NASCAR is constantly on the lookout for ways to expand its reach. This is an exciting new marketing opportunity. NASCAR obviously feels that taking its show on the road outside of the United States is the secret to continuing growth.
The other side of this issue is that there are thousands of fans right here in the USA that are under-served by NASCAR's existing schedules. Shouldn't NASCAR focus on pleasing their existing fan base and attracting new American fans before they look internationally?
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In 2005 NASCAR held its first modern era points race outside of the United States when the Nationwide Series visited Mexico in early March. The road course at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez near Mexico City hosted the Nationwide Series drivers.Was the race a success? That depends on what you consider a success. Certainly the NASCAR message was brought to a large number of potential new race fans. However, do the benefits outweigh the lost opportunity to serve NASCAR's fans here in America? There are a limited number of racing weekends available each year and that weekend spent in Mexico could have been spent somewhere in the US that doesn't have easy access to a race.
Background
In 1952 the series that is now known as Sprint Cup ran at a half-mile dirt oval called Stamford Park in Ontario Canada. Then a few years later NASCAR again ran a points race north of the border when the series visited the Canadian Exposition Stadium in Toronto.Then beginning in 1996 NASCAR ran three exhibition races in Japan. The first was held on the road course in Suzuka and was won by Rusty Wallace. 1997 saw Mike Skinner win the return to Suzuka. Finally, in 1998 Skinner came out on top again in Japan when he won on the brand new 1.5 mile oval at Twin Ring Motegi.
Attendance wasn't all that great. While the Japanese fans did show some interest, NASCAR-fever didn't really take hold. NASCAR didn't feel that the cost of the event was offset by its limited benefit for the sport.
In 1999 NASCAR ran a Winston West points race at Twin Ring Motegi but decided not to return. That was the end of the Japan experiment.
