NASCAR has a marketing problem.
More specifically, NASCAR and its sponsors have a driver marketing problem.
Back on Feb. 19, the day of the Daytona 500, I only recall seeing one commercial during the entire FOX broadcast that featured a driver speaking words.
It was the hilarious Chili’s ad featuring Corey LaJoie modifying his No. 7 Spire Chevrolet to run on margaritas.
“It’s Chili’s science!” LaJoie declared as he fueled the car up, his face covered in margarita salt, a clear euphemism for … well … nevermind.
It aired at least twice during the race.
I haven’t seen it on TV since. But Chili’s continues to sponsor LaJoie’s on-board camera each race.
Then there was the Consumer Cellular campaign with Brad Keselowski and the “half-car.”
A great social media asset for sure, but as far as I know, it never aired on TV where I live. If you have seen it on TV, let me know where in the comments.
Both ads featured great performances by LaJoie and Keselowski and reminded me of the halcyon days of the 2000s, when drivers were featured in commercials for the products that sponsored them at every turn and every commercial break.
Then the 2008 recession hit, and companies would now rather use targeted social media ads and blah … blah …blah.
Ally Financial and Bass Pro Shops are more than happy to spend the money on ads during races … as long as they feature Dale Earnhardt Jr. doing a voiceover.
Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Jr. and Austin Dillon are nowhere in sight.
Bowman was technically in one a year or two ago, but he was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it aspect of it. Which is a shame, because Bowman’s the funniest driver in the Cup Series, and his droll sense of humor needs to be utilized.
Truex was in that Toyota Racing “corner office” ad last year, but said ad never identified Truex or any of the other motorsports drivers included in it.
The last time I recall NASCAR airing a commercial itself that showed off multiple drivers and their personalities was a NASCAR Fantasy ad.
It was cute.
But it’s at least four years old now, right?
*check notes*
It aired in 2018.
Since then, we’ve been inundated with a constant steam of the overly dramatic “I am NASCAR” ads, which are only slightly more useful than the old Nationwide Series ads proclaiming it the series “where names are made”… and didn’t name any drivers.
And in 2024, there’s an even bigger problem with the marketing of the sport.
Where the heck is Ryan Blaney?
The guy with movie-star, Ryan-Gosling looks (when clean-faced and with a beard).
The man who isn’t afraid to lip synch to Celine Dion in the name of entertainment.
The driver who has been ready, willing and able to appear on the reboot of “Magnum P.I.,” the “Taken” TV series, Netflix’s one-and-done season of “The Crew” and, as himself, in the stellar “NASCAR: Full Speed” docuseries.
NASCAR, you want Ryan Blaney on that wall, you need Ryan Blaney on that wall!
And Blaney wants to take his momentum and roll with it.
As long as it fits into his schedule.
“It’s a balance of, obviously, the job comes first,” Blaney said last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. “I’ve always told people ‘OK, great, these opportunities are awesome, but if they ever interfere with my work then I’m not doing it, and that’s just the way it is.'”
Blaney added, “Outside of that, if it’s things in the offseason, if there’s things during the week where I have a free couple days, I’ll go do it. Whether it’s shows or red carpets, things like that. There’s a lot of cool things I think coming down the pipeline that are gonna be fun that we’re just trying to schedule out to where it doesn’t interfere with my job.”
At the end of the day, NASCAR’s newest defending champion wants to be a superstar for the sport. And he wants to be in the same discussion as the guy who defined what a post-Richard Petty superstar was.
“I want to be Jeff Gordon in the ’90s,” Blaney said. “He was everywhere, and he was just, Jeff Gordon in the ’90s, right?
“It’s led him to where he is today and just notoriety. So that’s the goal. I think that’s what everyone wants to be.”
It’s been 23 years since Gordon, fresh off winning his fourth NASCAR Cup Series title, became the first and only NASCAR driver to host “Saturday Night Live.”
If there’s anyone who can (and should have hosted it at the end of 2023), it’s Blaney.
Gordon of the ’90s was an incredible anomaly.
Was he talented? Yes.
Did he have Hollywood looks? After 1993, you betcha.
Did he have a personality that could work on SNL?
Uh …
In 2024, Blaney has all the ingredients to be a superstar.
But he can’t get there alone.
This is Daniel McFadin’s 11th season covering NASCAR, with six years spent at NBC Sports. This is his fourth year writing columns for Frontstretch. His columns won third place in the National Motorsports Press Association awards for 2021.
Daniel McFadin is a 10-year veteran of the NASCAR media corp. He wrote for NBC Sports from 2015 to October 2020. He currently works full time for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and is lead reporter and an editor for Frontstretch. He is also host of the NASCAR podcast "Dropping the Hammer with Daniel McFadin" presented by Democrat-Gazette.
You can email him at danielmcfadin@gmail.com.