New fans of drivers...

buckaroo

buckaroo

Here kitty, kitty, kitty
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Here's a question for y'all that I think I already know the answer, but be honest and answer with your brain and not your hears.

Who will get more new fans, Kyle Busch or Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

Jr. primarily got his fan base from his father which was huge, and it didn't hurt that in his early years, he was able to put up some wins, but the young man now has gone winless in a points race in some time and I do believe that his honeymoon at the Hendricks stable is now over...time to put the rubber to the road and win.

And while I'm at it, let's put Jeff Gordon's name in the hopper as well. We all know that what gets fans are wins and though Jeffy this year is showing much better results than last year, unless he wins, I do believe his stock will continue to go down.

Now there is no question that NASCAR fans are loyal and those who are diehard Jr. or Jeffy fans will continue to root for their favs, there are few of us old timers who will switch like I did at the beginning of this year. But I've been through so many seasons and have so many drivers that I like, it's hard to put one over the other. While I'm now rooting for Smoke overall, I'm happy to see Kasey, Jeffy and Jr. win if they do.

So okay, right now, who gets the most NEW fans?
 
Kyle Busch.

He's the one doing all the winning. He's the one getting the most attention. He's the one showing emotion, good or bad.

Tony Stewart was attracting an awful lot of the new fans after Dale's death as well.
 
I'll bite!

I also have several NASCAR drivers that I like and cheer on. Anyone from the Midwest. I have never really cared for those drivers from the left coast. (Insert drivers name here). I have been a loyal GM fan for nearly forty years. (And I grew up in a family of Ford fanatics).

Beyond that, I always like the under dogs.

I think Clint Boyer is way under rated... Here comes the one statement that will turn the flames on... Junior is way over rated!

There is not a driver I do not admire and can find something nice to say about them all. Every one of them has earned the right to drive at the cup level and all of them are very talented.
 
I think Kyle will get most of the new fans. At the merchandise hauler the Dale Jr. fanbase is still strong but I've noticed that lines at Kyle's merchandise hauler have been getting longer and longer...
Kyle will get more career wins, too.
 
Who's going to step up and try to rival Kyle Busch?

As far as my favorite drivers - there are few drivers I don't like simply because they don't belong. But that's every series.

I think you guys all ready know who my favorite drivers are.

Been a long time since we've had a first time winner. Reutimann, Ragan, Ambrose and Allmendinger are all good candidates for a win this year but with the big 3 (Hendrick, Gibbs and Roush) dominating the way they are, I wouldn't be surprised if the same 3 or 4 drivers wins every week.
 
I think everyone's missing the point of the thread. The bottom line question was "who get the most new fans?"

Many people will probably say Kyle, because he's winning everything, and brings a lot of controversy. However, and I don't know what this year will bring, but right now I'd say Johnson probably has the most new ones. Of course, most of those new JJ fans are most likely "bandwagon" fans, and are there simply for the three championships. (I know of at least two at work...these are the same fans who are suddenly flying their Steelers flags as well...). I just don't think he'll keep 'em, because he just comes across on TV as bland, boring and vanilla.
 
Buckaroo, I don't think it is a fair question. I believe a fairer question would be who will have the "MOST" fans. Jeff Gordon accumulated fans at a fast rate during his earlier days and has kept them. Will Kyle gain near as many, I don't think so.
 
Smoke14 said:
I'll bite!

I also have several NASCAR drivers that I like and cheer on. Anyone from the Midwest. I have never really cared for those drivers from the left coast. (Insert drivers name here). I have been a loyal GM fan for nearly forty years.
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Im in the boat with you. Im a fan of the midwest dirt guys that have managed to make it up there like Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and now finally Justin Allgaier in the nationwide. And even though he is a crew chief chad knaus who grew up on the short tracks in Illinois as well.

