redstate.com by Brad Slager
While other sports have made the mistake of turning political, NASCAR is trying to steer into political challenges and avoid hitting a wall.
This week, NASCAR begins its racing schedule in a rather curious fashion. Normally, the first event of the year is The Clash, a series of small races where the top finishers are gathered for one final sprint. This year, instead of racing at the iconic Daytona Speedway, the series will open inside the famed Los Angeles Coliseum. They have actually paved the interior of the century-old stadium, racing on a cramped, quarter-mile course that is half the size of NASCAR’s smallest short tracks.
The bumps and interference sure to be seen throughout today’s races are a good metaphor to what the sport’s organization is facing in the realm of activist political issues. There is a difference, however, between the political actions with NASCAR, and those seen in recent years in other sports, as the energy behind the issues seems to be flowing in the opposite direction…
