NASCAR May Be Banking on the Return of North Wilkesboro and Iowa to Boost Popularity

The NASCAR racing series has been around for 75 years, which is a very long time. Without a doubt, it is hugely popular among the masses, but over the years, interest has been waning. Some of the evidence comes from the TV viewership numbers, and they say that viewership has been on a steady decline. So what can be done to get the sport out of this pit?

Of course, NASCAR has transformed a lot over the years, introducing new regulations, safety enhancements, and new formats. That last one particularly relates to the Playoff format that was introduced all the way back in 2004. As it happens, the format has been hugely divisive for the fans and the experts. Since then, the popularity of the stock car racing series has been fluctuating a lot and continues to do so to this day. Naturally, the sport’s heads tried their hardest to boost the sport with a number of steps that received mixed reviews. The latest one refers to the addition of new tracks to the calendar.

What is the latest stunt that NASCAR has pulled to revive its popularity?

In the buildup to the 2023 NASCAR Cup season, there were some massive announcements. One of them was the return of the North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time since 1996. It was all thanks to the tireless efforts of Dale Earnhardt Jr to restore the track to its former glory. It didn’t take long for NASCAR officials to include the iconic race track to the 2023 calendar as an All-Star race.

Prior to that, the Los Angeles Coliseum was added as the Busch Light Clash pre-season race from 2022 onwards. Along with North Wilkesboro, the series hosted the inaugural Chicago Street race. Now, for the 2024 season, another old track is back on the Cup Series calendar, namely the Iowa Speedway. Additionally, news broke that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval would return to the calendar.

Why are the numbers constantly plummeting every race weekend?

Apparently, the easiest target for fans’ ire is the television broadcast. To be fair though, TV broadcast is far from easy, especially since the programme runs for nearly three hours or more. In the early days, NASCAR television announcers used to have all the information in front of them and it was more than what the fans knew. However, in the current day and age, fans have access to the same information as the broadcast at their fingertips.

Interestingly, fans view race day TV broadcasts as part of the overall NASCAR experience. In fact, they believe that this kind of experience is almost as good as being at the track itself. Unfortunately, the TV viewership is declining, and the numbers are showing it. As it happens, the ratings for every race this season have been down compared to the previous year.

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Giving his take on the situation, Broadcast and Entertainment Communications Director for NASCAR, Scott Warfield, told Bleacher Report in 2014, “I know the narrative has been that the ratings are being pummeled and they’re down, but that’s not what we’re seeing. In 2010, we averaged 5.9 million viewers per race. Last year that number was 5.8. The Daytona 500 every year is our marker in the sand. It’s our one race that pulls the casual fans from all over the country that tune in once a year to check out the biggest race of the year.” But what did Scott Warfield mean when he said, ‘that’s not what we’re seeing’?

Well, according to reports, between February and July, NASCAR dominates the regular season on television. Admittedly, the numbers dipped during the 2000s, but the good news is that they are slowly coming back up. Reports suggest that in 2013, nearly 70 million unique viewers tuned in to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Compared to 2012, there was a one percent increase in average viewership to 5.8 million viewers in 2013. Additionally, the majority of the race weekends saw greater TV ratings compared to 2012. For the boost, most of the pressure was on the season-opening race, the Daytona 500. Unfortunately, in 2013, the sport witnessed a nearly six-and-a-half-hour delay, a first in Daytona 500 history. Naturally, the primary culprit was inclement weather, and it pushed the race back even further. As a result, NASCAR lost 44 percent of the audience, and it proved costly.

What is the solution to boost the popularity of NASCAR?

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Sadly for the stock car racing series, it only got worse, as the average viewership plummeted further. By 2019, the viewership count was down to 2.92 million, which is a near 50% drop. Another factor behind the dip in popularity is the loss of big names. In other words, there are no Earnhardts, Johnsons, Gordons, Stewarts, or others to draw in the fans. Furthermore, another stalwart of the game will hang up his boots at the end of the season, Kevin Harvick.

Of course, there is the current generation of stars, like Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, and more. However, they will need time to reach the level of popularity that the previous generation enjoyed. Of course, the return of tracks like Iowa, North Wilkesboro and Indianapolis can also tug on the fans’ nostalgia. Many of the longtime fans would have been dreaming of seeing older tracks return to the Cup calendar. And just think of the fans in Newton, Iowa, who would be flocking to the track next year, after a long-long wait to witness their favorite drivers pass them on the track at 200 MPH.

Before the North Wilkesboro race, Brad Keselowski said, “I did not see this track being able to be restored. It’s certainly a massive point of pride, and a lot of credit to Governor Cooper and (Speedway Motorsports CEO) Marcus Smith and his team for all they did to do that. It’s so much work. Oh my goodness. And they busted their b*tt. I’m glad to see it come to together. It feels like this is NASCAR saying, ‘We want to do this and we want to do it right.”

However, one has to wonder if NASCAR really needs the involvement of legendary drivers in order to be successful again. After all, the North Wilkesboro race would not have been possible without Dale Earnhardt Jr. Given the impact that he has on the sport, he would certainly have a Midas touch. But can NASCAR stand on its own two feet without relying on him and other legendary racers?

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