I just dont think busch will get as many fans as gordon because gordon had earnhardt to stirr the pot and start the "rivalries" Busch doesn't have a single rival every week its been who ever is running second latley. The masses cant take sides like they did with earnhardt and gordon.
 
OK I'd have to say the fans migrate to who is winning, the newer fans anyway , so that would have to be Kyle. Overall though Jeffy and Junior still have a very strong fan base and if either of them wins this year I think that they will surpass Kyle. It is all about what have you done lately.....Wins! Oh and Buck you no longer consider Kasey your number one driver......man not rooting for the 9 , I'm surprised that Smoke is your number one guy now.;)
 
Junior has maxed out his fan base because he's on a regular winner. I think Busch gains some fans, but certain people do not like his personality of attitude. I think the one that gained the most fans over the past year is Carl Edwards. Because he wins a lot, seems to be easy going, and doesn't have Busch's demeanor.
 
Kyle Busch said on Nascar Now last night that he was happy with his role in Nascar and he didn't want a bunch of fans. He said that the driver with all the fans that didn't seem to win alot had alot of pressure put on him.

So if he don't want fans he don't need fans....
 
tkj24 said:
Kyle Busch said on Nascar Now last night that he was happy with his role in Nascar and he didn't want a bunch of fans. He said that the driver with all the fans that didn't seem to win alot had alot of pressure put on him.

So if he don't want fans he don't need fans....
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I don't think Kyle Busch cares if he has fans or not.
 
Thats awesome. If hes not worried about it he can run a race how he wants to. If he ignores the fans he has though that would be ****. I think the drivers need to remember who makes the sport, but at the same time like kyle said not be pressured by them.
 
I have to agree with MRM. I think Carl Edwards and probably even though he hasn't won as much, Kasey Kahne have/will accumulated the most new fans. Kyle doesn't present himself as a very likeable character and while some of the other guys have been noted as having a temper or whatever (Smoke) he does enough off-track to counteract anything people think about his track antics. Not that I agree with this but, Kasey is good looking which = more young female fans. Carl just comes off as an all-around likeable guy, whether he has 2 personalities or not (LOL) and he can drive and WIN.

To be honest, I KNEW who Jeff Gordon was before I was even crazy about NASCAR. I liked the Jeff Gordon I saw on TV, and it didn't hurt that he was so good on the track. It was a natural pick for me when I got into NASCAR that he would be my favorite. I also like talent, but still there's a guy I just cannot warm up to and that's Jimmie Johnson. He's OK, but he doesn't create any kind of excitement. Sometimes I don't even like him.

I also have the sentimental favorites and sometimes I like certain guys more than I like others and then I don't like as much and vice versa. For instance, I wasn't that crazy about Kevin Harvick at first, but I'm really warming up to him and I especially like him in the truck and Nationwide series.

Still, every year Junior wins the Most Popular Driver, so his fans are faithful, and Jeff usually is in 2nd place. That goes for their sales of merchandise also. I think Junior acquires fans from his parents, etc.
 
It's been interesting to see what is being written. No question that Jr. and Jeff have their base and that's not going to change. The point is, are they getting any new fans? I don't think so at the present, but Jeff could turn that all around with a win or two.

Yes, Edwards is getting a lot of new fans, and JJ is probably the winner hands down at the moment. I find it interesting though that other than Jr. and Jeffy, only drivers with recent wins have been mentioned. I've not seen anything about Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin and other top drawer drivers. Matt even had a difficult time getting people to jump on his bandwagon when he won the championship and it was his win that prompted NASCAR to change the points system.

Say what you will about the younger Busch, but way back when, there was this brash young driver who took the sport by storm, doing anything to win. You either loved him or hated him and I feel that Kyle is very much the same. Only time will tell if he is just a flash in the pan, but for right now, he's getting the most press. New people to the sport will choose from those who make a name for themselves on the track.
 
