NASCAR is leaving no stone unturned in its push to broaden the sport’s appeal. While fan favorites like Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin have already cultivated a significant female following, the organization sees unmatched potential in expanding that demographic even further. And Jeff Gordon, former Cup champion and now vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, has a few cards up his sleeve to help move the needle.
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Gordon suggested that aligning with non-alcoholic beverage sponsors could open doors not only with younger male audiences but also with women. From his perspective, fresh partnerships with emerging brands and leveraging retail visibility worked wonders during his own career, and he believes such a strategy would pay dividends for both NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports.
Beyond branding, Gordon underscored the importance of visibility and connection. He noted that NASCAR already boasts a strong female presence across marketing, engineering, and pit crew roles, but that fans also need relatable figures behind the wheel. As he put it, “You got to have young, interesting, and good-looking young drivers. I certainly think that we have that [in NASCAR] all the time.”
Drawing a comparison to Formula 1, he added, “All these girls like Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc — but you know, William Byron, Chase Elliott, and several others on the grid, I think do the same thing.”
The challenge, he admitted, is making those drivers visible to people who don’t already watch racing. Gordon pointed to how F1 and its parent company masterfully introduced its athletes to a global audience through Netflix’s Drive to Survive. NASCAR followed suit with its own docuseries, NASCAR: Full Speed, now in its second season on Netflix, but the momentum has yet to match the worldwide surge in F1 viewership.
Gordon also acknowledged that NASCAR has gone through a rapid generational shift, losing several marquee names in quick succession. Since then, the series has been in the process of building new stars, a process that, as Gordon rightly noted, simply takes time.
Gordon’s view on increasing the overall viewership
Back in the day, when televisions were a luxury few could afford, fans clung to radio broadcasts to hear tales of Richard Petty taming the track or Dale Earnhardt wrestling his machine through the corners. The alternative was showing up in person, soaking in the sights, sounds, and smells of race day. Today, streaming has bridged the gap, bringing the action to living rooms worldwide, while television still draws its fair share of loyal viewers.
Yet despite Gen Z’s digital-first lifestyle, Jeff Gordon maintains that nothing rivals the power of witnessing a race up close. “Kids are not driving cars as much as they once did. They’re not working on cars like they once did. That’s why I think the experience of the track is so important — and in making sure that they’re there, having a good time playing corn hole or video games or getting on simulators, and then feeling the energy of the race,” he said.
However, Gordon opined that “Once you get… someone to the race, whether they’re a fan or not, they’re going to leave a fan.” Now, with NASCAR casting a wider net to capture international attention, the trackside experience may prove pivotal in boosting viewership, expanding the fanbase, and putting the sport firmly on the global map.
