NASCAR fans are some of the most passionate in the world, but determining who to root for is a bit different than it is in other sports. Typically, a fan's allegiance to a sports team is based on the person's location or even some of the players on the team. But with NASCAR being a sport focused on individual drivers, it's often interesting to hear how racing fans go about their fandom.
Some fans root for the driver, specifically. Whether it be because of style, personality or success, NASCAR fans often like the way certain drivers carry themselves and compete. Some drivers become more popular than others because of their actions both on and off the track.
Other fans are fans of the entire racing team. Sure, they may like Carl Edwards or Matt Kenseth the most, but their allegiance stems from the fact that they're Roush Fenway drivers. Drivers, like players in other sports, can switch race teams. So if a fan doesn't have a vested interest in any particular driver, he or she could continue to support the race team as a whole.
Then, of course, there's sponsors. It's probably a technique reserved for the more casual race fan, but if you like a product, perhaps you find yourself rooting for that sponsor's car — or maybe you even work for that sponsor.
If none of this tickles your fancy, perhaps you're just a fan of the cars in general, and you're allegiance is based on who is driving the best brand. Rather than liking Driver A or Driver B, perhaps you're a fan of Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge or Toyota.
There's no right or wrong way, but it's interesting to see why people root for who — or what — they do.
What's your biggest determining factor when choosing a favorite driver?
