NASCAR is leaning hard into digital channels in 2025 to reach fans and amplify sponsor partners. On all fronts – from Snapchat Stories to Instagram Reels, Facebook and X, TikTok and YouTube – the sanctioning body is pushing highlights, behind-the-scenes clips and sponsor-driven promotions.
Social Content Director Torey Fox notes NASCAR’s strategy has driven growth: in 2024 the series added roughly 1 million Instagram followers (a 41% jump year-over-year) and saw 14% gains on TikTok and YouTube. Much of that came from casual, shareable content (like Reels) aimed at new or younger fans.
“Once we get them in the door,” Fox said, “we can convert them… follow us on other platforms, tune into the race on Sunday, and then they’re going to come to the racetrack, too.” In practice, NASCAR’s feeds present a constant stream of video highlights and explainers (drivers’ playoff-clinching moves, how points work, driver features, etc.) written in an accessible, fan-friendly tone to educate and excite new fans.
NASCAR’s social campaigns increasingly tie online interaction to on-track events. For example, the annual “Hashtag 500” contest at the Daytona 500 asked fans to comment on NASCAR’s Instagram posts with special hashtags for a chance to win driver gear. These fan contests (often featuring prizes from major sponsors) turn social followers into active participants.
That fan loyalty is powerful: marketing studies find NASCAR supporters are about 3× more likely to purchase sponsor products than the average fan. And NASCAR’s biggest partners – such as Coca-Cola and Goodyear – are among “the two most recognizable sponsorships in sports today.” By integrating sponsor branding into digital content (like logoed giveaways or co-branded challenges), NASCAR adds value for its partners while keeping fans engaged.
A key piece of NASCAR’s digital toolkit is real-time highlights delivered through its app and social channels. In early 2024 NASCAR launched an “In-App Stories” feed (powered by WSC Sports) in the NASCAR Mobile app. This feature offers a TikTok-style vertical video experience, serving up live race clips (cautions, passes, finishes) and driver-centered stories to fans’ phones. As NASCAR VP of Digital Media Wyatt Hicks explained, the sport’s “highlight-reel moments” each week are ideal for mobile consumption, and In-App Stories deliver “the type of compelling content fans crave.”
Early results show that NASCAR’s mobile app is getting more traffic and views since the rollout. Beyond the app, NASCAR’s official YouTube, X and Facebook pages also post near-live video snippets – so whether it’s a blown engine or photo finish, fans see the action quickly across multiple screens. This real-time coverage complements traditional broadcasts and gives sponsors extra exposure on digital feeds. On the notification front, NASCAR has quietly ramped up web push alerts to keep fans on top of news and race updates.
Fans who opt in to nascar.com alerts get breaking announcements, live press-conference streams, race schedule reminders and post-race analysis sent directly to their browsers. “Web push is one of a handful of new frontiers in digital marketing,” said Pat DeCola, NASCAR’s manager of digital editorial. The team has “gotten in the habit of ramping up our web push efforts,” he said, sending alerts for everything from driver interviews to preview stories. Those alerts are proving effective: content-driven push campaigns routinely see open rates around 13.5%. NASCAR even uses push messages to nudge fans to download the official app, further integrating its digital ecosystem. In short, a fan can wake up on race weekend to a push notification, scan social for highlights, and follow live stats in the app – all in real time.
On the global side, NASCAR announced in April 2025 a new partnership with fintech streaming service Recast to reach international fans without expensive subscriptions. RecastPay (a pay-as-you-go platform) will be integrated on NASCAR’s site so viewers abroad can purchase individual races or credits on demand. NASCAR Managing Director of Media Strategy Nick Skipper called the deal “a game-changer in how we connect with our global fanbase.” Although NASCAR races already air in more than 190 countries (in 26 languages), Recast targets markets where there isn’t a TV partner. The plan lets overseas fans tune in for a few dollars per race, broadening reach and generating new revenue. Andy Meikle, Recast’s founder, says the partnership “will unlock new audiences via our unique affiliate engine” and provide data-driven insights to fuel future growth.
In other words, NASCAR’s 2025 media plan now explicitly includes global digital streaming – meeting fans on their devices wherever they live. All these digital initiatives are woven into NASCAR’s 2025 fan experience. On race weekends, social posts, app stories and notifications are timed to the on-track schedule so fans never miss a moment. Sponsors are integrated throughout – for example, a major partner might sponsor a “driver selfie” Instagram Story or have its branding featured in a fan poll.
NASCAR executives say this omnichannel approach keeps followers engaged before, during and after the race broadcast. As Fox put it, the goal is to use social and digital content to “get them in the door” and then keep fans across all platforms tuned into NASCAR all week. If fans’ browsers, phones and social feeds are all pointing to NASCAR at once, sponsors win more eyeballs and NASCAR builds loyalty in the next generation of fans. In the words of Hicks: these tools are all about “building deeper connections with NASCAR fans around the world,” ensuring the digital era accelerates the sport’s growth.
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