Photo by Markus Spiske via Uplash.

It’s been almost two months since President Donald Trump was inaugurated, and the United States has already experienced drastic changes. From pulling out of the World Health Organization to changing the Gulf of Mexico’s name, America’s new president has made interesting modifications to the country as a whole. However, one of the most notable of these orders is the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. 

The European Bank defines the Paris Climate Agreement as an international treaty that aims to “hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” Trump’s abandonment of this agreement was predicted during his first presidency in 2017 when he stated that the U.S. would eventually leave the treaty. However, even though this decision was viewed as a foreseen circumstance, there are still concerns about what this means for Americans battling climate change. 

An article published by The New York Times, “Yes, There Has Been Progress on Climate. No, It’s Not Nearly Enough,” says that scientists believe that more drastic action is needed to keep global temperature at a safer increased limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius. In the same article, Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, stated “we really don’t have much time left to shift course.” By most scientific accounts, the world is reaching the  point of no return regarding the global climate, but is it an active emergency? Many climate activists and scientific experts say yes. 

CEO of the European Climate Foundation, Laurence Tubiana, says, “The impacts of the climate crisis are also worsening.” He follows this by discussing the wildfires sweeping across Los Angeles and how America withdrawing from the exchange was unfortunate. However, he also says not to worry because the effort to slow climate change “is stronger than any country’s politics and policies.” 

While this might sound scary to Americans, solutions are still being explored to help the country slow climate change. In his new book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, former CEO and chairman of Microsoft Bill Gates writes that the best way forward is to lower the Green Premiums. Green Premiums refer to the difference in cost between carbon-emitting products and non-carbon-emitting products. Therefore, if America wants to see a difference in its carbon emissions, it must focus on lowering prices and adopting healthier, greener technology. 

Pulling out of the Paris Climate Exchange has been criticized by both sides of the political spectrum. However, President Trump stands behind his actions as he did back in 2017 when he stated, “The Paris Climate Accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries…” With this statement and the country’s leadership, it’s up to the American people to decide if they are up against a climate challenge or a crisis. 

The Hilltop Monitor thanks Dr. Gary Armstrong for providing insight and sources to help further the exploration of the topic at hand.

The year 1936 has gone down in European history as the year of the Berlin Olympics under Nazi Germany. Three years before the outbreak of the Second World War, these Olympic Games were seen by Hitler as a propaganda tool to send a strong message to the world: Aryans are superior athletes. This belief was rooted in the eugenics theory that racial superiority could be explained by genetics. Of course, eugenics is at the heart of Nazi ideology and these Olympic Games of the past were the ideal opportunity to prove the hegemony of Aryan athletes; and thus defend the relevance of this ideology. However, African American athletes enjoyed enormous success in 1936, in particular Jesse Owens, famous for being the first African-American athlete to win four gold medals at the same Olympic Games. His success also left its mark on history, as Adolf Hitler refused to acknowledge Owens’ victories or shake his hand. Indeed, this famous episode, experienced as a humiliation by Hitler, underlines a major theme in sports and politics: the instrumentalization of sports by authoritarian regimes.

 But why is this so important today? Sports have been, and still are, an important form of soft power used by authoritarian and democratic rulers all over the world. In this article, I will attempt to analyze the limits and dangers of the instrumentalization of sports by authoritarian states and propose a broader description of sports as an effective geopolitical weapon for democratic states.

What does “Authoritarianism” really mean ?

Authoritarianism is a vague concept to a lot of folks. Its true meaning is poorly understood, yet roughly 40% of the world’s countries are ruled by an authoritarian leader. Simply put, authoritarianism is a political system whose main objective is to maintain the power of the ruler, come what may. regimes ignore the rule of law and democratic principles and their mandate does not depend on the consent of the people. To stay in power, authoritarian leaders use a range of strategies, from violent coercion to propaganda. Sports are a soft power tool used by authoritarian rulers to convey an ideology. But is this method effective? ? 

Firstly, sports bring people together and help build a nation. Secondly, it promotes the state’s official ideology and reinforces authoritarian narratives of national greatness. These characteristics are particularly true of totalitarian states such as Nazi Germany or present-day North Korea, whose ultimate goal is to create a utopia. In this sense, sports can be a vehicle for the state sponsored ideology. Nevertheless, sport is not always used as a means of conveying an ideology, and many authoritarian states see it simply as an effective weapon, an extension of the state’s political and economic power.

Sport and Authoritarianism: Dangers and Limits? 

These days, sports are primarily a revenue platform for authoritarian states. Several Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, are increasingly financially involved in all kinds of sports, particularly soccer and Formula 1. In 2024, sports are attracting considerable attention and have become a global phenomenon that appeals to more and more people. The amount of money invested in and the revenues generated by the sports market are increasing rapidly, with an expected growth in revenues of over 60% by 2028. However, as sports revenues rise, so does the economic cost of hosting sporting events. 

