Is Nascar going to go the same way as Indy racing?

[Winger]

I just saw the following comment on Jayski, quoted from NaSCAR.

The hope is that foreign drivers will begin gravitating toward aiming at the Sprint Cup Series instead of open-wheel Formula One.

It seems like Indy brought a lot of foreign drivers into their series and it's never been the same. Do American race fans really want to watch foreigners? Yeah, there are a few who came in and became part of the sport and have their fans. I just can't see the average redneck fan supporting that, particularly when the local Saturday night star can't get a ride because he doesn't have the money to take to the series.

[tccaz]

The Toyotas upset a lot of people I don't see how they would like a foreign driver.

[luke81]

I just saw the following comment on Jayski, quoted from NaSCAR. It seems like Indy brought a lot of foreign drivers into their series and it's never been the same. Do American race fans really want to watch foreigners? Yeah, there are a few who came in and became part of the sport and have their fans. I just can't see the average redneck fan supporting that, particularly when the local Saturday night star can't get a ride because he doesn't have the money to take to the series.

I love IndyCar and F1. This years IndyCar races were FAR better to watch than the NASCAR races, and both IndyCar and F1 have figured out that races don't need to be 4 hours long.
It's really 2 separate questions. Will it happen and will it be supported? Will it happen, NO. Never. Everywhere outside of the US nascar is a sideshow at best. Zero kids in Europe or Japan want to be the next Earnhardt, but they all want to be the next Schumacher or Vettel. There is basically no oval stock car development programs in these countries. They all start in karts and move up through to touring cars, DTM, F3, etc.... There are no modifieds or late models there.
Next part, would they be accepted if they did: I'd hope so. Are we really still living like a hundred years ago that we care what someone looks or talks like under the helmet? That's pathetic. If they can do the job then they should have it.

[Matt Albee]

I just saw the following comment on Jayski, quoted from NaSCAR. It seems like Indy brought a lot of foreign drivers into their series and it's never been the same. Do American race fans really want to watch foreigners? Yeah, there are a few who came in and became part of the sport and have their fans. I just can't see the average redneck fan supporting that, particularly when the local Saturday night star can't get a ride because he doesn't have the money to take to the series.

That comment from NASCAR should be filed under ' wishful thinking ". There have been foreign drivers in Indy cars since the very first race at the turn of the century, and they've brought plenty to the show.
I don't think there would necessarily be any resistance to more foreign drivers in NASCAR. But like the NFL, NASCAR isn't all that big in Europe or Asia and isn't going to draw too many foreign drivers or fans. In fact, the F1 drivers who are looking for jobs next year are all talking to Indy car teams, not NASCAR.

[egspeedway]

Lets be selfish. We can hope NASCAR can do as well with the GEN 6 car and make it as racey as the Indy cars are now. I have to admit even though I hate rear engine cars that the current product has produced some fantastic side by side races and probably the best Indy 500 ever shown. With the cost of racing being what it is it is quite possible that some drivers will buy their way in as is done in Indy and F1. Follow the money even with the "have at it boys" NASCAR adopted it would seem that the bean counters are telling the owners how much can be spent on retaliation.

[Jack Burroughs]

"Going the same way?"

I've been spectating in several different racing types/venues, or what ever you call it, since 1946, and I've also been actively racing one thing or other since 1955, so IMHO, they all are not getting any better, and since there are today so many different forms of entertainment competing for peoples disposable income, and todays kids have an attention span only about as long as a T.V. Music Video, not B.& W., but color only, So how could things get any better under those conditions? All forms of racing have had their expense escalate so much that many racers have been forced out and many prospective racers are scared away by outrageous costs. Even Kart racing, which I still do has been slammed more than anyone could ever believe. So if the statement that the "Middle class is disappearing" is true, how could anyone think that any racing is getting better or even has a chance to do so?

[Jimmy McKinley]

Everywhere outside of the US nascar is a sideshow at best. Zero kids in Europe or Japan want to be the next Earnhardt, but they all want to be the next Schumacher or Vettel. There is basically no oval stock car development programs in these countries. They all start in karts and move up through to touring cars, DTM, F3, etc.... There are no modifieds or late models there.

Wanna bet?

Look up "NASCAR Europe", "NASCAR Mexico", and "NASCAR Canada".

NASCAR started what is basically a NASCAR K&N Series type deal over in Europe; they run in Germany, the UK, France, and even run at Le Mans, Brands Hatch, and Monza. In fact, it's called the "NASCAR Whelen Euro Series": http://www.nascarwheleneuroseries.com/

From some driver promos:

"NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Champion for the second year in a row, Ander Vilarino already lived the experience of racing in the pack on an oval track as a reward for his first title. The Spaniard raced in February in the UNOH Battle at the Beach, at Daytona International Speedway, FL, during the Speedweeks."

"Just like his TFT teammate, Anthony Gandon, Open Division Champion, already raced on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In August the Basque raced in NASCAR Nationwide Series at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio, becoming the first Frenchman to take part in a race in one of the three national series since 1979."

"Since he joined the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, the Swiss has never hidden his ambitions to cross the Atlantic ocean to pursue his career in the United States. By winning the Jerome Sarran Trophy, reserved for drivers younger than 25, Yann Zimmer will make the first step towards his future."

"Reserved for Gentlemen Drivers in the Elite Division with a long and rich experience in motorsports, the Challenger Trophy was the object of a long battle between French driver Guillaume Rousseau and Bruno Cosin. The first ended up winning and will discover an American race for the first time."

...and there's a few more on that page.

