Open Wheel. Something that members of the "Junior Posse" may never understand. On the outside it may seem scientific and, I guess, European? But, it's the world's greatest competition that only 10% of Americans have the pleasure of witnessing, and comprehending. I try to explain to a NASCAR fan why bumping and banging isn't everything. Don't get me wrong, stock car racing has it's share of strategic maneuvers, but not quite as in depth as the engineers of Formula One and IndyCar do. It takes a special eye coordination and unique feeling to race an open wheel car "right".... and by "right" I mean perfect.
The name Andretti may not ring a bell as the name Petty would, but Mario made history just as Richard did. And, I'm sure, 99% of NASCAR fans in Texas haven't heard of the name Lewis Hamilton. It may sound like I am bashing stock car racing (both take an incredible amount of guts and skill) and trust me I am still the biggest NASCAR fan as I ever was, but I feel open wheel racing has never got the recognition it deserves in this country.
IndyCar has come a long way in ratings, more tracks in the U.S. has helped, but F1 on the other hand is completely foreign to most Americans. Greats like Senna and Schumacher are in shadow of Earnhardt and Allison, that's just the way American racing goes. All I am trying to do is share the incredible rush and talent of the open wheel drivers.
Okay, yes, the cars are incredibly different. Open wheel cars have wheels sticking outside of the chassis. Shocker. Stock cars have fenders. This is probably the most recognizable difference. Stock cars have more freedom in overtaking (open wheel term for "Gordon just passed Harvick!"). They are able to bump side by side and only drive away with cosmetic damage. In an open wheel car slight contact with another competitors tire can ruin your day. Clean racing is key in open wheel. Something diehard NASCAR fan would be disgusted by. 
Another huge difference is the shape of the cars. For one, stock cars have a roof where as open wheel drivers' heads peak out of the cockpit. The controls in an open wheel car looks like something out of a science fiction movie compared to the steering wheel of a stock car that we are used to. Those are only a few select differences between the actual build of the race cars. And the rules between the two are too complex for me to explain right here. Let's just say open wheel doesn't have any of that "green-white-checkered" business.
The thing is, stock car racing and open wheel may have have entirely different fan bases. A redneck with a beer and a tank top can be found in Bristol and you can find a high Prince eating caviar in a suite at Monaco. Even though they are too different worlds, they both share a common ground; good racing. That is something I wish more Americans would see. Racing is racing, there are just a lot of varieties to it.
After ESPN aired the documentary on Ayrton Senna ("Senna") I noticed a buzz on Twitter I had never seen before. Actual diehard NASCAR fans were excited and captivated by the racing "across the pond." They were reliving the emotion and passion of this Brazilian F1 driver from the 80's and 90's. People I believed to be strictly stock, were embracing open wheel...and that to me was magical. Maybe we are all alike after all. True, dedicated fans with a passion for fast cars. It doesn't matter of you cheer for Hamlin or Hamilton, Vettel or Gordon, we are all eager for the win, the victory. And I hope this is something more American will realize. It's all racing, whether you have fenders or wings. 
