Welcome, class, to today's lesson on America's quirkiest popular sport. It goes by the name of Nascar, a word you will not find in any legitimate dictionary. It is an acronym. Only the founding fathers know what the letters stand for.
To simulate the noise level at these races, the lecture will be delivered over the recorded roar of military jet flyovers, fireworks and an AC/DC concert. Snacks favoured by Nascar types are available in the back - beef jerky and smokeless tobacco.
Nascar's roots extend straight into the nation's rural south. In fact, contemporary drivers claim direct ancestry to moonshine runners, the daring men who would tune up their cars during Prohibition to elude police while delivering the illegal, home-brewed alcohol.
As the fan base has grown more diverse while expanding beyond the backwoods of America, some stereotypes still apply.
Most gearheads, as they affectionately are known, acquire vehicles without considering fuel economy. They vote Republican. Their iPod is partial to country music.
And they worship Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Ten years ago this weekend, old Dale had become the darling of Nascar. "The Intimidator", they lovingly called him, for bearing down on other drivers to get them out of the way. And tapping the rear bumper at 200mph - a tactic known as "swapping paint" - to those who refused.
That Sunday, Earnhardt was lead-footing it down the last lap of the Daytona 500 when he struck the wall and was killed instantly.
His legacy remains extra large. At this week's race, a moment of silence will be observed on the third lap for the guy whose cars bore No 3. Spectators will be invited to stand and raise three fingers.
Passions for Nascar have declined in recent years partly because nobody with Earnhardt's charisma has stepped into the void.
His son, Dale Jr, has been afforded every opportunity, from genes to financial resources, but he has proved lacking in one area: talent.
Earnhardt Jr did earn the pole position for Daytona, a mostly insignificant honour bestowed on the fastest qualifier. That means Junior will start the race first in line, which would be meaningful if they raced two laps instead of 200.
Jimmie Johnson, the circuit's dominant driver, has not even earned a nickname despite five consecutive championships. This streak has brought him recognition as America's most accomplished contemporary athlete, at least among those who regard turning a steering wheel to the left for a few hours at high speed as an act of athleticism.
The elder Earnhardt's main impact on Nascar was not realised until after his demise.
His on-the-job death prompted the sport's leadership to hit the accelerator on changes protecting drivers that already were in the works. They now wear a device attached to helmets to protect the skull. Cars are loaded with safety features that have saved lives in the decade since.
Risk remains, what with Nascar constantly rewriting the rules, even in mid-season, on caution flags and car specifications to maintain tightly bunched fields.
When a team tinkers enough in the garage to gain an edge, the innovation is inevitably squashed by a governing body that prefers to see operating costs curbed, plus wins dispersed among many drivers. (Which makes Johnson's reign all the more remarkable.)
Followers of Formula One in today's class might detect some differences with their preferred gas-guzzling endeavour. In F1 innovation is rewarded, a philosophy that inflates some team's budgets to rival those of a third world country. There is no paint-swapping; fans often need a wide-angle lens just to get two cars in the same frame.
Nascar, by contrast, celebrates side-by-side racing that even results in photo finishes, thoroughbred horse racing style. The 2007 Daytona race was determined by .02 seconds.
No dissimilarity between the sectors is more obvious than the cars' appearance. The bodies of Nascar vehicles resemble those that you drive to work or the grocery store, if you had painted sponsor logos on them. You would not dare take your high-tech, lightweight Formula One wheels on the freeway. The slightest accident would send your insurance premiums through the roof.
Formula One veterans who taste-test Nascar often find it difficult to swallow. Dario Franchitti took an unsuccessful spin. Juan Pablo Montoya persists, contending but rarely winning.
Oddest of all about Nascar, the season opens with the main event. Though a 10-race series at the back end called the Chase is designed to build to a climax, the Daytona 500 is the premier race on the card.
After Sunday, you might say, it is mostly downhill.
sports@thenational.ae
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E153hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E200Nm%20at%204%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.3L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh106%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
