Tea Party movement goes NASCAR racing

While the president would like Americans to believe that the economy is improving, the fact still remains that the power and promise of America are being threatened by a government that is growing out of control.

A rising budget deficit in Washington and hundreds of billions of dollars in unfunded state and local government obligations are endangering our very freedom. Government begets more government, and the taxpayer will suffer for it.

While politicians and bureaucrats continue to talk in small terms about change or are willfully blind to the effects of government largess, the power to make a difference still exists with the people.

That’s where NASCAR fans come in. From humble beginnings, NASCAR has grown into a national phenomenon few could have imagined back in the sport’s old days.

With a fan base of more than 75 million, making NASCAR America’s second-most popular professional sport, its potential power as a political force can be profound and is as yet unrealized.

While studies show fans are more active at the polls than many other demographic groups, nearly one of every five self-indentified racing fans isn’t registered to vote. Depending on the year, up to a quarter of them don’t go to the polls all. Statistics also show that NASCAR fans are a prime target for a fiscally conservative message.

They are a key audience to which fiscal conservatives can articulate a sense of urgency about the state of our nation. NASCAR fans lean conservative, and are patriotic, loyal and community-minded.

And contrary to popular belief, NASCAR fans represent a broad cross-section of the American voting public. Blue-collar and white-collar men and women of all ages and income brackets are in the stands, wearing the gear and watching on television — by the millions.

For 2012, it’s not “Gentlemen, start your engines,” it’s “America, start paying attention.” Hollywood, the media and political elites have for too long had a more powerful platform to drive their values.

In the process, our government has spent our nation to the brink of bankruptcy. NASCAR fans can be more powerful that those other platforms.

NASCAR fans are the American majority — who know instinctively that we are on an unsustainable path. They need to know their voice can be louder, clearer and have an effect.

Fans need to know that they can help put the American people back in the driver’s seat and keep America free from the triple threat of overtaxation, massive debt and runaway spending.

This year, American Majority is becoming a proud member of NASCAR Nation, and aims to engage NASCAR fans in the political process with an unprecedented program to educate, motivate, register and empower millions of voters across the country.

Armed with the facts about the real state of our nation, American Majority Racing will be hitting the track coast to coast to ensure this critical demographic votes to “Keep America Free.”

As the sponsor of Nationwide Series car No. 81 and driver Jason Bowles for the entire 2012 season, American Majority, and its values of less spending, less government and more freedom will help register new voters and encourage fans to “Pledge to Vote to Keep America Free.”

Our presence as part of the NASCAR community on vendors’ row at the races will enable us to engage and educate fans at a grassroots level to get involved in their local communities to ensure we protect our freedom.

NASCAR fans and their values can have a profound influence on the road we take as a nation. They can help us all realize what it means to win our collective race against time by being a new voice for American exceptionalism — and American individualism.

Ned Ryun is president of American Majority, a national conservative grassroots training organization. To learn more about American Majority Racing and the Pledge to Vote program, visit AmericanMajorityRacing.com.