As expected, the reaction was a mixed one. Staunchly patriotic NASCAR enthusiasts appreciated the idea of a tour-de-force vehicle from GM. There is just one problem: The Volt is virtually salient -- a potential buzz-kill for racing fans addicted to thundering engines and the smell of motor oil. "Fans would pack up their Budweiser and leave," said Mike Nichols, a Dallas resident and NASCAR fan in an interview with CNN.

Others, however, welcomed an electric Chevy that could reduce America's reliance on foreign oil from less than friendly nations. "Yes, we get it, and with fervor," said John Frost, a 60-year old NASCAR fan from Davidsonville, Maryland. "We are for the elimination of U.S. dependency on foreign oil. We're no dummies."