On one hand, NASCAR is venturing into uncharted territory with its first international race in 28 years, heading to Mexico City. On the other hand, it has revived North Wilkesboro Speedway, a historic venue that lay dormant for nearly 27 years, hosting an All-Star race in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. These dual efforts reflect NASCAR’s dedication to growing the sport while preserving the legacy that loyal fans hold dear.
Advertisement
Speaking with Awful Announcing’s Brandon Contes, veteran journalist Jeff Gluck echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the challenges of catering to traditional and new audiences.
He remarked, “I think that it’s a tough balance for them. They’re trying to please everybody. They’ve done the Chicago street race which is I think they said something like it was 80% of ticket buyers the first year had never purchased tickets to another NASCAR race in their system before.”
Further elaborating on NASCAR’s thought process, Gluck said, “They raced in the LA Coliseum for three years. So trying to do something different there and that’s not appealing to the traditional fan. So, there’s a lot of things they’re trying to do to do to like, ‘Hey, we’re trying to get this audience and then we’ll also try to please our traditional audience and hold on to them.'”
Mexico City joins the schedule for NASCAR in 2025 and Dale will be there with @PrimeSportsPR! 🇲🇽🎤 pic.twitter.com/WDhdDfSgX3
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) August 27, 2024
NASCAR’s deliberate efforts to modernize the sport and expand its appeal have resulted in a more diverse audience than it had a decade ago. Initiatives such as banning the Confederate flag and positioning Bubba Wallace as a spokesperson for inclusivity have played important roles in broadening the sport’s reach, particularly among minorities.
Events like Bubba’s Block Party—featuring an urban, inner-city vibe with hip-hop artists—have further drawn new demographics to NASCAR racetracks.
Meanwhile, the Netflix docuseries has introduced a new fanbase, many of whom tuned into NASCAR races for the first time. Today, the sport’s fanbase skews younger than before. Around 26% of NASCAR fans are aged 18-29, compared to 20% of the U.S. population which sits in the same age bracket.
In comparison, older audiences (65+) are slightly underrepresented (16% vs. 21%) now. Among major sports leagues, only the NBA boasts a higher proportion of fans aged 18-29 (29%).
Further showcasing their growth, NASCAR President Steve Phelps recently highlighted a considerable rebound in viewership. Despite the season beginning with a 27% decline in TV ratings, NASCAR closed the season on a high note, with viewership numbers swinging into positive territory.
