The world knocks, and NASCAR opens the door (cont'd)

Not every traditional fan feels this way; far from it. But judging from the truckloads of e-mail received during the course of this past season, when NASCAR became more international than ever before, such xenophobic sentiments thrive like a weed. Much like a political party, NASCAR faces the difficult, unenviable task of trying to energize its base and broaden its tent at the same time. The problem arises when many in that base believe the tent should belong wholly to them.

Daytona Countdown

We are counting down the days to the 50th Daytona 500 on Feb. 17, 2008. Each day we will highlight a number that corresponds to the countdown number.

• More
• 50th Daytona 500 ticket design
• Get your tickets
• Book your travel

They're fighting a battle they're destined to lose. Look at what's happened in other sports, many of which have broken free of their domestic confines and become better for it. For 16 years the NFL had a developmental league in Europe, which laid the groundwork for the crowd of 81,000 at London's Wembley Stadium, where the league hosted its first regular-season game outside the United States. The NBA may suffer in American television ratings, but its melting pot of worldwide players has made it a hit overseas. More than 300,000 residents of Shanghai watched Rockets center Yao Ming make his playoff debut this past April. And goodness knows how many Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners caps are being sold in Japan, thanks to Daisuke Matsuzaka and Ichiro Suzuki, respectively.

NASCAR is only following in line. Of course, there have been missteps -- the NHL, which fled many of its historic Canadian strongholds, is at perhaps its lowest point in this country, as is open-wheel racing where American drivers have become virtually extinct. But those are extreme examples of unchecked ambition. NASCAR shows no signs of moving the Daytona 500 to Argentina, replacing Brian France with Bernie Ecclestone, or bumping Jeff Gordon in favor of Felipe Massa. This is a racing series where most of the cars will always be American, most of the drivers will always be American, and most of the races will always be conducted on American soil.

So what's the harm with a little diversity? What's wrong with making a few new fans in Colombia or Scotland or Mexico, or introducing a Japanese-based manufacturer that will employ a few more fabricators and crewmen, or taking one of 36 Sprint Cup races to Montreal? They're the spoils of victory, folks. You've won. When it comes to auto racing on this side of the Atlantic, NASCAR has crushed the competition, and all these newcomers want in on the game. That's why Franchitti is leaving the Indy Racing League after an Indianapolis 500 title and a series championship. That's why other manufacturers may eventually follow Toyota's lead. That's why a Montreal newspaper staffs most of the Sprint Cup Series. You're the dog who caught the Mack truck. Celebrate, don't complain.

And quit pining for the old days, the old cars, and the old racetracks. They're not coming back. Globalization touches everything, sports included, and NASCAR is no exception. In the realm of professional sports, you can open your doors to the world and follow the lead of the NFL, Major League Baseball, the PGA Tour and others. Or you can sit in a star-spangled, isolationist cocoon and battle pro rodeo for attention. Wait, did we mention that many of the best bull riders come from Brazil?

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.