I'm a Kenseth fan, but he (Matt) needs to take speaking classes along with JR. :D

As much as I dislike Kyle Busch, I dislike Tony Stewart more. :)
 
Jr. is much more marketable than Busch, which gives him an edge. White bread, business like drivers like Kenseth or Biffle will never attract a huge fan base among casual fans.
 
kelloggs5TLfan said:
I'm a Kenseth fan, but he (Matt) needs to take speaking classes along with JR. :D

As much as I dislike Kyle Busch, I dislike Tony Stewart more. :)
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:eek: Kell - Say it isn't so!!!!!!!! ROFL!!! :D I can't think about many others who are as unlikable as Kyle, but he does have talent, so he gets bonus points for that. Then there's the guys taking up space on the track who you worry about smacking into your driver and ruining his race. I could do without those guys stinking up the track. Matt - Well, he's just not very charisimatic, plus he did get the name "Matt the Brat" from somewhere. heh heh He's just a quiet brat, sort of like when he quiety works his way up to the front. LOL :)
 
1. Kelloggs is a 'closet" Jeff Gordon fan, at leas that is what tkj tells me. :)

2. Buckaroo gave up too early on kasey. This is his year. Somewht like when I buy a stock and it goes nowhere, when I sell it it goes up 50% the next week.:)

3. Kyle may be good but he is my least favorite driver. Kevin Harvick is growing on me and I think he has some pretty good years left in him.
 
muggle not said:
1. Kelloggs is a 'closet" Jeff Gordon fan, at leas that is what tkj tells me. :)

2. Buckaroo gave up too early on kasey. This is his year. Somewht like when I buy a stock and it goes nowhere, when I sell it it goes up 50% the next week.:)

3. Kyle may be good but he is my least favorite driver. Kevin Harvick is growing on me and I think he has some pretty good years left in him.
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I think you are right on all 3 counts. LOL:D
 
muggle not said:
1. Kelloggs is a 'closet" Jeff Gordon fan, at leas that is what tkj tells me. :)
2. Buckaroo gave up too early on kasey. This is his year. Somewht like when I buy a stock and it goes nowhere, when I sell it it goes up 50% the next week.:)

3. Kyle may be good but he is my least favorite driver. Kevin Harvick is growing on me and I think he has some pretty good years left in him.
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In your dreams only. I'll see tjk on Sarurday. She might have earned herself a knuckle sandwich. LOL :D
 
buckaroo said:
I'll drink to that! :beerbang: BTW, I didn't give up on Kasey, just moved him down a peg or two. Remember, I like most fans want to root for a winner. :)
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Then you better start rooting for the U-Conn women. :D
They are going to run all over the competition.

For tkj and kelloggs.........Pat is out of the Tourney at the earliest date for a long, long, time.:)

Some may say that I am off topic, but I don't give a chit, I have had a little red wine with dinner.....maybe more than a little. Time for a little nap.
 
muggle not said:
Then you better start rooting for the U-Conn women. :D
They are going to run all over the competition.

For tkj and kelloggs.........Pat is out of the Tourney at the earliest date for a long, long, time.:)

Some may say that I am off topic, but I don't give a chit, I have had a little red wine with dinner.....maybe more than a little. Time for a little nap.
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They (TN players) were shocked. :AHHHH:

If you wondered how upset Pat Summitt was with her team's first ever first round NCAA loss to Ball State, the answer came Tuesday in a one hour practice at Pratt Pavilion.

Summitt had her team back on the practice floor for a number of reasons, but mainly to let her young players know that losing a first round game at Tennessee is unacceptable.
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Originally Posted by muggle not
1. Kelloggs is a 'closet" Jeff Gordon fan, at leas that is what tkj tells me.
2. Buckaroo gave up too early on kasey. This is his year. Somewht like when I buy a stock and it goes nowhere, when I sell it it goes up 50% the next week.