And *then*....go here: http://www.nascarwheleneuroseries.com/concept/ to see how the races are formatted. Four races per race day - two in "Open" division and two in "Elite" division.

[Jimmy McKinley]

...and then I saw this from Jasyki tonight:

NASCAR has plan to build an international presence: While battling daily to shore up its U.S. audience, NASCAR still draws offers to showcase its brand around the world. Singapore. Malaysia. Russia. NASCAR senior vice president Steve O'Donnell said the sanctioning body turned down opportunities to bring one of its national series to each country. "We get approached every day," O'Donnell, who oversees NASCAR's global strategy, told USA TODAY Sports. "We've had 20 groups approach us from China. But most of them are one-offs. We keep pushing back and saying we're going to do this but in a smart way. If you can show us how we build stock-car racing, that's something we want to pursue." As NASCAR expands its international media rights with new Fox and NBC deals beginning in 2015 (races currently are seen in more than 150 countries in 23 languages), O'Donnell said Brazil, Japan and Russia are viewed as most enticing for building new series. The hope is that foreign drivers will begin gravitating toward aiming at the Sprint Cup Series instead of open-wheel Formula One.(see full story at the USA Today)(11-24-2013)

[egspeedway]

This sounds like something Larry Sunbrock would have tried. You go into multiple foreign markets,let the host nation pick up all of the facility costs,run races to packed houses then take your cut and go home. Be very careful how often you try this because these people have the same native intelligence as we do and soon their stands will look like our stands. In other words NASCAR should not be jobbing out their product until it returns to the level of competitiveness and popularity it used to have.

[tccaz]

In other words NASCAR should not be jobbing out their product until it returns to the level of competitiveness and popularity it used to have.[/QUOTE]

I don't think NASCAR will ever reach that level of popularity again the yuppie nascar fan has moved on to another form of entertainment and they were the ones who drove nascars popularity up. The old nascar fans are tired of seeing the cookie cutter type of race cars they have today and it will be a while for them to come back, and the fan with a budget just does not have the money to spend on a race weekend anymore.

[luke81]

Wanna bet?

Look up "NASCAR Europe", "NASCAR Mexico", and "NASCAR Canada".

NASCAR started what is basically a NASCAR K&N Series type deal over in Europe; they run in Germany, the UK, France, and even run at Le Mans, Brands Hatch, and Monza. In fact, it's called the "NASCAR Whelen Euro Series": http://www.nascarwheleneuroseries.com/

I said there is no oval development, so yes sir i'll bet The Euro series is only 6 races long and 5 are on road courses. The one oval they run (Tours, France) is tiny much like Bowman-Gray. None of this prepares them to end up over here racing at Charlotte or Daytona. Mexico and Canada are obviously a little different, they're attached to us. I'm all for NASCAR running about 50% of the schedule on road courses. We have some fine road courses in the US that would be great venues. But until that happens they're never going to put more than a token European or two in the field.

[Groundpounder]

Almost every major US corporation has reached out to foreign markets (globalization) to increase sales. It increases their value and bottom line. If sales (tickets and ratings) are slowing in the US (market saturation, demographics and other factors) why wouldn't they reach out to foreign markets to increase sales?

Foreign drivers have been around in the US for a long time in NASCAR. I bet that maybe some of the US fans love to see them or even would love their favorite driver to beat them and send them home!

[Matt Albee]

Not a year goes by that NASCAR doesn't come up with another plan to increase their presence overseas. And this goes back to the 60s. But so far they've made no progress at all. Remember the debut of Geoff Bodine in a stock car in a South American series.? That was many years ago and what have you heard about it since. Remember the hype that NASCAR fed the world about the new Rockingham track in the UK? That track was going to be the start of a NASCAR takeover of sports in Europe.
While NASCAR still drones on about new and exciting plans for racing outside the U.S., it's nothing more than marketing department releases on slow news days. NASCAR has been at this idea for decades and hasn't moved the needle at all. Unless you read their press releases.
Other countries have their own racing series that rival ( in the minds of the locals ) anything NASCAR has. So you won't see any real growth in anything NASCAR overseas. Canada? Yes, NASCAR is fairly popular but they have nothing of their own.

[Matt Albee]

Another example is the big push NASCAR made to get into Australia years ago. They held a few races, brought over some big name NASCAR drivers, and the idea went nowhere. The promoter went broke eventually, but the reason Australians didn't demand more NASCAR in their country is that they already have a series ( the V8 Supercar Series ) that can go head to head with anything Brian France can come up with.
NASCAR has it's own problems right here at home. They've had to remove seats at most of their venues because of low ticket sales. They're removing the entire backstretch grandstands at Daytona from what I've heard. And those stands and suites were new not long ago.

[egspeedway]

In other words NASCAR should not be jobbing out their product until it returns to the level of competitiveness and popularity it used to have.

I don't think NASCAR will ever reach that level of popularity again the yuppie nascar fan has moved on to another form of entertainment and they were the ones who drove nascars popularity up. The old nascar fans are tired of seeing the cookie cutter type of race cars they have today and it will be a while for them to come back, and the fan with a budget just does not have the money to spend on a race weekend anymore.[/QUOTE]

There is quite a bit of truth to this. The greatest generation is gone or to old to travel, the baby boomers are probably the majority of fans in the stands. The generation Xers will not tolerate a substandard product and are the most likely contributor to the empty seats. Worst of all we are not to far away from the next generation and lord knows what they will want or support. Probably a race on the X-box or a phone app. Surely they won't sit in the sun as that would mean it is an outdoor activity.