If you’re reading this and you’re a NASCAR fan, odds are you’re not between the ages of 18 and 34.
We know because a 2013 Nielsen report revealed only 9% of the sport’s fan base is made up of people between those ages. Most NASCAR fans (49%) are 55 or older, according to Nielsen.
NASCAR needs more young fans, and 90% of people under age 30 use social media. So in the interest of helping explain the sport to Millenials, let’s put this story in terms they’ll understand.
Here’s each of the big NASCAR teams as a form of social media:
FACEBOOK: Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick’s powerhouse team often is called the New York Yankees of NASCAR. But the Yankees haven’t won much lately — the last of their 27 World Series titles came in 2009 — whereas Hendrick still is strong even in its down years. Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne combined for 22 wins since Johnson brought the organization its last title, in 2013.
The better comparison is Facebook. People occasionally question Hendrick’s strength — just like Facebook (no one uses it anymore!), but they both always find a way to stay on top.
Facebook, used by 72% of online adults, according to Pew Research, still is the dominant force in social media, just like Hendrick is the dominant force in NASCAR with 15 Cup titles since 1995.
TWITTER: Team Penske
Twitter has a way of making people mad, and so do the drivers who race for Team Penske. Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano irk more fans than Twitter proposing a 10,000-character limit and a non-chronological timeline.
There’s a lot of angst over Twitter’s actions and its future. That should sound familiar to Team Penske fans, who have seen their drivers get more scrutiny than most when it comes to how they go about their business.
MYSPACE: Roush Fenway Racing
A onetime powerhouse that fell on hard times and now is trying to remake itself, Roush Fenway Racing is MySpace.
MySpace might be past its glory years, but it isn’t dead. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reported in January that MySpace still gets 50 million users per month.
The same could be said for Roush. Sure, the trio of Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne has been disappointing lately, but the company continues to work hard on making a comeback.
INSTAGRAM: Stewart-Haas Racing
Instagram is all about creating the perfect photo to make life look oh-so-good. But just outside the frame of an ideal image, the real picture might not be as rosy.
That seems to describe SHR. In a single photo, the team of Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick looks like a powerhouse. But there’s a filter on it.
Over the last two years, SHR has had a rocky road at times — particularly for owner/driver Stewart, who will start the season sidelined with a broken back. If only reality was as good as the picture.
SNAPCHAT: Joe Gibbs Racing
Snapchat is the app of now, and JGR is the team of now. Kyle Busch won the championship last year and his three teammates each won at least two races apiece.
And like Snapchat, JGR might only be getting bigger and better. The team has young talent like Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez in its pipeline.
At the same time, there’s a slight chance JGR could pull a disappearing act — just like the short-lived snaps on Snapchat. NASCAR goes in cycles, and no team stays on top for long.
Follow Gluck on Twitter @jeff_gluck
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