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Pro Sports (NASCAR Included) Can't Ignore Female Fans

Any marketing expert worth their salt can tell you that women are a force to be reckoned with. They represent around 40% of NASCAR fans and they spend money. Just like men, women bond with players--and they lust after them (likely different than most men). The aritcle points to NASCAR's partnership with Harlequin for racing-themed romance novels as their effort to reach out to the female demographic. Baby steps for sure, but certainly a step in the right direction...

Neighbors to the North, Beware...Here Comes NASCAR!

With the announcement that NASCAR's Busch series will be adding a date in Montreal to their 2007 schedule, Canadian motorsports fans will get a little taste of the speed that has been adopted by the US of A. With a race in Canada and a race in Mexico, NASCAR is expanding its reach across North America--what's next? A track in Alaska perhaps?

NASCAR v. NFL: A Comparison

An intersting new article in the Kansas City Starcompares NASCAR vs. NFL, taking elements such as popular young drivers/players (Roush driver Carl Edwards, Chiefs RB Larry Johnson), the cost of uniforms, popular personalities, TV audience, noise, instant replay, the fans and the physical nature of the sports. Useful for fans of both sports, but like most data, the glass can be either half-empty or half-full depending on your view.

The Governator Reaches Out to the NASCAR Masses

With just weeks left before November elections, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger played host to the largest block of voters one could get in a single location--a NASCAR race. Playing to the crowd, Arnold indirectly appealed to a key voting block and showed he was a man of the NASCAR people. At least he did not have to squeeze into the passenger seat of a stock car...

FDNY: NASCAR Kills 6 Each Weekend

If there ever was an argument that data can be manipulated in the wrong hands, enter the latest news from the FDNY as a prime example. In the ongoing political circus that surrounds the bid for a track close to NYC, the FDNY has put forth the statistic that NASCAR weekend leads to six deaths. From heart attacks to traffic deaths, the claims by the FDNY make NASCAR sound more dangerous than driving through Compton or swimming with stingrays (RIP Steve Irwin). Even foes of the NYC track will have a hard time swallowing the six deaths per race stat. Deaths will happen whether NASCAR comes to NY--but now at least the FDNY has someone to pin them on.

Does Yankee Damon Care More About NASCAR Than Baseball?

In a rare glimpse into the psyche of Yankee Johnny Damon, Baltimore Sun sports scribe Roch Kubatko reveals that after today's game, he hit the showers....and the TV, in search of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400. Apparently Damon would have been there in person if he did not have a baseball career standing in the way.

Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday Proves True for Ford

For most NASCAR sponsors, a tie to motorsports is a positive association. It can increase employee morale and introduce a brand and its products and services to a fiercely loyal NASCAR fan base. And for Ford, it means selling cars--and lots of them. Ford introduced the Fusion into the Nextel Cup last year, and since then has sold over 100,000 cars to American consumers, many of whom are NASCAR fans. It does not hurt that drivers like series leader Matt Kenseth are tearing up the track, bringing the Fusion into the winners circle time and again. So sponsors can learn from this--pick the driver you sponsor carefully to ensure that your dollars get the widest exposure possible--especially important during the start of the all-important "Race for the Chase" final races...

NASCAR and Sponsors, Sitting in a Tree...

RPM Blog is willing to bet that you all saw Talladega Nights. We are also willing to bet that even if you did not love it, you A) probably liked it better than Days of Thunder and B) felt it was a pretty fair representation of NASCAR, even if it was a bit blown out of proportion. So it should come as no surprise that media outlets are taking notice of NASCAR's allegiance to sponsors, as highlighted by Ricky Bobby and company. Without sponsors, NASCAR would not be where it is today. Sponsors are good for the sport and each year brings new and interesting backers to the sport. From big pharma to global shippers to hard liquor, anything that can be sold is a likely sponsor and provides a chance to drivers to make it to the big show.

Is NASCAR Turning Democrat?

Recent media coverage by every media outlet seems to point to cracks in the Republican stronghold present in the NASCAR fan base. Here is where stereotyping can go wrong--or at least be perceived to offer insights which are flawed. NASCAR fans are patriotic, (generally) religious, support our troops, and are strongly loyal to the USA. But when troops die, they have issues with government, and can't properly channel their frustration, they may favor change. This does not mean that they will put Al Gore in office, but it may mean they might not be 100% behind Bush. If the Republicans and Democrats alike address the needs of their constituents, NASCAR fans and non-fans will elect the right person to serve them come November.

Rocket Racing: NASCAR in the Sky

While RPM Blog usually just covers NASCAR and the related tie-ins (that's quite enough to cover, given how big NASCAR has grown), we deviate just a bit and hope you will bear with us. No, we are not going to weigh in on Katie Couric or The View or whether Survivor is racist. We would like to introduce you to an interesting idea that might actually take flight soon--rocket racing.

Picture sponsored planes--rockets actually--flying around a track in the sky at speeds in excess of 250 mph aiming for a purse of $2m plus in the Rocket Racing League (RRL). Speed junkies who love NASCAR would tune in for sure. Although I do not think anyone would wish a mid-air wreck or running out of gas on any of the competitors. Far fetched--a little bit, but who would have guess that NASCAR would have 75 million fans following its humble start on Daytona Beach? RPM Blog likes the idea of rocket racing a lot--sign us up!