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.