Why Doesn’t Anyone Complain About Nascar?

by jonlee in Issues, March 4, 2009

When oil prices were up, people suggested ways to reduce consumption. Why not put a halt on motorized sports?

It’s no secret that the United States consume more oil than any other country. Many people feel like we should be more responsible in the usage of this limited resource. Yet Nascar was one of the fastest growing sport in 2008. If you Google “Nascar” with words like “oil, consumption, complaints, ban” or anything related, there’s very little discourse out there.

Some would rebutt this topic by saying these kinds of vehicles use a completely different kind of fuel than regular cars. But doesn’t it all come from the same crude oil? I had a chance to listen to a talk by one of the top energy experts in this country I asked what his thoughts were on Nascar and he replied to the extent of, “some day we’re going to look back on the things we do in this country and think how stupid we were. Lighting a fire and burning oil to move around in circles is probably not the best way to use this expensive resource.”