Don't assume all NASCAR equates to Republican (cont'd)

The sport -- and the Republican Party for those concerned -- should not be held to perpetuated stereotypes.

Busting those stereotypes and breaking down the myths to inform the voting public is author S.E. Cupp in her recent book, Why You're Wrong About the Right with Brett Joshpe. The young professional living in Manhattan spent three years writing a book proving 20 different Republican stereotypes wrong. In Chapter 5, one of the myths states: Republicans are NASCAR Loving Rednecks: The Myth of the Conservative Hick.

From S.E. Cupp

"Maybe it's not that NASCAR dads should be renamed, but that the description of them should be expanded to more accurately represent the sport's wild and wide popularity, which isn't limited to a certain economic, social or geographic group."

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The book defends against this stereotype and debunks short-sighted opinions about the fan base. Cupp diligently collected research and spent time with Tony Stewart in 2005, while the driver celebrated his second championship in New York. She also attended a handful of races and compiled demographic information.

"The voting tendencies of NASCAR fans are very close, they vote 35 percent Republican and 28 percent Democratic," Cupp said. "My point is that we should redefine the voting segment of the [NASCAR] population. It's not just men and not just dads, and not all working middle class. NASCAR is far too diverse to characterize in any kind of summary terms."

More or less, the NASCAR garage and its fans can be likened to Virginia, a new swing state this year in part because of a population boom in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, where moderate urban voters are moving in large numbers. Virginia hasn't gone for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964.

So what does this mean? It means Obama better make a stop at Martinsville Speedway in October and take France up on his offer.

"Reaching out to the NASCAR fan is prudent," Cupp said. "But they can't be summed up in easy sound bites and voting demographics."

The so-called NASCAR dads deserve another look. Collectively, they are affluent women, intellectual corporate types managing Fortune 500 companies, and red-carpet celebrities. They are a group not to be defined by stereotypes, and like a swing state, can help put you in the White House.

"The whole NASCAR dads mania is certainly flattering and a complement to our sport. It acknowledges a national fan base that's a large and growing segment of the electorate, an electorate politicians want to woo. It is sometimes disappointing when some people stereotype NASCAR fans," said Andrew Giangola, director of business communications for NASCAR.

"The point is our fan base is much closer to a cross section of the whole electorate than to any narrow block. They represent all points of the income, race and political spectrum. There are a lot of NASCAR moms out there, too."

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.

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