While broadcast partners NBC continue to offer blanket coverage of the Olympic Games, NASCAR has been forced to settle for a two-week break. This has meant that all three major national touring series: The Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series are on a hiatus, forcing NASCAR fans to settle for sporting action that is taking place in Paris. While motorsports has traditionally not been a part of the Summer Olympics, that hasn’t stopped commentators from making NASCAR references, making fans of the sport feel a sense of familiarity, and in some sense, pride.

With four races to go before playoffs begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR fans are itching for some racing action. Till then though, with NASCAR, Formula 1, and IndyCar currently at a standstill, the agonizing wait continues, forcing fans to tune into the Olympic Games instead.

Could motorsports return to the Olympic Games?

With fans feeling a sense of satisfaction at hearing commentators bring up NASCAR references, it raises a bigger question. Why are motorsports not a part of the Olympic Games? For those who don’t know, motorsports have been a part of the Olympics, not once, not twice, but thrice in history. In 1900, motorsports was divided into 14 categories, featuring two, four, six, and seven-seater cars. The intention was to highlight the car manufacturers, rather than the participants and the main event was an endurance race, spanning 837 miles and split into two categories.

Motorsports was featured yet again in the 1936 Summer Olympics, hosted in Berlin. The gold medallist at the event was Briton Elizabeth Haig, who won alongside Joyce Lambert as co-driver in her six-cylinder Singer Nine Le Mans. Fans had to wait almost 40 years for motorsport to make a reappearance in the Olympic Games, this time it was at the 1972 Munich Games. While it was technically not a part of the tournament and no medals were given, an Olympic rally was held before the event took place.

With plenty of sports, such as squash and flag football, cricket, and lacrosse making a reappearance in the Olympic Games in 2028, could motorsports make a sensational return anytime soon? The likelihood of it happening is very unlikely, especially considering that motorsports has an over-reliance on the car, making it less of a team or an individual achievement. This means that motorsport fans will have to contend with not seeing their favorite drivers in action at the Olympics stage anytime soon. As things stand, NASCAR fans will have to contend with their sport’s references by commentators, until action resumes at Richmond Raceway in the Cup Series.

With plenty of fans tuning in to the sporting action in Paris, NASCAR fans were filled with pride after hearing a reference made about their beloved sport in a cycling event by a commentator. Fans took to social media to make themselves feel included in the ongoing Olympics action, voicing out their views about NASCAR being acknowledged as the biggest and most important sporting event in history.

Fans voice their pridefulness at NASCAR reference in the Paris Olympics

During a cycling event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the commentator was heard saying, “Here, then this big 90-degree NASCAR turn back home with one…” The moment was immediately caught up by NASCAR fans, who took to Reddit, sharing the acknowledgment and expressing their views about the moment. Remembering a moment from 15 years ago during the Winter X Games, one fan wrote, “Winter X Games back 15 years ago called their sno-cross high banked corner the Talladega Turn. I’ve stuck with that since.” He wasn’t the only fan who remembered a reference to the 2.66-mile tri-oval superspeedway. Another fan wrote, “They gave a shout out to Talladega last year as well.”

Referring to an on-track maneuver coined by the legendary Dale Earnhardt Jr, one fan wrote, “Slide job. SLIDE JOB.” For those who don’t know, a slide job is an overtaking attempt to get ahead of your competitor, after which the racer slows down their momentum and backs up to them, preventing them from regaining position. One fan recalled the commentator mentioning another popular NASCAR catchphrase. The fan wrote, “Heard the ‘Rubbing is racing’ comment as well.” The term ‘Rubbing is racing’ refers to an overtaking move when contact is likely during the attempt, but doesn’t have any major repercussions.

For some NASCAR fans, simply watching the Olympic Games gave them a much-needed boost in the absence of stock car racing action. One fan went as far as to say, “Watched the replay earlier a lot of great racing.” With Cup Series action resuming on August 11, fans don’t have to wait too long for the season to resume, with Richmond Raceway sure to bring about drama, controversy, and unpredictable results. With NASCAR allowing teams to choose between two Goodyear tire choices, Federated Auto Parts 400 sure seems like a promising event.

Are you looking forward to NASCAR returning to action at Richmond Raceway? Let us know in the comments!