Revving Up.

Auto racing of nearly every kind — Indy, stock car, drag, formula one, and more — enjoyed increased popularity as the 1980s sped to a close. The sport's steadily rising popularity could be indexed by the increase in the number of spectators attending races. Though the Indianapolis 500 routinely drew at least 300,000 fans over the course of the decade, attendance at other Indy car races rose from 654,000 in 1979 to almost 2.5 million in 1988. As for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), prior to the 1980s it was seen primarily as a southern sport. By the end of the decade, however, the sport's venues extended as far north as New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Michigan, and over 3 million people annually attended NASCAR Winston Cup races. In fact, a survey conducted by Goodyear in 1990 indicated that over 25 percent of Americans considered themselves auto...