Why I Love NASCAR: Our Very Own Superheroes By: Chief 187™

Sprint Cup haulers sporting flags for Memorial Day
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Happy Memorial Day! After the spectacular outing for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers in the Coca Cola 600 from Charlotte I have a lot on my mind. Of course, first and foremost, thank you to all of the veterans who have served; both those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and those who serve today. This day is about remembering those who have fought to keep our way of life, protect democracy, and provide our safety at the risk of their own.

Seeing the patriotic paint schemes on several of the cars made me swell with, well, patriotism and pride. It is one of the major reasons I love our sport, the entirety of it supports and lifts our armed forces and our country to the light.

But I digress. Over the course of the last couple of weeks I've been getting caught up on all of the Marvel comic-book movie titles that have come out in recent years. I adore the superhero genre of movies. And these Marvel Comics films live up to my expectations and more!

In addition, I saw an advertisement for the new Superman movie debuting this summer called "Man of Steel." I was so moved by just the trailer that I cried! Clearly this type of movie is right up my alley.

So then I thought of the grueling Coca Cola 600 that surely takes superheroes to complete. And then I put two together and got this piece. I hope you enjoy my match ups of superheroes to NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. With all due respect to Marvel and DC Comics, the following are my thoughts on which driver equates to which comic book superhero... or villain.

Clark Kent (Superman) – I have to go with Jimmie Johnson here. They not only resemble one another, but who has accumulated more wins than Johnson? He is like the Man of Steel.

Tony Stark (Iron Man) – Tony Stewart is an eccentric racer like Stark is an eccentric billionaire crime fighter. They have enormous success and surround themselves with awesome people. They are cool, kooky, and are quick to temper, yet both love fiercely.

Colonel Jim Rhodes (Iron Patriot) – Well-respected, well-trained, and highly decorated, Iron Patriot from the Iron Man franchise of movies is a perfect fit for Jeff Gordon. He is well loved, colorful, and still gets the job done, even though he counts on the likes of Superman (Johnson) more nowadays.

Lex Luthor – Not by looks but by reputation of old, Kurt Busch fits this role. He is a bad guy who always resurfaces and gets rather far before one of the good guys takes it all away from him. Maybe one day he’ll come to the good side.

Thor – Carl Edwards with the infamous abs and hilarious personality takes this character! He may have to grow his locks a bit longer and bulk up a bit, but otherwise he works as the hammer-wielding Nordic-god-inspired hero from Asgard.

Loki – With no disrespect to Kyle Busch, he’s the one. I know he’s not a bad guy but he’s the one the crowd loves to hate right now. He wins a lot but always seems to screw it up when he’s close to certain victory (i.e. Sprint Cup Champion). And, yeah, they kinda resemble one another.

Captain America – Look no further than Dale Earnhardt Jr. to fill these shoes. He represents a huge swath of proud American fans who revere him, his family, and his allegiance to their nation.

Spiderman – Matt Kenseth takes this role. He is quiet, unassuming and a bit awkward out of the car (out of uniform) but once he straps on the racecar (puts on his mask) his superior qualities shine through.

Bruce Wayne (Batman) – Brad Keselowski gets to be the Caped Crusader. He is unabashed in his opinions and will say whatever it takes to get NASCAR to take notice. Like Batman, Keselowski has to pay the price of his superhero role and takes heavy criticism for his vigilante ways, but he does it for the good of his sport/community.

Aquaman – Hands down this goes to Kasey Kahne. Prettier than many women and possibly fully aware of that fact, he's extraordinary behind the wheel and able to find help from those around him - Kahne is ideal to equate to this marine superhero. Well, sort of… if you ever saw Aquaman in the animated series “Batman Brave and the Bold” you might agree more!

John Stewart (Green Lantern) – Clint Bowyer gets the nod. Why? Well, not only did my 6-year-old son choose him, but Bowyer always seems to be around at the end like Green Lantern. He gets into a bit of trouble but always stays true to his heart and winds up on the side of good.

Bruce Banner (The Hulk) – Greg Biffle is seemingly mild-mannered, but don’t get him angry… you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. Biffle isn't known for “smashing” so much, but the night and day sides of his personality are there.

Natasha Romanova (Black Widow) – Danica Patrick takes this role easily! She can kick butt in some areas but she needs a good crew surrounding her.

Barry Allen (The Flash) – Kevin Harvick, when need be, is as fast as The Flash as evidenced by his nickname “The Closer.” He’s trying to defect from RCR to join SHR, so he's trying to live up to the "Flash" reputation on the track.

Green Arrow – Denny Hamlin in his race car reminds me of this character known for being a good shot. Accurate and awesome, but still not in the big leagues like his counterpart crime fighters, Hamlin is on the rise as a hero.

I could go on and on, but time and space bring my comparisons to an end.

Do you agree with my list? Vehemently disagree? Want to rearrange the list YOUR way! Please feel free to do so. Leave your comments below and please share via social media so others can add their choices, too.

Once again, a very Happy Memorial Day to all. Thank you once again to the brave men and women who served their country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless them, their families, and God Bless America.


Special Note:

I hope the above article left a smile on your face. Now I share with you bittersweet news. This is my last column at Skirts and Scuffs. The decision was not an easy one but it truly is best for me. Katy and the ladies here at S&S are unparalleled in knowledge, talent, and sincerity in their love of NASCAR and other motorsports. I am more than proud to say I honed my craft working here. Now I bid adieu to the gals and take Why I Love NASCAR to my own site, Drafting the Circuits. I do this with Katy and the team’s blessings. Parting is never easy but Katy is so generous to give me my wings and let me and my site fly with Why I Love NASCAR by: Chief 187™ to lead it. I will continue to read and promote the works of my colleagues here but the time has come for me to depart. Thank you for reading my column, supporting my work, leaving your comments, and encouraging ever more articles. I hope, in addition to your loyalty to Skirts and Scuffs, you will visit my site and continue to read, share, and enjoy Why I Love NASCAR by: Chief 187™. Once again, thank you to Katy, the incredible staff at Skirts and Scuffs, my enormously talented editor Lisa Janine Cloud, and all of you for making this tenure a most wonderful one. Peace.


Chief 187™ is a writer, columnist, and blogger as well as creator of the widely popular Chief 187™Chatter. Her column “Why I Love NASCAR” and other articles are featured on Skirts and Scuffs. She can be reached via Twitter by following @Chief187s. To find out more please visit http://Chief187.com.

Why I Love NASCAR: Our Very Own Superheroes By: Chief 187™ Why I Love NASCAR: Our Very Own Superheroes By: Chief 187™ Reviewed by Chief 187 on Monday, May 27, 2013 Rating: 5