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Despite Formula 1's recent rise in popularity in the United States, NASCAR remains synonymous with coast-to-coast racing and blue-collar Americana, even as it continually squeezes working-class fans for every dollar with rising ticket prices and ever-fragmented broadcast deals. For automakers, the Cup Series is a direct line to the people buying vehicles across the country, an ideal marketing tool for promoting a brand identity.
We asked our readers last week which automakers they think should join the NASCAR Cup Series. With the Big Three on the verge of all returning to stock car racing's marquee series, nearly all responses recommended foreign automakers as a good fit for NASCAR. A particular user replied to multiple comments, complaining that stock cars are boring, the same and not really stock. He had all the energy of someone whining about how the forward pass ruined football. Without further ado, here are the best responses that actually answered the question:
Rover
Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons
Rover. It's a zombie brand right now, but it would be a potential opportunity for JLR to have Jaguar as the electric luxury, and Rover as the cheaper V8-powered alternative. Rover even has a history of using an American V8, so it would be full circle. Build a new SD1 now!
Submitted by: Tiago Bastos
Also, if Rover wanted to enter the US market, there's already some brand recognition built in with the "Rover" name. JLR still owns the name, so they could really lean into the brand relation.
Submitted by: MrMcGeeIn3D
Alfa Romeo
Aethonatic / Wikimedia Commons
Alfa Romeo. Their Giulia sedan is already used in motorsport and it wouldn't look out of place aesthetically on a NASCAR track.
Submitted by: Giantsgiants
Mercedes-Benz
Alexander Migl / Wikimedia Commons
Mercedes, being most of the ones in the US are built in Alabama. In IMSA, the Mercedes V8 and Chevy V8's sound pretty similar.
The CLA would mesh pretty well with the current Next Gen car. It would look pretty cool in silver and black livery.
With the price of race tickets, hotels, concessions and merch for NASCAR races, you pretty much have to have Mercedes money.
Seems like the best fit outside of the old "big 3" and Toyota.
Submitted by: trailbilly
Whoever Makes Sedan
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Whoever makes a full-size sedan. That's what NASCAR started with. Now that no one hardly makes a car, just have Dodge, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Hyundai and Mercedes duking it out with the generic pushrod V8 they use. It's supposed to be "Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday," Chevrolet.
Submitted by: Clay Horste
Porsche
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Bring back Porsche. They raced some in the 60s I think. Either make a flat 8 or borrow a VW/Audi V8 and rip.
Submitted by: Haricot_Rouge
BMW
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BMW... Given their reason(s) for not returning to Formula One, NASCAR may be a very appropriate arena for BMW to showcase the incoming Neue Klasse's styling elements. Also they employ a V8 in their racing programs and still sell them in road cars.
Submitted by: ShiryuBoo
Honda
Thom Bar / Wikimedia Commons
Honda. The new Prelude would look good on a track, even if the street version is not that sporty.
Submitted by: Radar Lover Gone
Nissan
LukaCali / Wikimedia Commons
If rubbin' is racin', then Nissan is a great choice! They could just bring in pretty much any Altima with its driver from pretty much any major city, and they'd fit right in!
Submitted by: Stillnotatony
A Foreign Heel
JustAnotherCarDesigner / Wikimedia Commons
BYD and Tata. Just imagine Bubba Redneck's favorite driver is racing a Chinese or Indian Car.
Submitted by: hoser68
It depends on who NASCAR wants to be the next villain. We all know that NASCAR is a lot like professional wrestling and needs to have heroes and villains. We also know that certain parts of the NASCAR community have serious issues around ethnicity. So Hoser68's suggestions of Tata and BYD are the perfect choices.
Submitted by: Music Teacher 17