The Drive to Post-Pandemic Normalcy in NASCAR
As the United States and world strives towards life after the debilitating COVID-19 pandemic, NASCAR looks to expand access as early as the Goodyear 400 race weekend at Darlington (May 8-9, 2021). With various tracks allowing for increased attendance in pod style, socially distanced seating, as reported by FOX NASCAR’s Bob Pockrass, NASCAR will allow a limited number of guests into the garage area.
While NASCAR has yet to officially announce their plans for the Darlington race weekend, the sanctioning body will allow a handful of guests from each team and manufacturer as long as they are fully vaccinated. Certainly, this development proves quite promising for drivers and teams although this expanded access does not include a hauler tour, meeting with a driver, and the access normally enjoyed with a hot pass.
Compared to last year’s resumption of the NASCAR season, when a balance of the races were competitors only at a majority of these tracks, this soft reopening is a welcomed change for drivers and teams like Zane Smith, driver of the No. 21 Chevy Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
“I feel like it should’ve been done a good bit ago, personally,” said Smith. “I feel like it’s only fair for sponsors that want to be involved in our sport. I feel like they should be able to come to the race and enjoy it. I definitely feel this way for fans as well.
“It’s life. You want to live it. I think that’s definitely fair. We obviously hope to see as many as possible at Darlington. I feel like every driver misses having the fans in the infield. It was a weird vibe put out, especially when you’d win and it’s just crickets. Now, I guess, we have fans at the track so it’s getting a little bit back to normal. But not quite what it was. But hopefully, we’ll be back to normal shortly.”
For drivers like Josh Bilicki, who races the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series, this developing situation may prove beneficial for partnerships and their return of investment.
“I haven’t heard anything official from NASCAR yet,” said Bilicki. “But it sounds like we’re going to start opening back up the infield and slowly let sponsors back into the pits, which is essential for small teams and drivers like me. A majority of my sponsorship is sold with intentions of those businesses bringing guests or sales people to the track.”
By all means, NASCAR, teams, and tracks have been strategic with the reopening of the sport. With over 85 million Americans fully vaccinated as of April 20, 2021 per Our World in Data, there is a glimpse of hope that the country is steadily turning the corner with the pandemic.
Still, tracks have limited attendances for a balance of this season’s races as these waters are still somewhat unexplored. Nevertheless, the sanctioning body and its participants are delighted with having any fans at the track versus a speedway void of their supporters.
The increased attendances across various NASCAR tracks isn’t just noticed by the drivers who are fueled by the fans but those who go over the wall. As Breanna O’Leary, a tire changer from the Chip Ganassi Racing organization illustrated, it’s a sign of NASCAR’s staying power through tumultuous times.
“It’s been exciting to look out and see people,” O’Leary observed. “Last year, that became the normal with nobody being out there. So being able to see that is definitely refreshing. At the Truck race in Richmond, there was quite a bit of fans out there. It’s been good to see.
“The love and interest of NASCAR isn’t going anywhere. Having the potential to have some sponsors and non-competitors out there, it kind of brings everything back to the idea that we’re getting back to normal. It’s been a crazy year so it’s good to see us slowly going back to what we know.”
Much like average Americans who’ve had to change their approach with daily tasks like grocery shopping, Tad Geschickter, co-owner of the Nos. 37 and 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevy entries in the Cup division, thought outside the box with a unique concept to bring fans and marketing partners together with the Fanaply digital collectible card series, a realized concept born from a traditional beloved item at the track.
“I think the bigger part of it is people collect a hero card in the garage and they may read up about your sponsor,” Geschickter said. “They may respond to a Facebook post for a special offer, but probably more than likely, they don’t. With a virtual collectible, you can literally power up the value of it on the marketplace by doing different activities with your sponsors.”
As one of the few car owners who traveled to most of the races last year, watching in the owner’s suite at the track, Geschickter realizes the possibilities are endless in this exciting time.
“I think you’re just going to see more of the innovations we’ve done during the pandemic,” he said. “Just because fans are coming back in the stands, why shouldn’t we still want to provide a behind the scenes look at what the teams are doing this week? (Or sharing) all the different ideas we’ve been working on bringing to life? Is there a network that we can stream where all the teams kind of consolidate their social and digital assets so that everyone can follow their favorite team more closely?
“I think it’s an idea whose time has come and something we’re all working towards providing for everybody. So, the fans will be in the stands and then they’ll be able to tune in on Tuesday night to see what happened at JTG Racing.”
As Talladega, Kansas, Dover, Austin and Charlotte prepare for the NASCAR circuit to arrive at their tracks, so are the days most of us have dreamed about and longed for when our world stopped last March.
Written by Rob Tiongson, April 21, 2021
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