NASCAR has a problem: its fans are getting older. Nielsen data in 2017 placed the median age of a NASCAR viewer at 58. This was one of the oldest among major U.S. sports. Meanwhile, younger audiences continue drifting toward creators, esports, and streaming platforms. While the sanctioning body has acknowledged the issue for years, its modernization efforts have struggled to keep pace with cultural shifts. Now, the NASCAR Cup Series is preparing a significant step that could redefine its connection with the next generation.
Those within NASCAR leadership have already laid the groundwork for this pivot. Since joining the sanctioning body in 2019, Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s senior VP of racing development and strategy, has been a key figure. He’s led initiatives like the Chicago Street Race and the Clash at the Coliseum. These were bold experiments designed to capture mainstream attention. Yet even these high-profile innovations highlight the magnitude of the challenge. A younger audience consumes sports differently, prioritizing digital-first storytelling and creator-driven content over traditional broadcasts. NASCAR’s next step suggests just how urgent it views the situation. This is proven by the willingness to take measures that would have been unthinkable in its more conservative past.
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NASCAR Cup Series to boost its reach
In 2025, NASCAR turned to Night Advisory, a new agency created by talent management firm Night, to lead a bold digital strategy shift. Night is best known for managing creators such as Kai Cenat and once guiding MrBeast during his rise to global dominance. NASCAR became one of the agency’s inaugural clients, tasking it with overhauling the league’s approach to social media content. Over the past eight months, Night has activated creators like nine-year-old “The Rizzler” and YouTuber “Agent 00.” The celebrities were brought to NASCAR’s most prestigious events, from the Daytona 500 to livestreamed fan experiences at tracks. These efforts mark a departure from sponsor-heavy promos. The focus is on a creator-driven model designed to inject NASCAR into internet culture.
This strategy was not born in a vacuum. According to Ad Age, NASCAR’s chief brand officer Tim Clark first approached Night’s founder, Reed Duchscher, seeking to “understand this new world of the internet and how [NASCAR] could start reaching a younger audience.” Ad Age confirmed the partnership in a recent tweet, writing that NASCAR hired Night Advisory “to ‘understand this new world of the internet and how (NASCAR) could start reaching a younger audience.’”. Instead of relying solely on in-house resources, NASCAR is borrowing cultural relevance from creators with millions of young fans. For a league where traditional TV audiences still make up the bulk of revenue, it represents a high-stakes gamble.
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Despite the risk, NASCAR executives, including Kennedy, believe the risk is worth taking. In earlier interviews, he emphasized the importance of creating new racing experiences. His role in pushing innovation reflects a broader recognition: NASCAR must compete in the same attention economy that has made influencers household names.
If successful, collaborations with internet stars could create viral moments that shift perceptions of stock car racing, pulling in a generation otherwise distant from the sport. But if the efforts appear forced or inauthentic, NASCAR risks alienating both younger viewers and its traditional base.
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Kennedy defends the All-Star race
NASCAR’s showcase exhibition events, The Clash and The All-Star Race, are often dismissed as non-points filler by many fans. But executive vice president Ben Kennedy seems to think otherwise. His recent comments speak actively against their “exhibition” status. In recent interviews, Kennedy emphasized both races’ distinct roles and how they contribute to NASCAR’s identity and connection with both longtime fans and newcomers. As changes to their locations and formats are announced for 2026, the importance he places on maintaining tradition while experimenting with novelty becomes impossible to ignore.
Kennedy explained that the All-Star Race and The Clash are built for different but complementary audiences. He described the All-Star Race as “more of your kind of traditional, expected tracks, but your points-paying type of facilities,” emphasizing its history and pedigree. In contrast, The Clash has been reshaped to bridge the gap between loyal NASCAR fans and newer, less seasoned viewers.
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Kennedy also offered data and venue changes to reinforce this distinction. He pointed out that at a Clash event in Los Angeles, over 70% of attendees had never been to a NASCAR event before. This signaled The Clash’s potential for reaching fresh viewers. Furthermore, the Clash will be held at Bowman Gray Stadium in 2026, reinforcing its experimental, local-flavor style. Meanwhile, the All-Star Race will move to Dover Motor Speedway. Kennedy has said both will remain on the calendar, even as NASCAR works to “widen the differences between that and The Clash.” The moves suggest NASCAR is leaning into segmentation. One event to honor racing legacy, the other to grow its fanbase.
Kennedy also stressed that these changes are not superficial but deliberate. With the All-Star Race shifting to Dover and The Clash embracing venues like Bowman Gray, the sport is balancing respect for tradition with innovation in location and audience. For NASCAR’s stakeholders, the stakes are high. Getting this right could reinforce loyalty among longtime followers while increasing relevance among new ones. If successful, the adjustments may serve as a blueprint for how NASCAR handles other marquee events in the years ahead.