NASCAR built the first mainstream motorsport for middle America, riding waves of TV exposure and tobacco money. Authentic southeastern culture, iconic drivers like Dale Earnhardt, and massive tracks pulling 150,000+ crowds made it a Fortune 500 sponsor magnet.
A cascade of missteps alienated fans: confusing playoff formats, boring car designs, a bloated 36-race schedule. The Great Recession killed sponsors. Stars retired without replacements. Worst of all, NASCAR chased coastal markets while abandoning its blue-collar roots—softening the brand to court new audiences but losing the core base that built it.
Viewership down over 50% since 2005. Median fan age near 60. Major sponsors like Xfinity walking away. Still operating, but the flywheel is reversing—trying Formula 1's playbook with new stars and YouTube channels, but the damage runs deep.
