an icon. We know Dale Jr. because his father was a champion, and we like Dale Jr. because his father was a hard-ass. It had to be rough growing up with Dale Earnhardt Sr. as your dad, but frankly that has taken Junior as far as it’s going to. If #88 is going to continue to rule Junior Nation, he needs to start winning. Now.
Kyle Busch: think Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva, 2004
“Beautifully intense,” and “offering a spectrum of different tastes,” Ruffino’s Chianti is very much Kyle Busch. He can be dominant, and he can be disappointing. He is dangerous (his nickname is “Rowdy”), which leads to both wins and wrecks. If there ever was a real-life Ricky Bobby it would be him; after wining eight races in the regular season he started the Chase (the playoffs) with finishes of 34th, 43rd (dead last), and 28th. After wrecking Dale Jr. midseason, Kyle Busch became public enemy #1- so much so that when Star Wars comes out on Blu-Ray I’m expecting to see Darth Vader on the hood of #18. But NASCAR needs crazies and villains; and like another famous Chianti-drinker, Kyle Busch is both, in a way that kind of makes you root for him. And this year, with a little luck, Busch could win it all…or wreck trying.
Carl Edwards: think Mondavi’s Fume Blanc, 2007
Clean cut and dry, but with a little something under the surface. “Fume” is usually translated as “Smoke,” but there’s already a driver with that nickname. But “Fume” can also translate to “rage” which seems more appropriate for the 99 car. Edwards is a NASCAR marketer’s dream–a good looking white guy you’re supposed to feel comfortable allowing your daughter to date. But after a few highly publicized fights, it turns out that Edwards might have a little bit of bad-ass in him after all–unfortunately you don’t realize that until he’s already taken your daughter away on his motorcycle. Edwards is a phenomenal driver and could win a championship this year, but he is just as likely to punch a teammate as sell you a stapler.
Jimmie Johnson: think Huber Cellars Estate Pinot Noir, 2006
Clean, generous, and brilliant; most Pinot Noirs are good, but some are great. The King of NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson began his current 3-year championship run in 2006 and he has to be the favorite coming into this year. But his remarkable run is as subtle as it is spectacular. The #48 doesn’t wreck, and it doesn’t wreck anybody else. He waits patiently all summer before he makes his move at the end of the season. Like the Pinot he is “complex yet thrilling.” Yet JJ’s just a quiet guy from El Cajon (yes, there are NASCAR drivers from California, in fact 3 of the 10 drivers in the Chase were born in the Golden State). Neither are the most famous out there, but Huber Cellars’ Pinot and Jimmie Johnson are both very impressive.
NASCAR, like wine, is of course an acquired taste. But if you start out slowly, you could really enjoy it. In fact, there may never be better time to learn to love NASCAR, because someday very soon it could be sold off for scrap.