Analysis Of NASCAR Goes Green? By Natale Servino

In his article “NASCAR Goes Green?”, Natale Servino questions NASCAR’s ability to benefit the environment and local economies. NASCAR and the International Speedway Corporation are mainly popular in America’s southern states; however, the companies are looking to expand in America and other countries. Though fans of the sport exist, people concerned with the environment are against the expansion of NASCAR. In response to environmentalists, the International Speedway Corporation and NASCAR state what Servino calls “one great sales pitch: Not only is a NASCAR track in your area good for the local community, it’s good for the environment.” This pitch was the first step in allowing NASCAR to expand in a city near Seattle, but the next obstacle was convincing communities that having a racetrack nearby “could generate $87 million in annual tourism revenue and $58 million a year in state and local taxes” (Servino). Throughout the article, Servino attempts to persuade readers to be against NASCAR's growth by presenting NASCAR's statements and accompanying them with contradicting facts. Servino presents information in a manner that clearly portrays his opinion against NASCAR's expansion. In the article, he repeatedly mentions NASCAR's ties to southern states, and even begins his writing with a hypothetical setting stereotyping NASCAR's fans: "People congregate around barbecue grills, drink a few cold ones, and talk strategy" (Servino). The decision to directly address NASCAR fans' pre-race activities in such a fashion concludes that Servino wishes to illustrate them as a less civilized group of people. The article also includes a quote from Andrew Canon written in The Daily Utah Chronicle stating that NASCAR is an example of "our dependence on oil." Not only can some uses of oil greatly damage the atmosphere, but attaining oil hurts the economy: "The United States is spending approximately $1 billion a day overseas on oil instead of investing the funds at home, where our economy sorely needs it" (Oil Dependence). Servino's choice to include Andrew Canon's quote allows him to disprove NASCAR's claim to help the environment and economy. By strategically demeaning fans of the sport and attacking NASCAR's statements Servino is able to subtly create a subjective tone for the article. "NASCAR Goes Green?" provides facts about the benefits and disadvantages of the sport for NASCAR fans and concerned citizens; in regards to Servino's tone, the article becomes patronizing. According to Webster's Dictionary for Students, "patronize" is defined as "to act as a supporter of" (308). Servino regards the steps taken by NASCAR and the International Speedway Corporation to broaden their companies reach by referring to some of their statements as "one great sales pitch", and "the ISC's most ingenious sales pitch of all". The unnecessary commentary reads sarcastically, especially when considering all of the facts Servino provides to contradict the statements he is referring to. Nonetheless, the article is effective in drawing attention to the two companies' misconceptions. Servino's goal is to discredit NASCAR's facts by using facts of his own. Regardless of Servino's motives, "NASCAR Goes Green?" …show more content…
It's clear that Servino did his research when writing this article, and he is effective in providing sources involved in the topic. Servino mentions sources such as "NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Posten", and the "Natural Resources Conservation Service" (Servino). Not to mention that Servino is an "Earth Island Journal intern" (Earth Island). This fact alone proves Servino is knowledgeable when regarding the environment. According to NYC Intern, "Every industry has a set of skills that [an] employer assumes [interns] will have." Considering that Earth Island Journal allowed an intern to write an article for their website, Servino must know a considerable amount about what can and does affect the …show more content…
At the same time, he does not fail at presenting both sides fairly despite his opinion, and he allows readers to think beyond the article so that they may come to their own conclusion. If a reader were to further investigate the conflicts Servino writes about, she would find that the facts Servino uses to contradict NASCAR are true. Although the article has a patronizing tone, it is hard to argue with the facts Servino presents. Servino provides valid information to discredit NASCAR's main arguments and is therefore successful in stating why environmentalists are against NASCAR's