3. Kyle may be good but he is my least favorite driver. Kevin Harvick is growing on me and I think he has some pretty good years left in him.
kelloggs5TLfan said:
In your dreams only. I'll see tjk on Sarurday. She might have earned herself a knuckle sandwich. LOL :D
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tjk - I have a mouth guard on the way, super special delivery! ROFL :D
 
WNY24Fan said:
Originally Posted by muggle not
1. Kelloggs is a 'closet" Jeff Gordon fan, at leas that is what tkj tells me.
2. Buckaroo gave up too early on kasey. This is his year. Somewht like when I buy a stock and it goes nowhere, when I sell it it goes up 50% the next week.

3. Kyle may be good but he is my least favorite driver. Kevin Harvick is growing on me and I think he has some pretty good years left in him.


tjk - I have a mouth guard on the way, super special delivery! ROFL :D
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Better overnight it, I'm going to town tomorrow. LOL :p
 
buckaroo said:
I'll drink to that! :beerbang: BTW, I didn't give up on Kasey, just moved him down a peg or two. Remember, I like most fans want to root for a winner. :)
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Uh huh....and Kasey does not fit into that category anymore???? Hmm okay, well that #9 is special to me. Who ever drives that car I'll root for, also I really like Kasey and feel he will win a few races this year and be in contention for the Chase. As for Kyle....if his team can keep the momentum going all season, I see the kid winning a championship. He is that good, he is focused, and his talent is off the charts.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Uh huh....and Kasey does not fit into that category anymore???? Hmm okay, well that #9 is special to me. Who ever drives that car I'll root for, also I really like Kasey and feel he will win a few races this year and be in contention for the Chase. As for Kyle....if his team can keep the momentum going all season, I see the kid winning a championship. He is that good, he is focused, and his talent is off the charts.
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Mopar, I don't root for a number, I root for the driver. I don't care what kind of car either. Yes, when Kasey took over for Bill, it was in the #9 that Bill made so famous, but he left that number and I went with him to the #11, then to the #94. It was great to see him go back to the #9, but it wasn't the same to me. As for Kasey, I have paid almost total attention to him since he burst onto the scene with the law suit from Ford to his big year with six wins. Yes, he is very talented, but he has his quirks as well. He isn't a driver who can adjust his style to make a bad car work. Once his car is out of kilter, he constantly whines about it. But if his car is on, he's a real go getter. I believe that he lacks the real aggressiveness that it takes to become a true champion. If you pay attention at the end of races, many times you will see on restarts that he is passed by more than one car that he has worked all day long to pass. Those guys seem to want the position more than Kasey does. He can get his position back for me if he starts to put his nose in there where he can get better results at the end. Til then, he's just another journeyman driver who gets his popularity from his looks.
 
WNY24Fan said:
Originally Posted by muggle not
1. Kelloggs is a 'closet" Jeff Gordon fan, at leas that is what tkj tells me.
2. Buckaroo gave up too early on kasey. This is his year. Somewht like when I buy a stock and it goes nowhere, when I sell it it goes up 50% the next week.

3. Kyle may be good but he is my least favorite driver. Kevin Harvick is growing on me and I think he has some pretty good years left in him.


tjk - I have a mouth guard on the way, super special delivery! ROFL :D
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I hope I get it before Kelloggs gets here. LOL (she thinks i'm skeered) Thing is she just want anyone to know she is a Jeffy Fan.:D
 
