Driver and team familiarity is what helps the fans cheer on their allegiances while watching a racing event. In the case of Formula 1, things are quite simplified since teams use nearly identical liveries for their team cars, even if they have a separate set of sponsors. Meanwhile, in NASCAR, the paint scheme of the cars keeps changing depending upon the sponsor agreement for that particular race.
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A team like Hendrick Motorsports which fields four cars in the Cup Series often features wildly different paint schemes. Based on the sponsors, the schemes can even change every week to a point where one car can have nearly a dozen paint schemes across the entire season.
While this isn’t a problem for the regular and informed fans, things can get a bit tricky for the new fans entering the sport.
So would it make sense for NASCAR to adopt such a similar tactic to make it better for the newer fans in the sport?
Well, answering that can be a bit tricky. Not that none of the current Cup Series teams haven’t implemented something like this. Teams like RFK Racing and Trackhouse Racing often feature some degree of uniformity across their cars running a variation of the same paint job.
NASCAR’s unique paint schemes add a touch of personality
However, this diverse application and rotation of the paint scheme is somewhat what also grabs the attention of the fans. It keeps things interesting to look at from the fan’s point of view. It also adds a touch of personality and flavor. Additionally, there are times when drivers or teams might even get the fans involved with their paint schemes.
Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott is known to do this a lot during the Darlington race weekends. The 2020 Cup Series champion has flaunted schemes and gear entirely designed by young children through his foundation.
After the race, some elements of his gear are auctioned off, with the proceedings being sent back to the foundation to aid medical organizations that work towards preventing severe illnesses among children.
Hence, in a nutshell, having a Formula 1-esque livery for the teams might be slightly beneficial for the new fans. But if they do, it would take away what makes NASCAR unique and interesting for everyone else.
