NASCAR has been actively traveling to new places in recent years, with races taking place everywhere from Mexico City to the streets of downtown Chicago.
The heart of the NASCAR season will always be at its classic tracks, but by including new locations on the schedule year-to-year, the sport is able to reach new fans and stretch its imprint further.
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NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell doesn’t sound like he plans on slowing down the travel plans of the Cup Series any time soon, and in fact apparently has a new, massive trip on his mind: Europe.
Appearing as a guest on Racin’ With The Boys, O’Donnell didn’t shy away when asked about taking a run at expanding NASCAR’s European foothold.
“We have a NASCAR Europe Series. Really small,” O’Donnell said. “We race at Brands Hatch and there’s 50,000 people there. It’s crazy. And the whole race is around like, Americana. You’d go there and be like, ‘What is happening?’ There’s guys in football helmets, cheerleaders, they’re just celebrating everything about America.”
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O’Donnell cited the success NASCAR had in bringing a car to Le Mans in 2023 and the interest it brought, and thinks there’s room for more.
“I think the next step for us is just plopping a race in Europe and saying ‘This is how we race. This is what NASCAR racing is all about.’ And I think fans will love it. And I think they’ll realize there’s more beatin’ and bangin’, there’s more personality.”
“We’re not F1. That’s a different feel, different vibe, and they’ve got their own lane,” O’Donnell concluded. “F1’s that aspiration brand. To me, we’re the common person. Let’s go have some fun.”
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Bringing NASCAR across an ocean would be a seismic endeavor, but F1 makes the global circuit work week to week, so it’s obviously not impossible. And with Formula 1 having recently expanded its American position with races in Miami and Las Vegas in addition to COTA, maybe it’s time for NASCAR to take its show overseas and plant a flag.
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