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NASCAR Will Win Fans Back If It Keeps Having Brawls Like This

Much has been made recently of NASCAR’s declining popularity. What can the sport do to regain fans? Well, I’m far from a NASCAR expert, but I’m thinking a few more moments like the one you’ll see below could be a big help.

The backstory: at the Advocare 500 yesterday, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer’s cars got tangled up, and an irate Gordon later took out Bowyer. Gordon said later that bad feelings toward Bowyer on his part have been building up all year. In the moment, that bad blood boiled over into this:

And I don’t know about you, but as long as people are not-stupid about enough that no one gets hurt, I am 100 percent for more brawls like this. Obviously they couldn’t always happen because then they’d get stale, but like hockey fights or even basebrawls, one of these once in a while – and the ever-present potential for a similar eruption, especially one featuring a titan like Gordon – would rope some viewers in, I bet.

Gordon said he was unsure of what punishment he might face. If NASCAR’s smart, they’ll hand something down – a fine, maybe even a suspension for a race – but they won’t make it too harsh. Because let’s face it: viewers want conflict. (Note the cheers when the fight escalates.) Gordon and Bowyer, and their teams, each delivered in a big way. It’s not that poor a reflection on the sport, really: emotions run high. Sometimes, you’ll have guys piled up whaling on each other… and fans will love it. Trust us, NASCAR. It’ll be worth guys looking immature.

Kevin Harvick won the race, if you’re curious.

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