Does NASCAR have a next generation of fans?

Does NASCAR have a next generation of fans?

http://speedwayreport.com/for-what-its-worth-future-nascar-attendance/

Certainly an interesting consideration for me. And should be a troubling one for the suits and flip-flop execs in central Florida. In my particular case, NASCAR fandom ends with me. My son turns 21 tomorrow, April 28th. I had hoped he would grow to enjoy racing. Heck, he was destined to become a Kyle Petty and/or a Wood Brothers fan as he was 21" long and weighed 7-11!

I have racing stuff everywhere around here. I've consistently gone to 2-3 Cup races per year since he was born. In recent years, I returned to Nashville's fairgrounds a couple of times per season to watch the local guys battle. I park myself in front of the TV many Saturday nights or Sunday afternoons to watch many laps. But I never pushed any of it on him. Figured he might eventually absorb the passion and ask to go some time. So far, it hasn't happened.

The closest he came to being "bitten" was when we battled hard against each other and the field in the Xbox NASCAR game. Even then, he got to where he enjoyed stopping, turning around, wrecking the field in a pixeled mess, and laughing heartily each time.

I've resigned myself that he probably will not develop much interest much less a passion for racing. On a broader scale, I've now begun to wonder what I should do (or wish done) with all my racing stuff I've collected. My wife sure won't want to keep it. Left to her, it'll likely find its way to a dumpster. Will my kids want it? Ehh, maybe because it belonged to their pop. Beyond the sentimentality of that, however, they won't have the racing connection as part of it.

On the flip side, however, all is not negative. My long-time racing bud and fellow Schaefer HOF co-founder has had a different experience. His son has gone to a few races with us since he was an early teen. He turned 21 last year, we took him to Daytona, and as odd as it was we treated him like a man and one of us. I won't say he is all-in with racing itself though he was partial to Jeff Gordon and now claims Logano as his fave. But he really gets into the race day experience when he goes - something that seems to be lost even from today's fans.

,NASCAR may have a next generation of folks attending races a time or two just for something different and, perhaps, exciting to do. And, there will be a few passionate fans who will develop a love for the sport as I did from age 5, but those will be very few. Even the misdirected efforts of NASCAR to appeal to the demographic they so highly desire, are proving only that the younger generation is fickle and constantly changing with their interests. Under the current leadership, NASCAR will never reach the audience which once filled the stands. I just do not see that happening.

I do know the appearances I do as "The Legend", fans of all ages show up. Many young kids with their parents will always talk to me (the feathers on the cowboy hat being the attraction), and I love that interaction. Some will have a favorite driver, some wouldn't know Jeff Gordon if he walked up to them, but at those ages, say 6 to 12,they do have an interest in the sport. Then comes High School and then, for most, college. When I was growing up,racing was looked down upon as a sport of rough-necks and dirty tracks. My mother didn't even want me telling folks at church that I had been at a short track somewhere with her brother the night before. By 1963, she was the biggest Richard Petty Fan on the planet. She was a race fan until the day she died, as was my Daddy after he discovered the sport in 1963, after I had already been immersed in it for 11 years.

We can't foresee the future. If it were different, I would be out buying lottery tickets by the hand full. However, my best guess is that the future of NASCAR is troubled and may soon be up for such changes as we never imagined and none of those changes good for the advancement of the sport.

Just a little side note here on the writer of the article. I find it almost hilarious that he laments the lack of interest in the automobile by youth these days. While that is true, with the writer being in the insurance industry he should know that insurance rates for young drivers is the primary reason most young folks seek other ways to get aroundunless their parents are rich enough to afford insurance for two under 20 teenagers. My distain for insurance companies comes from many experiences, the first of which prevented me from buying a brand new 1970 Plymouth Super Bird for $1,999.00 when the local Plymouth dealer was clearing out it's stock at the end of the model year. All insurance companies declined coverage because of my age (24) and the uniqueness of the car. Later in life, as I experienced 37 years in the legal practice, I watched insurance company after insurance company put their customers through untold horrors just trying to get a legitimate claim paid. I have often thought of writing a book on the insurance rip-off industry in this county.

Good post, Patrick. We'll see if there is a "next generation". I think not.

My two grandsons have no interest in racing. They have both been to events at Charlotte, as well as a local asphalt and dirt track. One even accompanied me twice to Occoneechee.

Now, one is in high school band and one is entering middle school. They love to play basketball and football... not so much baseball as I did.

One grandson's father owns a flooring business and used to provide carpet and tile installation crews for Lowe's. When he was in the early school grades and before, that grandson naturally pulled for Jimmie Johnson since he'd been to CMS on the expense account of Lowe's.

The high school grandson is busy with band, his multiple girlfriends and driving every chance he gets on his learner's permit. With laptop, school laptop and smart phone, and videro games, he pays no attention to racing.

There was one bright spot Sunday. Tommy was over helping with some chores I can't perform. He came in the den during the Richmond race. Then he opined that Denny wouldn't win because he was driving the wrong FedEx color car that day... not the winning FedEx color combo. Then he left to text his girlfriend.

Before I got my driver's license, I was under the hood of Dad's car changing points, plugs and condenser, air filter and setting timing. I was telling the grandsons about going to Sears when I got my driver's license and buying seat belts for my '57 Chevy and drilling through the floorboard to install them. I also told them about going to the junkyard to get an AM radio and to Pep Boys to get a spring loaded radio antenna and mounting it on the front fender.

When asked how I knew what to do, I had to say I really didn't - I just figured I could. Mom really hated when I bought ramps and a creeper and started changing oi and oil filter out in the street curbside in front of the house. That was way too tacky for her. My grandsons' mothers need not worry. They won't be changing oil or buying race tickets. Sad.

It's an interesting question. I myself am one of 3 or 4 people I know anywhere within 10 years of my age who is into racing. Most every guy my age is into something: football, soccer, baseball, hockey, basketball, and combinations thereof. And one of the ones into racing is only into it as an excuse to go party and get bombed.

There's a neighborhood kid, well he's almost 16 now, and I've been taking him to the vintage races with me since he was about 10. He's been driving my car some for the past couple years, and really loves it. But, he is not interested in NASCAR, don't follow it, and won't watch it on a TV. It seems the enduro-element of NASCAR is a problem with the younger generation. I think auto racing, of some sort, does have a future, but 500 mile-lap-kilometer events may not be the format. NASCAR may have to re-invent itself, and the recent 'heat races' at Bristol may be their first attempt.

Yes i think they will get here but not like in the 60`s 70`s 80`s and 90`s i don`t think the fan base will be as big

My self im in to vinatage racing stuff now i was at Road ATL last weekend and i mean that place was packed

As a number of people on this site know, my grandson Ethan, enjoys racing and the history of racing. I don't think he will ever be a die hard race fan though.

There are too many other sports, video games, girls and other things to occupy his time. I am proud that he is at least interested somewhat in racing.