

Nascar's Race Problem - daviday
http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/sports/2008/01/14/Nascar-and-Race

======
wumi
My personal feelings

1\. Kudos to the article for calling black people black, and not african
americans: (<http://davidadewumi.com/2008/01/27/just-call-me-black/>)

2\. How many black tech startups (or even Y C applications) have been around
in the past decade or so?

I'd wager not many, and if/when there are, not much press coverage.

Two key comments to draw out of this article:

. Bringing up a young driver "is so expensive, no matter what your
background," Gibbs says. "The diversity side just takes time. You've got to
find some young guys and train them."

1\. Sports with high barriers to entry (just like entrepreneurship) are by
default going to draw smaller minority crowds-- if you can play basketball,
football, or baseball for almost free, why do a high-end sport like tennis,
NASCAR, hockey or lacrosse?

He's not racing as a "black driver." What drew him to the sport--the speed,
his competitive nature--is what keeps him there...If Davis happens to become a
black role model, so be it. "But I never really thought about the racial
things," he says. "I race because I love it."

2\. It's not about race -- the more we see it as a racial thing, whether it be
politics or sports "the first black head coach to win a superbowl," the bigger
the problem it is.

------
DarrenStuart
NASCAR need to control their fans, not the first incident where these idoits
have caused trouble. They should be banned for life from all circuits. Also is
there not laws in the US to make this a punishable offence?, I know in the UK
they could of been up in court for it.

Looks like this guy could be Nascars Lewis Hamilton and not because of colour
but because he has talent. good luck to him.

------
aston
Plus one for the punnier title.

Whenever people ask me whether racism still really exists in America, I pretty
much point them at NASCAR. Maybe point out that in hockey players are lauded
for fighting if the first point doesn't hit home.

Sucks that it takes hitting people's pocketbooks to get them to notice that
"hey, maybe we should let some black people drive cars..."

