The dynamic nature of motorsports is what keeps the adrenaline high and ensures that fans have something new to witness always. While some fans often accept these changes wholeheartedly, others are not on the same page. Recently, NASCAR insider and quite a fan favorite, Ken Schrader revealed his two cents on the changing nature of NASCAR. 

He shared his take on what he thought the leadership looked like in quite a well-put-together method. Be it the changes in the rules governing the cars, drivers, or even contracts, NASCAR has not been dormant for sure! While his opinions might not be siding with a lot of popular critics, he is certainly not the one who backs down from his stance. 

Ken Schrader seems to side with NASCAR leadership 

NASCAR has been at the juncture of criticism for quite some time now. Fans believe that it has forgotten its original essence and often fabricates rules or brings new dimensions just so that it can please sponsors. To add to that, there are also assumptions that there have been instances when NASCAR has even manipulated the game outcomes and put forth decisions in favor of high-profile drivers just to seek momentum and coverage. 

Another factor that has contributed to massive backlash from fans is the demeanor and the way the France family has been leading NASCAR. There has been a common opinion that the only thing this family cares about is family, and they are not proactive in maintaining the sanctity and raw nature of NASCAR as a sport. The ‘tyranny’ of the France Family has been called out by team owners like NBA legend Michael Jordan. The basketball legend filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR earlier this year. This came after NASCAR asked teams to sign the charter deal in a massive time-crunch. 

Although fans might not accept Jim France’s leadership as the right stance for the growth of NASCAR, insider Ken Schrader is of a varied opinion. He explained, “We got some people, whose opinion is that NASCAR isn’t want it used to be. Well, there are a lot things that isn’t what they used to be. So hey the world’s got issues. But you know NASCAR has its own issues also but they don’t have any that’s getting ready to put them out of business or anything. They’re doing just fine and what excites me, some people won’t agree but it looks like we have got some really good leadership in place to carry it into the future”. 

Schrader believes Jim France, the current CEO of NASCAR, has a lot to offer in terms of his leadership. After all, he is the son of NASCAR founder William France Sr., the person who commercialized the sport. Jim worked closely with his father in different aspects of the sport before finally filling in the shoes as CEO. In fact, Jim France was a key player in turning NASCAR into a global sport in the 1990s and the 2000s.

Two decades later, NASCAR’s $7.7 billion media rights deal is enough proof of the work France has put in behind the helm of NASCAR. The deal comes at a time of fleeting broadcast numbers from the sport, with peak viewership data being far from what it was a few years ago. Understanding the impact of digital streaming partners, NASCAR joined hands with Amazon, a platform its fans are familiar with, to broadcast their races. It even earned a promise from the streaming platform, as NASCAR President Steve Phelps explained. “When we were having discussions about the deal itself, we made a big deal about promotion, and [Amazon] told us that they were going to treat us at the level of the NFL. And that’s saying something. I think they’ve had tremendous success, and the growth that they’ve had with Thursday Night Football has been extraordinary.” 

This comes as a stand after NASCAR has been able to garner potential sponsorships and maintain the tie-up with names like Coca-Cola, Xfinity, Chevrolet, and even Goodyear. There has been a spark of interest in the sport in overseas markets as well. Recently there was an official announcement which revealed that the NASCAR Cup Series will be taking place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

NASCAR family amends rules pertaining to charter agreement 

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There was a time when the members of the founding family  could not buy a charter. However, in a recent turn of events, NASCAR seemed to get away with this rule as well. While some fans have called it a hypocritical move, others still side with the France family. The founding father, Bill France Sr., and any of his family members were prohibited from owning any of the charters. However, with the expiration of the validity of the charter agreement, this rule was also done away with. This announcement saw a mass upheaval where fans called the move out to be highly tyrannical and imposed just for the monetary benefit of the France family. 

Jim France reportedly took up meetings with NASCAR team owners individually, a strategy Denny Hamlin described as a ‘divide-and-conquer’ tactic. In a way, it ensured NASCAR could get the agreement done in the way they wanted to. Not to mention, as Richard Childress himself explained later, teams had a very short time given to them in order to review the new agreement and sign it.

This was a part of the highly controversial charter agreement that ended up with a lawsuit against the France Family filed by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin-owned Team 23XI. While many question recent decisions, others trust the vision to sustain and grow the sport’s legacy despite the controversies.