A common trend has been observed over the past decade: unstable democracies and authoritarian states are increasingly hosting major sporting events. These states are often oil-rich countries such as Qatar, Bahrain or Saudi Arabia. As explained previously, these states use sports to convey broader political messages and achieve popular cohesion. Unfortunately, staging major events such as Formula 1 races, the World Cup or boxing matches, is financially draining and does not always benefit the economy as a whole. In fact, in many cases financing global sporting events ends up creating a greater financial burden for the population. For example, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar cost 220 billion American dollars, a huge sum that will take decades to repay, and has contributed to  the financial disparities within the country.

The protection of human rights is another major concern when it comes to authoritarian regimes hosting sporting events. In fact, most authoritarian countries lack the appropriate infrastructure and facilities to host sporting events, so they usually build these infrastructures from scratch, specifically for the events in question. Construction is often very intensive and these regimes do not hesitate to violate international laws. Most recently, Qatar, which hosted the 2022 World Cup, was targeted by numerous international organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Right Watch over the abuses committed against migrant workers and the hundreds of workers injured during the construction of half a dozen brand-new stadiums in the space of just a few years. The Qatari government has denied most of the allegations. Therefore, Qatar’s problematic situation has given rise to a real debate on the legitimacy of authoritarian regimes hosting such sporting events. 

But Why should Democratic States Care?

Colossal amounts of money are involved in hosting major sporting events, often creating significant conflicts of interest. Despite the mobilization of athletes and humanitarian organizations to denounce the abuses of host countries, democratic states have often turned a blind eye to the issue of sports in authoritarian countries. Recently, the situation has changed somewhat with the resumption of war in Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine represents the biggest ground war in Europe since  World War II. In this context, sports represents one of the many points of tension in the conflict. Sport became a veritable soft power weapon, helping to raise Russia’s profile. 

Since 2022, many Russian athletes have been denied the right to take part in sporting competitions, with the aim of penalizing Russian “soft power” and sending a strong message of support for Ukraine. One of the first victims was tennis player Danil Medvedev, who was unable to take part in a number of major tennis tournaments, including Wimbledon 2023. Despite being ranked No. 2 in the world, Medvedev and his fellow Russians and Belarusians were banned from that year’s Wimbledon. Similarly, the Russian and Belarusian delegations were banned from taking part in the 2024 Paris Olympics, a heavy sanction seen as a humiliation by both countries. Nevertheless, sports seem to be increasingly used by many as a way to condemn injustice and punish acts of impunity. For instance, Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly spoken out to call out Formula 1’s involvement with authoritarian and repressive regimes such as Saudi Arabia, which fail to respect human rights.

With all that said, the financial and ideological stakes of sports make it a powerful weapon for sanctioning authoritarian states and defending liberal democratic ideals, notably the protection of human rights and freedom of expression. The current state of Putin’s war in Ukraine transcends any concept of human justice and in this context, the instrumentalization of sports to attack Russia’s image and soft power seems more than appropriate. While the intersection between sports and geopolitics is not intuitive, it is essential to understanding complex power dynamics. As guardians of democratic values, it is imperative that democratic states reclaim sports as a platform to oppose oppression, foster international solidarity and lead a global commitment to justice and human dignity.

Chances are, you’ve heard of NASCAR, but you may not know much about the sport besides the fact that the cars go fast, turn left, and get into gigantic crashes. With the occasional NASCAR story sneaking onto news feeds, you probably also have some questions. Do Pitbull and Michael Jordan really own NASCAR teams? Do the drivers really only turn left? And how stock are these “stock cars,” anyway?

The short answers to these questions are “Yes”, “No”, and “Not in the slightest.” The long answers, plus a whole lot more, are what I’m here to explain. Welcome to the first of a four-part series exploring the world of NASCAR. This article will be a general primer, while parts two, three, and four will explore the drivers, the tracks, and the rules, respectively.

The Cars
A NASCAR Cup series “stock car” is about as far from a dealership car as possible. Cup cars weigh in at 3200 pounds with nearly a ton of extra aerodynamic downforce, and are powered by a 6 liter V8 engine that produces nearly 700 horsepower. These engines are paired with 15” brakes, allowing these cars to accelerate to high speeds and stop quickly. 

The car body is made of carbon fiber composites which are more resistant to deformation than metal bodies. The combination of grip and power means that Cup cars can reach 200 miles per hour, while the composite bodies mean that cars can get into minor scrapes and still remain competitive. It’s rare to find a race-winning car without at least some paint scratches and tire marks.

