By Dylan Spaulding
Motorsports has undergone a drastic change over the past handful of years.
From the introduction of the NASCAR Next Gen Car last season, to the new GTPs in IMSA, to next season with IndyCar going to Hybrids, the landscape of racing is going into a new era.
But, while the on-track changes have sparked a new love and found admiration for the series, it is what is going on around that has changed the future of motorsports.
The Support
One thing that motorsports has been able to grab is global support.
Yes, racing is already a globally looked-at sport, but it’s the support from celebrities and other influencers that has made it more mainstream.
Even in NASCAR, you have owners such as Michael Jordan and Pitbull, both of whom are cultural icons and have helped bring NASCAR into the limelight.
Pitbull has even gone as far as to name his recent album after the team that he owns in the series, Trackhouse Racing, putting racing into a more prominent light.
Earlier this year at Le Mans, future NBA Hall of Famer Lebron James waved the green flag to start the race, and now Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Rory McIlroy have bought into F1 by owning a fraction of Alpine.
Without a shadow of a doubt, motorsports have gotten more attention and backing from athletes that may grab more recognition than ever before, which has helped drive this new era.
The Venues
All the series have expanded, and it shows even in its venues.
F1 has always been on a global stage, but this year the series will race on the Vegas Strip, an iconic US landmark that has driven attention towards the series and the race alone.
The same can be said for NASCAR. Having a race in a global hub such as Downtown Chicago brought many eyes towards the series, which in turn attracted a new audience.
While IMSA and IndyCar may not have the massive cities that F1 or even NASCAR are getting, IndyCar will always have the premier race in the Indy 500, and IMSA will have the Rolex 24.
Being able to draw racing to major cities or hubs brings a new notch to the fanbase.
Obviously, you will always have your regulars, but being able to teach and promote new fans about the sport in cities that may not have many eyes on the motorsports community is a positive not only for the growth surrounding the sport but also for the successes and developments to come.
The Cars
Now, more than ever, the cars have become the show.
From hybrids being raced in IndyCar and IMSA to NASCAR and their advancements with the Next Gen, racing has grown in crowds solely in part due to the developments of each respective series.
Even Formula 1 has seen changes over the years that still keep the already globally popular sport growing.
With that, having these new cars and concepts brings intrigue to the track on race day and entices the average fan to go back to another race to see what all the hype is about with these new modern marvels.
With innovative advancements in Motorsports, such as the potential for a hydrogen-based car in WEC, there is no telling what is to come in racing.
There may even be a possibility of seeing an all-electric series at some point in the not-so-distant future.
No matter what, the developments that are being made in motorsports alone have fans excited for what’s to come with this new era of racing.
