In the days leading up to the NRA 500 NASCAR race at the Texas Motor Speedway, a US Senator tried called on Fox Sports to censor–black out–the event simply because pro gun people, The National Rifle Association, were the sponsors.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) is asking the Fox network not to broadcast the Sprint Cup race.
Murphy wrote a letter to Fox chief Rupert Murdoch, saying the NRA 500 shouldn’t happen as lawmakers consider gun control laws.
NASCAR told the Senator to kindly go pound sand,
Speedway president Eddie Gossage said this is about racing — not politics.The American public is not engaged in this, but the senator keeps trying to stir it up, and I can appreciate that,” Gossage said. “He’s in Connecticut. We’re in Texas. His values don’t fly here.
But while the Senator did not have get his way, in some fans’ opinions, Fox Sports and boss Rupert Murdoch pulled some punches during their coverage of the NRA 500 on Saturday night. It was especially noticeable by NASCAR standards. Many of the sponsor’s references were erased and even the usual double six gun shoot em up at the end of the race was reportedly not shown on Fox Sports—the network cutting away before the display could be seen. Fox Sports reporters mentioned the Texas Motor Speedway but gave sparse mention of the people footing the bill for this race–the National Rifle Association.
People noticed.
On Sunday night’s Bill Cunningham radio show, callers reported fewer mentions of the sponsor of the event. And for those of you high brows who don’t deign to visit hicksville to dip a little between the cheek and gum have no idea how evident it is when sponsors AREN’T mentioned. The OVERmention of sponsors is a standing joke.
People joke that politicians should wear patches on their suits so we know who bought them off. That joke is funny because NASCAR drivers notoriously fill their driver jumpsuits with the patches of the most bizarre sponsors–a surf shop, really Kyle Busch? Pink? Really, Kyle Busch?
Have you ever seen the end of the race where the winner and losers say thank you to the ‘Fed Ex pit crew who gave their all with their Jimmy Johnson Team of Sears Craftsman wrench wielders brought to you by Go Daddy with the official food M & M’s washed down by Coca Cola while easing my nerves with ibuprofen from Walgreens while driving my Toyota with Goodyears while being glad the good Lord above held everything together with the Moog suspension,’ all said while drinking Gatorade wearing a hat bearing the race sponsor’s logo? Ever notice that?
It’s the NASCAR version of the Red Carpet, “Who are you wearing tonight?”
Well, NASCAR aficionados noticed there wasn’t as much love thrown to the NRA but, oh my! was there a lot of shade.
And their treatment on their website was different from other races, except the Daytona 500 which, if Keith Jackson did the coverage would be called, “The Granddaddy of them all.”
Check out the coverage on Fox Sports’ own web page:
Could NASCAR get bullied again by the PC crowd and have to throw another sponsor under the chassis like they did in 2010 with the tsk tskers from the anti tobacco lobby?
Gee, you know if you picked off one major sponsor of NASCAR every couple of years you might be able to wipe out the entire sport in a few years. Aw, the left would never want to do that, now would it?
