re: Explain it to me: Indy vs NASCAR at Texas M.S.

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What's the cultural appeal with NASCAR over open-wheel racing?

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AOW almost died in the late 1990s until 2008 or so. Literally.

NASCAR didn't.

NASCAR has a lot more goodwill to lose.

quote:

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What's the cultural appeal with NASCAR over open-wheel racing?

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NASCAR has always had a good regional following in the South, and a decent amount of fans spread all over.

Then a couple of things happened in the 90's. First, the Indy cars split into 2 series. The best teams and drivers remained in CART, and a bunch of no name drivers & upstart teams founded the Indy Car series. The new Indy series used the Indianapolis 500 to build credibility. Basically a driver couldn't compete in the Indy 500 unless he also competed in the new series. That left the best teams & drivers out of the biggest race.

Secondly, NASCAR was probably entering its zenith around the same time. Drivers like Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Bill Elliot, etc were still competing, while new drivers like Jeff Gordon were making a huge splash. NASCAR started expanding into new markets & new tracks. NASCAR marketed itself as accessible and fan friendly, while Indy Car was the opposite. NASCAR popularity exploded.