This DIRECTLY correllates to NHRA, so what ever NASCAR is doing here that is successful should be emulated or at least considered. To me, these are the most important issues facing NHRA, not the countdown or 1,000ft racing.
From NY Times article:
More than most sports, Nascar relies on older, white male fans. The study found that those fans were, because of the recession and their advancing age, going to fewer races and spending less at the races they did attend. According to the research, the growth in the number of single-parent families had also made it harder for fathers and mothers to take their children to races.
Because fans flocked to races for years, Nascar did not have to work hard to find newcomers. Now, younger fans are more likely to learn about a sport online than from a father or uncle, and Nascar feels it has to speak more directly to them.
The car culture that nourished Nascar has also been changing. Fewer Americans are tinkering under the hood, which makes them less likely to appreciate stock cars. Brand loyalty to automobile manufacturers has eroded, undermining another cornerstone of the Nascar fan experience: rooting for a Chevy, a Dodge, a Ford or a Toyota.
