Via Hesiod, we read "Racing pros revved up for GOP," in which Paul Newberry of the Associated Press portrays NASCAR drivers and fans as monolithically right wing.
This is an odd thing to say about people who can't make a right turn, but Newberry's thesis seems to be that the fans are all southern white males, and the drivers are all rich southern white males, so they must all be Republicans. He gets former driver Richard Petty to make exactly this point, at least as far as the rich folks go:
Why do the Republicans seemingly have such a one-party hold on this sport?
"We're all individuals," explained Petty, who once held political office in his native North Carolina. "When the guys in here go to lobby NASCAR, most of the time it's what can they do for me? It's not for anybody else."
It's jarring to see this so baldly stated. "What can they do for me? It's not for anybody else." Petty, apparently, is a social Darwinist. Or a Hobbesian. Or just an asshole. But his argument is clear: if you're utterly selfish, you vote Republican.
Millions of Republicans would disagree with Petty's argument there.
But those Republicans who believe, with Petty, that politics is all about "what can they do for me?" are probably upset to hear him say this out loud. After all, the whole Southern Strategy — which has been wildly successful at giving the GOP electoral majorities in the South — is based on convincing white, male, working-class, NASCAR-fan Americans to vote against their own economic interests.
Terry LaBonte, a hardcore Texas Republican, had this to say:
"I guess most of 'em just have a lot of common sense," he said, referring to his fellow drivers and Republicans. "I like to say we're true Americans."
Now that's what the Southern Strategy is all about: a jus' folks populism that pretends wealthy elites are just like you, mixed with a hefty dose of xenophobia and chauvinism that goes after any dissenters with the accusation that they're not "true Americans." LaBonte, unlike Richard Petty, seems to understand the difference between how GOP elites are supposed to talk amongst themselves and how they are supposed to talk when the hoi polloi are listening.
Yet not every driver seems intent on practicing class warfare against his fanbase. Mark Martin had this to say:
"I'm not into whether you're a Republican or a Democrat — I care about the individual," Martin said, not even bothering to lower his voice to a whisper. "I will tell you this: I don't believe the Republicans when they say everything good that Clinton did was just luck, and all the bad stuff that's happened since Bush has been in office is just bad luck.
"Hey, at least the budget got balanced when Clinton was in there."
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