There are reality shows about almost everything. And, yes, NASCAR reality shows have aired before. NASCAR needs to get behind this concept, and "suggest" that the teams and drivers allow their reality producers full access. Let us see the drivers when they aren't just robotically repeating their sponsor's names, followed by a Coke chug.
The old reality shows on NASCAR drivers and teams featured mostly D-listers. We need the new ones to feature the top stars. How about Dale Jr on the Bachelor? Kyle Busch on Survivor? Seriously, NASCAR needs to use TV shows to get their driver's faces on prime time TV.
All of the shiny, empty grandstands at the race tracks last year were hard to ignore. It's time to start giving kids free tickets. Through schools, churches, scouts, little league, etc. The kids will have to be accompanied by an adult, who will have to buy a ticket. The kids help fill in the stands while the tracks sell more food, souvenirs, and parking.
Why stop with the kids? If the tracks know they're going to eat a bunch of tickets anyway, why not hand out hundreds of them to radio stations? The stations give lots of free publicity while giving tix away as prizes, or "to the ninth caller with the phrase that pays!".
Those are a couple simple fixes to help NASCAR gain new fans and viewers. But, the one thing they should focus on are the young people. They are the future of this sport. Too bad that this future would rather sit in their bedrooms playing a simulated racing game than watching a live one. If NASCAR is to survive, it has to reach that potential audience.
