NASCAR at Indy, Dover, and Daytona, and the Greek Chariot Races in Olympia
We know that the NASCAR races in Indy, Dover, Daytona and elsewhere find their roots in the chariot races in ancient Olympia around 800 BC. It’s still horsepower that matters.
This page is for the many enthusiastic fans of NASCAR, especially one particular friend who is an avid follower of car racing but who told me quite frankly that he wasn’t interested in “all that Greek stuff.” Surely, my friend, you see by now that “that Greek stuff” is what you live for on the weekends. In a way, you are a puppet, and the ancient Greeks who invented chariot racing are your puppet masters, still pulling those strings across time and space.
You are already enjoying a great Greek sport. Now take the next step and understand its relationship to the history of the human race. Read Chapter 17 which deals with the very first chariot races. The next time you are at the track and there is an extended yellow flag, beguile the tedium by telling the race fans around you how the competition started as a life-and-death race back in Olympia, with great wealth and a gorgeous woman as the prize. Then, if your friends are impressed, urge them to buy my book, please.
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