Quote Originally Posted by zako85
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I think the problem is that Americans just don't care about motorsports. I lived from 20 to 35 in America and some people are obsessed about sports, but never about motorsports, not even NASCAR. And well, America is a big country and if I lived in the deep south, perhaps at least I'd find some NASCAR fans. But west of Indianapolis or the deep south almost no one cares. People treat cars as a form of transportation from place to A place B or a fashion accessory. The combined light truck, SUV, and CUV sales have been beating car sales for years. America is leading the research in driverless cars. It's pretty depressing.
That's a good observation and fairly accurate. Cars were a big deal here in the 60's and 70's, (and as a result, there was some interest in racing) especially among younger people but that faded out. Open wheel racing shot itself in the foot with the split and stock car racing is a victim of over saturation. Drag racing, in terms of spectators, was always a bastion (mostly) of teens and early twenty somethings - the change of cars from being something to covet into just a tool to get somewhere ended that.

It's pretty much a niche sport now for most people though there is very strong under the radar participation factor. Amateur motorsport here is still doing pretty well. SCCA, NASA and marque clubs for cars, the various motorcycle and kart groups are all doing fine. And with over 300 million people here, even a niche sport still can muster good numbers.