buckaroo said:
Mopar, I don't root for a number, I root for the driver. I don't care what kind of car either. Yes, when Kasey took over for Bill, it was in the #9 that Bill made so famous, but he left that number and I went with him to the #11, then to the #94. It was great to see him go back to the #9, but it wasn't the same to me. As for Kasey, I have paid almost total attention to him since he burst onto the scene with the law suit from Ford to his big year with six wins. Yes, he is very talented, but he has his quirks as well. He isn't a driver who can adjust his style to make a bad car work. Once his car is out of kilter, he constantly whines about it. But if his car is on, he's a real go getter. I believe that he lacks the real aggressiveness that it takes to become a true champion. If you pay attention at the end of races, many times you will see on restarts that he is passed by more than one car that he has worked all day long to pass. Those guys seem to want the position more than Kasey does. He can get his position back for me if he starts to put his nose in there where he can get better results at the end. Til then, he's just another journeyman driver who gets his popularity from his looks.
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I have to agree Buck....you nailed it, guess I keep hoping he will break out and be a champ. After I met him in Vegas, I thought he was a pretty cool kid, but his focus is not always there. Maybe he just needs the right crew chief to bring out the best in him.
 
Mopardh9 said:
I have to agree Buck....you nailed it, guess I keep hoping he will break out and be a champ. After I met him Vegas, I thought he was a pretty cool kid, but his focus is not always there. Maybe he just needs the right crew chief to bring out the best in him.
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You know, when Baldwin was his CC, he seemed to do much better. Kenny Irwin tries to keep him in line, but even though Kasey likes him, I don't think they work all that well together. Maybe Kasey needs someone to wield a whip now and then. :)
 
Well, I think this way........ IF Jr gets back to winners cirlce, and is again competive, I think by far he will pick up the most fans. I think alot of his fans are still there...... they just get beat up by other fans ( not literally) for Jr's lack of performance....... Jr still has a pretty good fan base.
As far as new fans, I see Carl pickin up alot. He is on TV everywhere... he's a good spokesman, and he has a bit of a "bad boy" quality to him, And he is a pretty good all around guy that has results.
as for Kyle....... he will pick up a few fans. It's hard for the bandwaggon jumpers not to get behind him, he wins everything. The thing about Kyle is this....... I believe if he had been, say early 30's..... rough around the edges, and from the south...... he would have so many fans he wouldn't know what to do. He is doin things that Dale Sr did in his day, but he comes off as a punk, where as Sr was just tuff....mean.... and one bad SO..... well, you know what I mean. I think alot of the old school fans are still desperatly lookin for someone to fill the roles of our heros, and they just aren't there.......
As for Gordon, again, his stock will greatly rise, with his on track performance. Alot of fans are still his fans, they just pick other drivers to root for as well ( see also drivers that win.....lol..... sorry, lil dig at the Gordon fans.....and yea, I know my guy hasn't won in years......but hey, I'm still with him.....lol
In the end, I guess it comes down to who has the best year. JJ won't pick up many fans...... Kasey has a pretty good following, but Jr and Gordon should REAGAIN fans if performance picks up...... I think two that should get the most overall NEW fans will be Carl and Stewart.......
 
Busch...he's a polarizing figure, and that alone will keep him in the headlines, and lead to a larger legion of fans.
 
buckaroo said:
Here's a question for y'all that I think I already know the answer, but be honest and answer with your brain and not your hears.

Who will get more new fans, Kyle Busch or Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

Jr. primarily got his fan base from his father which was huge, and it didn't hurt that in his early years, he was able to put up some wins, but the young man now has gone winless in a points race in some time and I do believe that his honeymoon at the Hendricks stable is now over...time to put the rubber to the road and win.

And while I'm at it, let's put Jeff Gordon's name in the hopper as well. We all know that what gets fans are wins and though Jeffy this year is showing much better results than last year, unless he wins, I do believe his stock will continue to go down.

Now there is no question that NASCAR fans are loyal and those who are diehard Jr. or Jeffy fans will continue to root for their favs, there are few of us old timers who will switch like I did at the beginning of this year. But I've been through so many seasons and have so many drivers that I like, it's hard to put one over the other. While I'm now rooting for Smoke overall, I'm happy to see Kasey, Jeffy and Jr. win if they do.

So okay, right now, who gets the most NEW fans?
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Honestly I think Kyle Busch from Dale Jr. just because kids like whoever wins and don't understand the Earnhardt ways if you will.
 
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