Tuesday, June 21, 2011

And the official state sport is ...?

... if you guess basketball, then you'd be wrong. But if you guessed NASCAR, well, ding ding.

Gov. Bev Perdue is waving the green flag to make stock car racing North Carolina's official sport, says the AP.

Perdue planned to visit Charlotte Motor Speedway on Tuesday and sign a bill that makes official the state's close and longstanding connection with the popular pastime.

Elementary school students urged legislators to place stock car racing on the list of state superlatives — the state bird is already the cardinal, the turtle is the state reptile and the sweet potato the official vegetable. ...

The bill notes that North Carolina's motorsports industry creates more than 20,000 jobs in the state and is home to racing greats such as Richard Petty and Junior Johnson.

Thoughts? Is this appropriate and spot-on? Does it enhance a stereotype? Does it really matter at all?

2 comments:

Kevin Brewer said...

Why does there have to be a state sport?

Does NASCAR (or basketball) need more exposure?

Do elementary school students need to idolize people who drive 175 mph?

M. Lail said...

I have no problem at all with coming up with state symbols. To me, they convey an image and a culture about a state. I'm just not so sure I want NASCAR to be representative of the state; however, I recognize its importance -- and the state's importance on the sport.