NASCAR should reach out to fans in tough economy

HOMESTEAD, Fla.

There's a championship to ponder, a banquet to plan and some holiday shopping ahead, but NASCAR might put "find better ways to connect with fans" atop its to-do list.

Other than old highlights on TV and an awards ceremony full of corny jokes, there is nothing for NASCAR nation to feed on until February. Banning testing next year at many tracks - including Daytona in January - means NASCAR truly will hibernate this winter.

The sport saw attendance decline and TV ratings yo-yo in 2008, and next year could be bleaker. Should the economy continue to struggle, as many predict, fewer NASCAR fans might opt to attend races or buy souvenirs.

That's why someone from NASCAR should consider hopping on the phone with officials in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Roanoke or Richmond to hold a fan fest similar to what Winston used to hold each off-season. These specific cities would provide a large and varied population base within a three-hour drive.

If none are able or interested in hosting such an event, NASCAR can move on to the next idea to reach fans.

"I'm sure this sport will find a way to step up and fill the void of not having the (preseason) test, of finding a way to create excitement for the beginning of the year," Jeff Burton says. "I think that would be in the best interest of our fans to create some energy, to create something going on around the sport."

One idea is to bring the drivers together for a one-day event that would benefit Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp and other NASCAR charities. Have drivers sign autographs, maybe do a Q&A session. But most importantly, allow the fans to see their favorite driver up close.

Fans want to stand near their heroes and enjoy that sense of connection. It's why autographs mean so much to them. Photos, too. They are keepsakes of a special moment.

Without that bond, which NASCAR worked hard to cultivate over the years, it's easy to lose interest. While Jimmie Johnson fans celebrate his third consecutive series title, many others lament the quality of the racing, moan about the sport's lack of personality and complain about ticket prices.

A fan fest can't solve all the ills, but it would be a gesture of goodwill, one some fans might need to remain loyal subjects. Strengthen the link with fans and make it harder for them to give up those tickets. Make them decide to give up something else, not their NASCAR race.

If NASCAR can't get all its drivers in one place at the same time, another idea might be to send select drivers on a barnstorming trip. Fly half a dozen of them to Chicago in the morning and Kansas City in the afternoon for a day of public appearances. Have them spend at least two hours signing autographs.

Send another group day-tripping to Daytona in January and then to Tampa/St. Petersburg. Hit Portland, Ore., and Seattle with one collection and Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth with another.

This is a time for NASCAR to stretch its reach, not back away as fans leave. By the time fans might realize they can get by without going to a race, it will be too late for the sport to react.

Car owner Jack Roush said Sunday he's a "proponent of the race tracks reducing the ticket prices... to fill up the stands so that the sponsors and everybody that supports the thing can get their value for having the maximum number of people impressed or exposed to what we do."

Some tracks already have done that and even extended deadlines on purchasing tickets for next year.

Attendance wasn't as bad this year as it might have been had so many fans not bought tickets months in advance. Many race fans were committed to attending races even before gas prices soared and the economy dived.

That's not the case now. With money due on next season's tickets in the heart of a recession, some fans might delay purchasing seats or decide they can't afford to go.

Empty seats are lost revenue, and enough of them creates the perception NASCAR is worse off than it really might be.

If NASCAR doesn't reach out to its fans soon, that perception could become reality.