For a long time, NASCAR stuck to its traditional market and hesitated to venture outside the established borders. But the changing landscape of motorsports has forced it to expand its presence in recent years. The street races in Chicago and the international visit to Mexico were all steps in this much-needed journey. Justin Marks, owner of Trackhouse Racing, greatly welcomes the new way of things.
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He spoke to the press in Chicago last weekend and detailed his thoughts about why holding races in different cities is crucial for the sport. He believes that stock car racing is as good a discipline as open-wheel racing or other forms and that it needs to be exposed to people unfamiliar with it.
Marks used the example of a Red Bull event he had gone to recently to make his case. Formula One world champion Max Verstappen had been there with his F1 car. Dakar Rally cars and bikes were present as well. But it was the Cup Series Next Gen that drew the most attention.
Marks said, “It sounded and looked different than anything they’d ever heard before.” With such interest, he can only imagine that people would love watching the machines race each other.
He continued, “I think street races are something this sport should commit to wherever it is, whether it’s in Chicago or San Diego or wherever it is, because I’ve always been a fan of finding ways to take the product to the people.
“If you can take what we do and plop it right in the middle of a city so people can come see it, that have never seen a race before, I think that can only be good for the sport.”
Street races and international visits are expensive affairs, and NASCAR doesn’t get to make a lot of money by doing them. But they have to be done regardless, considering the larger picture. Exposing stock car racing to people who have not seen it before is the ultimate goal here. Paradoxically, the latest experience in Chicago casts a question on this approach.
Despite NASCAR’s three-year stint in the streets of Chicago, a contract has not been drawn up yet for future visits. The delay is partly due to criticisms levied by a section of the city’s residents. Despite the extravagance of the annual event, they have not taken a liking to stock car racing and view it as an unwelcome annoyance to their everyday lives.
To achieve the desired result that Marks wants, NASCAR will need to find a solution to these issues. If attracting a fresh audience was the goal, it could benefit from studying how many new fans it has gained from Chicago in the last three years. Hopefully, the results of such a study will not be underwhelming.
