NASCAR may have begun and until recently been a "redneck" sport, but, the shear numbers make it "mainstream" in North America now.
NASCAR has more TV viewers than any sport as of 2002
NASCAR draws more fans to events than any sport as of 2001
NASCAR grosses more money than any sport as of 2003
The fan base of NASCAR is now estimated at over 130 million
The largest track has attendance of 166,000 per event
As of 2002, NASCAR merchandise outsells all other sports by a wide margin yearly
I wouldn't be in line for one of these plates either, but, with the inception of the collegiate and pro sport plates recently, this was/is only a matter of time everywhere.
I'm not a "rabid" fan either, and you can say what you like, but, the people whom say "big deal, they drive a car in circles for hundreds of miles while turning left." I say, go see an event just once if just for the heck of it. TV does not do it justice. Yeah, those cars are just going in circles turning left, but, they are doing that at average speeds of 170mph on most tracks (faster on some, a bit slower on others) and are within inches of each other while driving those speeds. I used to race when I was in my 20's on local dirt tracks and always liked all types of reacing so my wife bought me trip to Dale Jarretts fantasy racing weekend. The cars were full size NASCAR stock cars, but the engines were not up to the NASCAR cup H.P.. Let me say that going around banked cornors even at 130 - 140mph on tracks that look wide as heck until your in a car driving them is amazing! There's no tread on the tires and when you come out of those cornors or enter them, if your off much at all.....you're heading straight for the infield or the wall.
I actually like F1 and Dirt better than NASCAR, but, don't write it off as something simple that anyone could do. And as far as the "fans", well, unless a lot of "rednecks" are in some damn high positions, the sport must be spreading because you wouldn't believe the luxory coaches/RV's and high end SUV's, Sports Cars, Luxury cars you see in the camping and parking areas. Granted, the "rednacks" are still there too, but, the sport has expanded way beyond that.