So, it came to me awhile ago after playing some Mario Kart on my phone after the release of the new phone app. There are five male characters that really relate to the NASCAR world in a sense. You have Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and Wario. These five people when you think of Mario are most likely the first five you think of in a sense. So let’s compare those five guys to five NASCAR drivers. Let me know in the Mario vs. NASCAR comparison what do you think? Are my comparison’s accurate?
The Face
Mario is a legend among the gaming world. When you say Nintendo in the gaming world it is always simultaneously followed by Mario or Pokemon. Those two names defy the company of Nintendo. So, who now is someone you relate solidly to the sport of NASCAR? The case could be made for Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. I mean ones your most recent champion and the other is the only active seven-time champion. Let’s go with one of the more obvious choices though right now. Chase Elliott is now a two time most popular driver award winner, and you seem to see more NAPA merchandise at the tracks now than not. I know this won’t be the popular choice because so many people hate Chase due to him “using his name” or “using his dad” but face the facts he is the face of the sport going forward. Like Dale Earnhardt Jr was for almost all of his career.
Next in Line
The next guy I am going to go with actually just recently got a new release of a game here a few months back. Luigi plays second fiddle to Mario because while he is recognizable he isn’t quite the franchise face. He has a huge number of fans in his own little world but doesn’t quite hold the leverage of Mario. He is the backup choice for Mario fans while playing if Mario gets picked in then if you are a die-hard Mario fan you may pick Luigi. I think the logical pick here is going to Ryan Blaney. Once again the case could be made for multiple drivers here but based on my opinion. If Chase goes down people always seem to start pulling for Blaney. Due to the fact of the friendship the two share. Ryan has had a good bit of success much like Chase but falls second to Chase when it comes to fandom.
The Muscle
Is there really a better choice than Matt DiBenedetto? I mean the man who is constantly harassed by other drivers for his arms. Matt is one of the more ripped drivers in the garage. Along with that though he has that likable personality. You can’t seem to help but pull for the guy, because he has done things in a fashion that we don’t see anymore in the sport. The man started out in horrible equipment and progressively worked his way up the chain. He will finally be in some competitive equipment with the Wood Brothers. Matt can remind you alone in his physical physique of Donkey Kong. Also though he has that fun-loving sense to him much like Donkey Kong as well. Makes you wonder who Matt plays with during those infamous rain delay Mario Kart races against Bubba Wallace?
The “Bad Guy”
After a very impressive season for my next guy Alex Bowman. Multiple second-place finishes in a row, finally notched him career win number one. The playoffs were extremely interesting none the less for him. He had a run-in with Austin Dillon and even Bubba Wallace at the Roval. He was made out to be a bad guy much like Wario. On Mario’s fandom, it is quoted in saying that “he may actually not necessarily be a bad guy but instead neutral, just driven by greed or his own goals.” Which if you look at the run in’s that could be argued because Alex said he was “flipped off” by Bubba. Also, the man was racing for his playoff future so his own goals for sure could’ve motivated those bad actions. None the less I think the description fits Alex the best. Because he isn’t really a bad guy, but more or less neutral. He may have a mean streak that he can use if needed, but mostly overall he is a neutral kind of guy.
The Villain
The actual bad guy. The one everyone loves to hate. The driver that is so successful and just carries himself with moxie no one else can handle: Kyle Busch. Has any other driver ever been called an ass in driver intro’s like Brad K did Kyle? Much like Kyle Busch, when you see someone playing with Bowser dominate, you want to do anything and everything to stop or prevent his victory because it is Bowser. Kyle Busch is just snide and victorious enough that it matters for him, and burns all of his hater’s. You can’t deny though he is good I mean he is now the reigning champion. Much like Bowser gets his small victories over Mario when Peach is kidnapped Kyle has grabbed a huge victory over all of the haters.
Conclusion
Mario Kart and NASCAR are each competitive in virtual worlds and the real world. So it is easy to see how you could make comparisons to certain characters and drivers. I mean also you have your fair share of driver’s who play the game with their kids, and even other drivers like I mentioned above. This game is much loved by people off all ages. What do you think? Any comparisons you disagree with let me know on Twitter. I am interested to see who you would compare your favorite character too, the possibilities are endless.