Cup cars also have extensive safety features to protect drivers during crashes. They range from the obvious, such as reinforced roll cages, to the technical, like carefully engineered front and rear clips built to absorb energy. Every part of the car is designed with safety in mind. Even the roof flaps that open up when a car begins to spin are there for safety. 

This safety-first mentality makes NASCAR the safest major motorsports series. Despite the massive crashes, more drivers miss races because of injuries sustained from off-track hobbies than because of injuries sustained in a NASCAR race.

The Drivers
Behind the controls of these brilliantly-engineered cars are some of the planet’s greatest drivers. Virtually every driver to start a NASCAR race has performed at a high level in some other series, and all of them have been driving race cars since well before they could legally drive a road car. Most NASCAR drivers have experience across several disciplines of racing, from dirt tracks to open-wheel cars.

Though many veterans, such as Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart, have retired from full-time driving in the last decade, NASCAR in 2024 has no shortage of names and personalities. There’s the defending champ Ryan Blaney; the 2020 champ and most popular driver Chase Elliott; the villains, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and two-time series champ Joey Logano; the veterans such as two-time champ Kyle Busch and 2017 champ Martin Truex Jr.; the underdogs like Michael McDowell, and even the happy-go-lucky watermelon farmer turned checkers-or-wreckers championship contender Ross Chastain. With thirty-six drivers on track, there’s plenty of contenders to cheer for.

The Teams
No NASCAR driver could race without a full team behind him. Some crew members are more visible than others, but all of them are vital to every race win. Here’s a few of the more important at-track team members:

Crew chief: This is the first crew member you’ll hear about. The crew chief sits on top of the team’s box on pit road, deciding on race strategy, when to pit, what adjustments to make to the car, and all the long-term details that can give a driver an edge.

Spotter: The spotter sits high above the track on top of the grandstands with binoculars to watch the race. They give drivers valuable information about where other cars are, what lanes other cars are driving in, which cars are gaining/losing time and anything else the driver needs to know.

Pit crew: These are the people who jump over the wall during a pit stop. There are five pit crew members: A front and rear tire changer, a tire carrier, a jackman and a fueler. They must change all four tires, fill the car with fuel, and make mechanical adjustments – all in under fifteen seconds. To say their jobs are high-pressure would be an understatement.

Car chief: Where the crew chief deals with in-race planning, the car chief deals with pre-race planning. They lead the engineering team and before a race will make sure everything on the car is optimized for performance while still meeting NASCAR’s stringent inspection policy.

The Tracks
The NASCAR Cup series season lasts from February into November and consists of 36 points races plus a few exhibition races. In 2024, NASCAR will host points-paying races at 26 unique tracks. Most tracks are ovals, but every track on the schedule is unique. Short ovals under a mile long require constant aggression with drivers using their bumper to help make passes. Longer ovals emphasize strategy, adaptability, engineering and less all-out aggression. Five road courses bring a unique challenge with each composed of varied turns requiring patience, skillful driving and turning right. They even hold a race on the streets of Chicago’s park district.

The most unique type of track on the schedule are the superspeedways. These large ovals are designed for maximum speed, and because drivers never have to get out of the throttle, winning one of the six superspeedway races requires drafting. 

Drafting is when one car drives very close behind another, making the trailing car push through less air, experience less drag, and thus go faster. Superspeedway races typically have two or three lines of drafting cars pushing each other, and with so many cars so close together, this type of racing requires everyone to be at their best to navigate to the front without crashing.

What to Know
The 2024 NASCAR season is about to begin, with the Daytona 500 happening on Sunday, Feb. 18. As one of the aforementioned superspeedways, Daytona always brings an exciting opening to the points-paying season. If you choose to tune in, here are some storylines to watch for:

• Defending champion Ryan Blaney is looking to be the first driver to win back to back titles since Jimmie Johnson won five straight from 2006 to 2010. His teammate Joey Logano won the title in 2022 and 2018.

• Kyle Larson has won on nearly every track he’s driven on in every discipline he’s tried, including a 10-win championship year in 2021. Now entering his 11th full-time season, he’s becoming a veteran and will doubtlessly be a championship favorite again this year.

• NASCAR decides a champion using a unique playoff system, in which sixteen drivers compete in the final ten races and gradually get whittled down until four drivers fight for the championship in November. With the field having more parity than ever, competition for the last of those sixteen spots will be incredibly tight this year.

So, whether you become a diehard fan who watches every race from Daytona to Phoenix, or if you just tune in sometimes to see the wrecks, NASCAR has something for everyone, and much of what turns a casual fan into a lifelong viewer is getting to know the stories of the drivers. Part 2 of this series will dive into the field of 36 fulltime cars, getting to know the drivers, the stories, and the expectations for 2024.