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In sports, fans love to root for teams and athletes, but, they also love to root against others. NASCAR is no different, and many drivers have taken on the “Villain” role as the driver that fans love to hate. However, creating a NASCAR villain is quite a complicated arc, so what is it that makes a great NASCAR villain?
In order to be a true NASCAR villain, the driver has to be a top-quality driver. While backmarkers may occasionally upset people, backmarkers are often nonfactors in how races play out. A good villain finds themselves in victory lane, often.
Sometimes, being a dominant driver is all that it takes for fans to dislike them. Jeff Gordon is one example of this. While many fans did not like his polished, corporate image, his prowess on the track made fans HATE him.
However, being a talented driver is not all it takes to become a villain. Richard Petty dominated the sport from the 1960s until the early 1980s with 200 wins and 7 Championships, yet, fans adored “The King”. Jimmie Johnson also won 7 Championships, and, while fans were annoyed by him constantly winning, he wasn’t exactly hated.
If being a good driver was all it took, then NASCAR would be filled with all villains and no heroes. It takes a little bit more to be a NASCAR villain.
A villain is not only a villain amongst the fans, but they are often a villain amongst the drivers. Villains care about one thing, getting that checkered flag. If anyone gets in the way, then, that’s just too bad.
There have been plenty of aggressive drivers throughout history. Joey Logano is a modern example of a driver like this, and he admits that he does not try to make friends at the race track. However, Dale Earnhardt was absolutely the poster child for this, and no race highlighted that more than the 1999 Night Race at Bristol
However, being an aggressive driver who takes no prisoners can also be quite endearing to fans. Ross Chastain is one example of a driver who has made plenty of enemies on the race track, but, some fans still enjoy the aggressive demeanor. Dale Earnhardt also had this quality. Many fans could relate to blue-collar, scrappy drivers like this.
Again, this is not everything to become a villain. An aggressive driver can appeal to fans just as much as it alienates fans.
A great villain always has a big mouth. Whenever there is any controversy in NASCAR, they always have an opinion on it, and they have the media savvy to make sure they steal the headlines. Whether the fans agree or disagree, these drivers will not be swayed.
The most outspoken driver in modern NASCAR is undoubtedly Denny Hamlin, and he says what he thinks no matter what others believe. Who many older NASCAR fans think of when they think “Outspoken” is none other than Darrell Waltrip, or “Jaws”. Waltrip was arrogant and outspoken, but, he backed it up on the track with 84 wins and 3 Championships.
Again, simply being an outspoken driver doesn’t necessarily make a driver a villain. A loud-mouth is worth nothing if the car is behind the wall every week. On top of that, sometimes fans agree with the opinions that certain drivers hold, and bold statements become rallying cries more than something to fight against.
While most NASCAR villains have all three of these qualities, there is one last piece to the puzzle. Without this, a driver cannot be a villain.
Dale Earnhardt famously said, “It doesn’t matter if fans boo or cheer, as long as they make noise.” This is the final piece to being a NASCAR villain. Every fan knows who this driver is, and every fan has an opinion on them, good or bad.
While not as polarizing as he used to be, Kyle Busch is the perfect example of this. Fans could walk through the parking lot and see Busch merchandise all over the place, but, they walked into the track to hear thunderous boos as he was introduced. Is he loved, or is he hated? It depends on who you ask.
Everything comes together at this point for a driver to become a villain. The driver is talented, which makes them relevant week after week. The driver also ruffles some feathers on the track, which pushes fans of those other drivers away. Oftentimes, they’re outspoken and don’t always say what the fans want to hear.
As a result, everyone knows who this driver is, and every fan has an opinion. The choice is to embrace the villain or to root for the heroes to take down the villain every week.
Every great NASCAR villain had one or all of these qualities. The ideal NASCAR villain has them all.
