NASCAR eyes move into China and Brazil

IndyCar CEO Mark Miles has been talking about international expansion for years, but NASCAR is actually doing it.

According to an article in Sports Business Journal by Adam Stern, NASCAR is stepping up its international expansion efforts, including starting a development series in China and Brazil.

NASCAR distributes programming in more than 185 countries and territories. And since the early 2000s, NASCAR has launched developmental series in Mexico, Canada and Europe, all of which are growing fan bases and starting to contribute drivers to NASCAR’s national series in the U.S.

NASCAR is making several moves that indicate the global push is an increasingly important initiative.

“To truly grow the brand and our unique type of racing — close, side-by-side stock car racing — we need to take the brand to the market," said Brent Dewar, president of NASCAR, who has lived on several continents and used to travel to China frequently. “It’s a little bit of the NBA model and tip of the cap to the NBA. We saw how they focused on [global] markets and their best stars [in those international markets] eventually graduate to the biggest show."

Over the last several weeks, NASCAR has moved three executives to new international roles: Jim Cassidy, chief international officer; Chad Seigler, vice president of international business development; and Jimmy Small, senior director of international business development. Small, who was formerly president of the NASCAR-owned Iowa Speedway, will be based in Los Angeles and focus on China and Mexico.

Additionally, NASCAR executives have been working on initiatives in China. The sanctioning body sent a contingent to the country last year to take in the grand opening of a new road course. The track was built by Mitime Investment & Development, a subsidiary of Chinese auto company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which is building several tracks in China and has invested in motorsports ventures both domestically and in the U.S.

During an interview last week, Cassidy, who said he has been in touch with NBA executives, said NASCAR is drawn to China because of its massive 1.4 billion population and the 20 million cars sold there last year.

Cassidy couldn’t specify an exact year when NASCAR wants to start a developmental series in China, but said 2019 might be overly optimistic. He added that NASCAR wants to move quickly.

Opportunities NASCAR is evaluating with Chinese groups include investments into NASCAR’s core operations in the U.S.

“There’s interest in business going both ways," said Cassidy, who will continue to be based in Daytona Beach, Fla. “So there’s obviously going to be conversations about opportunities to bring business to the U.S. as well as introduce it the other way."

Dewar described Mitime as a “great" group that NASCAR has talked to, but said the league isn’t ready to reveal its partners.

While getting into new markets such as China and Brazil is a priority, NASCAR is also focused on improving its existing international series. Cassidy cited a crowd of more than 50,000 that was on hand in Mexico City for the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series finale in November as proof that NASCAR’s international efforts are catching on.

Another positive result for NASCAR from Mexico has been the emergence of Daniel Suarez, the young Mexican driver with Joe Gibbs Racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series has produced Alon Day, who last year became the first Israeli to race in the Monster Energy Series. And the NASCAR Pinty’s Series in Canada produced Cole Pearn, who drove there before becoming a championship-winning crew chief in the Monster Energy Series last season.

Cassidy noted that if not for the Mexico Series, Suarez may have opted for open-wheel racing. That’s traditionally been the preferred form of racing in Mexico, which has produced several Formula One drivers over the years.

“This is all what would have been an incubation project, and now we’re moving it forward as we put dedicated leaders to start building the next phase of the evolution," Dewar said. “But in true NASCAR spirit, we’re going to do it right … and at the appropriate moment." Adam Stern/SportsBusinessJournal