NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch has opened up on the problem affecting the sport’s popularity, which declined after the 2008 economic crisis. While one aspect of it is what Busch calls a “culture problem,” the other part is the decline in the number of NASCAR fans.
Stock car racing enjoyed a boost in popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, the scene shifted after the recession. Today, there are several activities people can enjoy on a weekend rather than attending a NASCAR race, according to Busch, who said he would not pay for a race and stand all day under the sun.
While NASCAR has taken several steps to improve the sport’s popularity, such as the introduction of the Chicago street race and media collaborations, such as the one with Netflix for the NASCAR: Full Speed docuseries, Busch has his own opinion about NASCAR’s popularity. When asked why the sport isn’t as popular as it used to be around twenty years ago, he told The Athletic:
“That’s a tough one. I think it’s a culture problem, and I say that in regard to the world culture. In the ’80s and ’90s, you had a bunch of Hot Rod guys who were cool with souping up their 1970s, 1980s street rods. A lot of those guys are aged out.
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“I just think the problem we’re running into is there’s not a lot of race fans anymore. People would always bring their kids to the track, but now there are just so many other things people can do otherwise. Going to the lake, taking your kids to a bounce house.
“No offense, but we just stood outside, right? It’s 90-something degrees outside. Who wants to sit in metal bleachers under the sun for three hours? If you’re out there, God bless you. More power to you. I appreciate that. We need to do more for those people who are here and who give us their time and their money. But you’re not going to find me out there.”
In a recent interview, Busch also highlighted how young drivers are getting paid less than before, which could push them to continue racing into their forties. He said:
“I’m just making up a number – if we’ve made $50 million over our career, they’re probably only going to be around the $20–25 million range over the course of their career. So, they may have to go – they may have to go further.
“This car is harder on you, so I don’t know. I think there’s a lot of factors that’ll go into that, right? So, um, I don’t want to speculate as to when drivers should hang it up or whatever. But, I mean, if you’re competitive and winning and you know you’re making the most of your team and everything else with what you got, then keep going as long as you’re happy.”