Racing to Make Space

This book explores the often-overlooked experiences of Black NASCAR fans, challenging the sport's traditional image as a stronghold of Southern white conservatism. Through a narrative inquiry approach, the book examines how Black fans navigate and transform NASCAR's cultural and spatial landscapes. Divided into three sections, it delves into Black placemaking within NASCAR, the impact of pervasive whiteness in the sport's geographies, and offers practical recommendations for fostering greater inclusivity within NASCAR. The presence and influence of Black fans within this space have largely been ignored in academic discourse, media coverage, and the sport's own self-representation. This book seeks to address this significant gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive and in-depth examination of how Black fans engage with, navigate, and transform the cultural and spatial landscapes of NASCAR while providing actionable insights for creating more equitable and inclusive environments in American sports.

Represents an original effort in the academic study of race and sports, particularly within the context of NASCAR Offers a personal and humanizing perspective on experiences of Black NASCAR fans by using a narrative inquiry approach Expands beyond analysis to offer practical, evidence-based recommendations for how NASCAR can address race and racism

Autorentext

Joshua D. Vadeboncoeur is Assistant Professor of Sport Management in the Godbold College of Business at Gardner-Webb University, USA. His research explores the societal, economic, and cultural significance of NASCAR, particularly as it relates to race and space within American sports culture. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and is recognized as an expert on the intersection of race, space, and sport. His work aims to broaden the understanding of how racial dynamics are constructed, contested, and redefined within the unique cultural space of NASCAR.

Inhalt

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Situating NASCAR as a Cultural Space.- Chapter 3: Perceptions of Whiteness in NASCAR's Geographies.- Chapter 4: Black Placemaking in NASCAR Spaces.- Chapter 5: Moving Toward Institutional Change in NASCAR.- Chapter 6: Conclusion.