Getty Jenson Button has spoken about NASCAR's pursuit of international markets.
NASCAR has the goal of branching out to international audiences in future seasons. Jenson Button sees a path forward for the move, but he also recognizes one potential hurdle for new fans to overcome.
The 2009 Formula One World Champion met with media members on June 20 to recap the 24 Hours of Le Mans and preview the Chicago Street Race. He used the opportunity to explain that there could be a fanbase in Europe that appreciates the big engines and close-quarters racing but struggles to adjust to the aggressiveness inherent to NASCAR.
“I think there are certain things that the European fanbase will struggle with,” Button explained. “I think the big one is the ‘no rules’ in terms of how aggressive you can be on the track. I think that’s one thing that takes all of us time to get into, in any category of NASCAR.
“We struggle with that initially, because it’s completely different to any other type of racing, where in other racing if you tap a guy, you’re probably going to get a penalty or damage your car. Whereas, in NASCAR, that’s not the case. You can hit people, and it’s down to the other guy either to retaliate or to move out of the way.”
European Fans Embraced the Over-the-Top Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro
GettyJenson Button (front) prepares for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As Button explained during his media session, there were countless fans that embraced NASCAR competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They cheered every time the Chevrolet Camaro passed another car, and they loved having something so over-the-top on the starting grid.
Does this mean that European fans will watch any of the upcoming Cup Series races? It is possible, especially with Button returning to the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang for the Chicago Street Race.
If these fans do tune in for the inaugural race on the streets of The Windy City, they will likely see something quite different than Button’s first start at Circuit of the Americas. There will be inevitable cautions, but the drivers will likely approach the course differently due to the barriers in place and the potential for race-ending damage.
“There’s no room for error,” Button added. “You can’t dive into corners, make a mistake and then the next lap around, take it a little bit easier because you’ll be in the wall with a damaged car.
“So, I think in terms of what the teams and drivers do over the race weekends, it’s very different from normal. It’s going to be building up to a good lap time, and come the race, we can’t drive like we did at COTA because none of us will get around Turn 1. I think there needs to be a little more respect for the circuit, as well as the other cars.”
Strike While the Iron is Hot
The aggressiveness could split the potential fanbase in international markets, but NASCAR could still gain countless new fans by riding the momentum built up by Garage 56.
Button acknowledged this. He explained that NASCAR needs to jump on what they did at Le Mans so that the fans don’t forget about it, and he noted that a race in Europe in 2024 would be great.
Of course, putting the Cup Series cars in front of new fans is only part of the process. NASCAR also needs to find a way to get them to care about the drivers and their personalities.
This is something that Formula One achieved with the Netflix documentary series, “Drive to Survive.” If NASCAR can put its drivers and teams front and center, it could help bridge the proverbial gap.
“Racing is one thing, and I think understanding the personalities that are in the sport is something that I think European fans would want to know,” Button said.
“Just seeing 39 cars go around is great, but if you don’t know who’s behind the wheel, you have no one to really support — unless you just like the color of the car, like my son does. I think there needs to be a way to get the European fans to understand the personalities within the sport, as much as enjoying the racing.”