NASCAR wants to grow? We have some ideas that could help do just that
NASCAR is a heavily evolving sport that has made a number of changes in recent years including the Next Generation car, multiple schedule shake-ups and revisions, the season-opening Busch Light Clash exhibition race inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the much-anticipated return to the previously abandoned North Wilkesboro Speedway and more.
However, many hard-core fans could argue the case for additional changes needed across the sport today which, if executed and implemented properly, could see further increases in TV ratings as well as at-track ticket sales.
Here are some ideas worth considering:
* PODIUM-STYLE CELEBRATIONS:
First and foremost, we'd love to see NASCAR adopt a podium-style victory celebration. NASCAR fans love to cheer as their favorite driver races from the final turn and toward the checkered flag.
Unfortunately, most viewers switch the channel -- or worse yet, turn the TV set off -- once they realize their favorite driver will finish runner-up or third.
By comparison, Formula One and IndyCar both use the podium format to not only honor the race winner, but also the next two closest finishers, and that celebratory style has proven quite successful for both series
The podium celebration not only allows for the second- and third-place finishers to celebrate a hard day’s work, but also allows the potential to recognize drivers we normally may not always hear about or from such as rookies, smaller teams, and aging drivers you may have forgotten about, to get screen time and recognition after an incredible drive. A podium celebration could encourage viewers to stick around just a bit longer than usual, prompting a rise in ratings and even merchandise sales.
* LET'S PUT THE SHOW (CARS, THAT IS) BACK ON THE ROAD:
A second idea NASCAR could benefit from is bringing back something that already has a proven and successful history, namely, getting more show cars on the road, something that has always been a fan favorite.
If you aren’t familiar with this concept, allow us to elaborate. In the 1980’s NASCAR began sending replica racecars to a multitude of events all over the country. These events included but were not limited to store grand openings, fan conventions, and hometown museums and so much more.
The reach these cars had helped make NASCAR the once-popular sport it was, as the cars didn't always have to visit major metropolitan areas. In fact, the more smaller and mid-sized towns they visited, the fans went absolutely crazy about having NASCAR in town, even if it was just a replica race car.
Unfortunately, over the past decade, the practice seems to have nearly disappeared. Many veteran fans today still fondly remember going to a local fast-food chain and seeing a real top-of-the-line racecar in the parking lot, which they could not only look at and take photos of, but also touch and feel -- something they could NEVER do with real race cars at real race tracks like Daytona, Bristol and others.
During the early 2000s, one might go to their local Home Depot and catch a glimpse of the famed No. 20 Home Depot Pontiac and stand amazed at the sight of the car driven on Sundays by Tony Stewart.
Show cars do still tour America, although in a significantly decreased number. Teams in the past used to have almost full fleets of cars that, to borrow lyrics from a song, would go north, south, east, west, whichever is best.
The question is why not increase that number today? Certainly, race teams and NASCAR as a whole could benefit from sending a replica to towns across the country, reaching potential fans in the far reaches of the modern-day sports landscape.
Sure, this would be another cost element added to each team's budget, but having a previously-raced car that is already in the shop, and put it in perhaps a smaller and less expensive hauler, and have one person drive, set up and display the car, the return on investment would seemingly and certainly be worth it from a goodwill standpoint, don't you think? And think of how many more new fans a team would pick up in the process. This is a win-win deal all the way around!
* MOVE THE SEASON FINALE AROUND EACH YEAR:
Another idea fans might appreciate is changing the location of the season finale around from one year to the next. While Phoenix Raceway has put on a good show in recent years, many feel the 2022 championship race was a bit of a letdown. Penske fans cheered for Joey Logano as he sped to victory for his second NASCAR Cup Series title, but the famed No. 22 Pennzoil Ford led nearly every lap. The only driver who could legitimately compete with Logano was fellow Penske teammate Ryan Blaney.
While we have nothing against Phoenix Raceway as an end-of-season venue, why not spread the wealth around, so to speak, and have other tracks that could play host to each season's finale? Of course, the selection of those tracks could be predicated upon the weather (it's unlikely a place like Loudon could hold a season finale when it's not out of the question to have snowstorms in the Northeast at that time of year).
So where could NASCAR hold an early-to-mid-November season finale?
How about a third Daytona race (although some fans may feel that's one race too many at the World Center of Racing)? Maybe move Atlanta playoff race to the end of the campaign? What about bringing back Homestead-Miami for the finale? How about Circuit of the Americas or Talladega (although one might ask themselves does NASCAR REALLY want to end the season on a road course or the biggest superspeedway around)?
One place we'd love to see (but the weather would have to cooperate) is Bristol. The playoff race there is already chaotic and nerve-racking enough, but the season finale -- especially if it were to be a night race, which is always a fan favorite -- imagine the high-octane, close-quarters racing we would normally see as a cutoff race but with the high stakes action of a title being on the line. NASCAR moving the title race to Bristol would immediately gain the attention of viewers and race attendees.
* DRIVERS, GET YOUR PASSPORTS READY:
One last suggestion for NASCAR and its fans to consider is taking the sport outside the confines of the U.S.
In the late 1980s and again in the 1990s, NASCAR ran a few non-points exhibition races first in Australia and then in Japan, most notably at legendary circuits like Suzuka and Twin Ring Motegi.
We know it's no secret NASCAR wants to reach more international fans. And with Formula One essentially encroaching on American soil with three races in the U.S. in 2023 -- Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas; Miami and Las Vegas -- how can NASCAR compete?
Easy, take the sport to F1's international backyard, that's how.
The potential for NASCAR going overseas is high, NASCAR Senior Vice President Steve O’Donnell said in a recent interview.
“It’s no longer a matter of if, but a matter of when, we take NASCAR international,” O'Donnell said.
The sport is already making significant inroads in its European racing division. Can NASCAR's three premier series -- NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series -- be far behind potentially at renowned international circuits such as Imola, Monza, Silverstone, Spa-Francorchammps, and Hungaroring?
In conclusion, there are many more ideas and strategies to raise NASCAR back to the top of the motorsports food chain. But these are good conversation starters, don't you think?