The easiest way to think of it is like this.
We all have something we like alot.Golf, cooking, whatever. Normal people. It’s just the way we are. Then you have some people that REALLY like cooking or golf or whatever. Think of Trekkies with a DVD collection of all the series and maybe a couple die cast models of the Enterprise atop the TV.
Then you have hardcore fans that can read Klingon and write it. Thats what many NASCAR fans are like. Some like it for the actual racing, some like it like a reality TV show.
Because there are so many fans, there’s always something new and exciting to keep interest peaked. Some new collectable, some story about the driver and the flag girl, whatever. It is it’s own ecosystem. You may have heard the phrase “NASCAR Is LIFE!”. For a lot of folks, it really is. It’s a thing that became an entire lifestyle.
I am a motorhead that never really cared for racing in circles. I like bouncing through the desert with a roll cage around me. Off-Road racing has the same dynamic to it. As does SCCA or NHRA. But NASCAR has FAR more fans to keep the party rolling.
Oh,I understand that a country,or a region of a country,can be wild about a certain sport...or food...or activity.My comment wasn’t a put-down of NASCAR (or the South).Actually,the only reason that I don’t have the Stars & Bars on my car up here in Massachusetts is because it would be *so* unusual and controversial that my car would be subject to vandalism and *I* might even be subject to assault.Things are so bad up here that I’ve *repeatedly* had bumper stickers of Republican candidates and conservative causes ripped from my car.