• Loading stock data...
Monday, February 17, 2025

What a Hamilton Move to NASCAR Could Mean for the Sport

He is arguably the most popular motorsports driver in the world.

Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton (above) has hinted at wanting to run a NASCAR race. Could we see him in NASCAR’s Great American Race, the Daytona 500. Image from Rye-House.

Crossover between drivers in different types of motorsports has not been very common, but Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton raised an interesting point, hinting that he might end up in NASCAR one day.

Hamilton, who has three world championships, has expressed his love for stock car racing and stated that one day he’d, “love to have a closer look at it.”

Several NASCAR drivers have crossed over into Indy car and completed “The Double,” where they run both Indycar’s Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, but beyond that, there has not been much crossover between drivers from different types of motorsports.

If Hamilton were to come to NASCAR full-time or even for a single race, it could do wonders for the business of the sport.

To consider how Hamilton coming to NASCAR might help the business of the sport, let’s take a look at it from the standpoint of viewership demographics.

If you have liked this, click the???? below or next to the article so other people will see this here on Medium.

The 32-year-old, who has 55 F1 wins and is from England, could certainly help NASCAR draw in international fans. Nineteen different countries are represented on the 2017 F1 schedule, which means a large representation in countries across the world when it comes to viewership.

According to a New York Times article, “Formula One attracts more than 400 million viewers around the world. It is shown in more than 150 countries through 115 broadcasting partners, totaling 41,945 hours of coverage.”

https://frontofficesports.com/ryan-newman-and-velveeta-announce-sponsorship-and-sweepstakes-295e84164b8b

The article specifically looked at Italy’s demographics and found that F1 was more popular among 4 to 14 year olds than viewers ages 25 to 34 and fell off significantly in fans over 45.

The 2016 article stated that although F1 viewership had fallen since 2014, it was still the most watched form of motorsports.

According to a 2016 study, NASCAR’s demographic is actually comprised of fans outside the southeast United States, contrary to what many people believe.

Scarborough research found that 58% of NASCAR fans inside the United States live outside the southeast region of the country, although it does not state if that is only a study of fans in the United States. The sport is still largely male dominated, with 62% of its viewers being male, only a 1% decrease from the firm’s 2009 findings.

The NYT article noted, “Ultimately, Formula One remains the richest, most dazzling series with the most advanced car racing technology, performing on the best tracks with the best drivers.”

Hamilton would not be the first driver to move from one series to another. NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and John Andretti have all done “The Double,” running the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600, the day prior to Memorial Day.

John Andretti became the first NASCAR driver to complete “The Double” running the Verizon Indy Car’s Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Image from The Spokesman Review.

That type of crossover is good for motorsports, as it gets fans of NASCAR following the Indycar race to see how their driver fares, even if just for one race.

Speaking from experience, a multitude of NASCAR fans that attended the 2014 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway tuned into the Indy 500 to follow Busch’s progress, as the event was broadcast live on the speedway’s jumbotron.

If drivers venturing into different types of racing becomes more common, expect to see each type of motorsports gain a new demographic of fan in terms of which action they prefer.

https://frontofficesports.com/ryan-newman-and-velveeta-announce-sponsorship-and-sweepstakes-295e84164b8b

If Hamilton comes to NASCAR, many Formula One fans might follow. Although he remained non-committal on his plans, he did note that it interests him, saying “I think us drivers should be able to do more than one series,” before concluding with saying he’d like to enter the Daytona 500.

Will we see Lewis Hamilton enter NASCAR’s Great America Race, the Daytona 500 in the future? Stay tuned to find out.


Front Office Sports is a leading multi-platform publication and industry resource that covers the intersection of business and sports.

Want to learn more, or have a story featured about you or your organization? Contact us today.

https://upscri.be/f32ae1

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Dec 22, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs with the football before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium.

After Months of Trash-Talking, Noah Lyles and Tyreek Hill Agree to Race

The Olympic sprinter and NFL wideout will race after months of talks.

NASCAR’s New Media Deals Launch As Michael Jordan’s Lawsuit Looms

The Daytona 500 begins the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Race leader and eventual stage winner Primož ROGLIČ (SVN/RedBull-Bora-Hansgrohe) in the final kilometer up the finish climb of stage 19 from Logroño to Alto De Moncalvillo (ESP/168km) of the 79th La Vuelta Ciclista a España 2024 on 6 September. // Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202409060905 // Usage for editorial use only //Primož ROGLIČ (SVN/RedBull-Bora-Hansgrohe) congratulated by teammate Florian LIPOWITZ (DEU/RedBull - BORA - hansgrohe) after a very strong stage 13 from Lugo to Puerto De Ancares (ESP/171km) of the 79th La Vuelta Ciclista a España 2024 on 30 August

Red Bull Is on a Hot Streak in Sports. Can It Win..

The company is betting on a big future in cycling.

Featured Today

Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team United States forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) and Team Canada forward brandon Hagel (38) fight in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre.

Inside the Push for the NHL’s Next Era of International Competition

Players have been clamoring, and the league is all in.
Aug 11, 2024; Paris, France; Medals are carried out on Louis Vuitton trays after the women's volleyball gold medal match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at South Paris Arena
February 16, 2025

LVMH’s New Push: World’s Most Powerful Luxury Group Is Coming for Sports

LVMH is making long-term deals—and they’re not done.
Feb 18, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Eastern Conference guard Damian Lillard (0) of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after a play during the second half of the 73rd NBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
February 15, 2025

The NBA’s Latest Attempt To Solve the All-Star Game Conundrum

A new mini-tournament on a lame-duck network may not solve the problem.
Jan 9, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena
February 11, 2025

‘Important’ 4 Nations Face-Off Can Be NHL’s All-Star Antidote

“The stars have been lobbying the league for an event like this.”
Tom Brady

Tom Brady Calls Chiefs Conspiracy Theories ‘BS’

The Fox analyst defended NFL refs ahead of Super Bowl LIX.
Sponsored

Surprising Ticket Trends for NFL Championship Sunday

The AFC and NFC Championship Games are producing several interesting ticket storylines.
Sponsored

Bucking the Trend: Super Bowl Ticket Prices Cool Off

The Big Game in the Big Easy won’t break ticket-price records.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Sponsored

Records and High Prices for NFL Wild Card Weekend

The league is seeing several record first-round prices, according to TickPick.
Sponsored

Home Games, Bowls, Bad Weather: The 12-Team College Football Playoff Is Here

Home Games, Bowls, Bad Weather: The 12-Team CFB Playoff Is Here
Sponsored

High Prices for High-Drama College Football Conference Championships

CFB’s new-look conferences—and title game matchups—are having a direct effect on demand for tickets.
Lane Kiffin
December 4, 2024

College Football Devolves Into Sniping As Playoff Bracket Nears

From Lane Kiffin to Jim Phillips, no one is holding back.