No black NASCAR drivers?

[AMCRambler]

So I'm watching a show on Speed about NASCAR and I realized, there aren't any black NASCAR drivers! I can't remember ever seeing one. Am I wrong? Is it the whole redneck thing? I'm sure being a black man in a stadium full of racists is probably the last place you'd want to be, lol. You'd be in a 180 mile an hour car though, so a fast getaway is a sure thing.

Anyway, I'm not tryin' to be racist here. It's just really surprising. We've got black golfers, black tennis players, a black president even. I guess it's surprising in this day in age we haven't see it yet.

 

[LTC8K6]

You might not have seen any...

 

[Throckmorton]

I'm guessing you're from one of the east or west coast metropolises and think everybody who doesn't drive a Prius and hang out at gay bars is an inbred hick.

The vast majority of NASCAR fans and rednecks in general aren't racists.

Here is why there are no blacks in NASCAR now:
-It's not a black people sport.
-A much smaller percentage of blacks participate in that section of car culture.
-A big chunk of the black population grew up in inner cities where they are much less likely to start driving at an early age, much less have their dad take them to a track to drive go karts or whatever white people do.
-As you would expect it's less likely for a black person to be into a sport aimed at rednecks.


But there have been black NASCAR drivers http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/opinion/02/04/bkimm.bhm.progress/index.html

 

[AMCRambler]

I drive an '05 GTO with a 6 liter v8. I own an AR-15 and I like NASCAR. Just never realized till now there's literally no black drivers. Not even one!

 

[Pariah]

Anyway, I'm not tryin' to be racist here. It's just really surprising. We've got black golfers, black tennis players, a black president even. I guess it's surprising in this day in age we haven't see it yet.

There have been black drivers. Don't know why you find it surprising that blacks wouldn't want to particpate in a sport with such a well established history of rascism.

 

[punjabiplaya]

are we going to complain about a lack of black NHL players next?

 

[AMCRambler]

are we going to complain about a lack of black NHL players next?

Yeah but black guys don't like cold so hockey is prolly out.

 

[LTC8K6]

Nascar has had a diversity program for a long time now. There are, in fact, plenty of minority drivers in Nascar. Not to mention a few owners.

http://www.nascardiversity.com/

 

[Monster_Munch]

There's not exactly loads of black F1 drivers either. Most top drivers start very young and motorsport is an expensive hobby so they usually come from rich (white) families.

 

[DirthNader]

Yup, it's not so much about race as it is socioeconomic status.

When I was younger I raced against some of the current NASCAR drivers, even the ones at the front of the pack like Newman. They weren't the most absolutely talented guys out there; they were the guys with the right combination of talent and financial resources.

A more interesting question would be how many current professional race drivers came from anything less than an upper middle class background.

 

[ayabe]

There's not exactly loads of black F1 drivers either. Most top drivers start very young and motorsport is an expensive hobby so they usually come from rich (white) families.

This.

Same with tennis and/or golf and a number of other sports like gymnastics, it's expensive, often extremely expensive and you have to start out at a young age generally and receive constant training to get to the top tier.

Tradition also plays a part, parents will often try to engage their kids in sports that they're familiar with.

 

[sdifox]

There's not exactly loads of black F1 drivers either. Most top drivers start very young and motorsport is an expensive hobby so they usually come from rich (white) families.

Does Lewis Hamilton count? He's half black.

 

[Bartman39]

There have been black drivers. Don't know why you find it surprising that blacks wouldn't want to particpate in a sport with such a well established history of rascism.

Explain your statement...? Would be like me saying Nascar`s drug policy is what keeping black drivers out of the sport...? Would like to point out as many others have money plays a big role in this but there have been several black drivers no doubt... I did find it ironic that Bill Lester drove in Nascar but was for Waste Mgt. (garbage truck company) of all things...? But will also say if you look close at the Nascar officals you may notice several of them are black and do a great job... Would like to see more diverse backgrounds in the sport though...

 

[cheezmunky]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxi1J2EntVU

 

[JulesMaximus]

Does Lewis Hamilton count? He's half black.

If there's one thing idiot racists have taught us it's that if you have any white in you...you're not black.

 

[alfa147x]

WHERE ARE MY INDIAN DRIVERS!


Lowercase,

 

[punjabiplaya]

WHERE ARE MY INDIAN DRIVERS!


Lowercase,

there are two - Chandok and Karthikeyan

Well, Kimi is going to Nascar, so now you can't say there are no Finns in Nascar

 

[alfa147x]

there are two - Chandok and Karthikeyan

Well, Kimi is going to Nascar, so now you can't say there are no Finns in Nascar

Damn ...

 

[RedRooster]

Blacks dominate at any sport they try. Tiger Woods, Bubba Stewart, Lewis Hamilton...
Traditional white sports should thank their stars that black folk aren't more interested in their sport!

 

[Blackjack200]

are we going to complain about a lack of black NHL players next?

Yeah but black guys don't like cold so hockey is prolly out.

You mean black hockey players like Jarome Iginla, Evander Kane, PK Subban, Johnny Oduya, Mark Fraser, Manny Malhotra, Kyle Okposo, Bryce Salvador, Nigel Dawes, Wayne Simmonds, Anthony Stewart, Mike Grier, and Dustin Byfuglian?

The NHL has remarkable diversity considering the sport is only natively popular in areas that have frozen winters.

 

[busydude]

Well, Kimi is going to Nascar, so now you can't say there are no Finns in Nascar

I would rather see him on a snow mobile.. that's just sad. Has it been confirmed?

It would be funny if he drove into Montoya just for shits and giggles.

 

[sdifox]

If there's one thing idiot racists have taught us it's that if you have any white in you...you're not black.

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[punjabiplaya]

You mean black hockey players like Jarome Iginla, Evander Kane, PK Subban, Johnny Oduya, Mark Fraser, Manny Malhotra, Kyle Okposo, Bryce Salvador, Nigel Dawes, Wayne Simmonds, Anthony Stewart, Mike Grier, and Dustin Byfuglian?

The NHL has remarkable diversity considering the sport is only natively popular in areas that have frozen winters.

NHL diversity is srs bsns

as was said before, motorsport requires shitloads of money to get into, so yeah, gotta pay to play

 

[desy]

OK you mention 14 visibles out of 800 NHL players and you included pretty much all races. Hardly an endorsement however its another sport that takes specialization at younger ages and opportunity and has significant costs. I spend at least 1000 a yr on minor hockey "10 yr old" for basic league level and thats cheap compared to lots of places

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Lewis Hamilton has a rough life, look who he is doinking.