Calling itself the gathering place for NASCAR fans, NASCAR.com relaunched in 2007 with information that ranged from the nuts and bolts (race results and standings) to staff-generated stories and its exclusive TrackPass RaceView, which allows fans to follow their favorite driver on the track in real time at varying spots in the race.
NASCAR.com, managed by Turner Sports since 2001, also took its video offerings to a new level in 2007 with a live stream of select races and other vignettes, which led to the site streaming an all-time high of 25 million videos last year. Among its broadband shows with unique content are the “Jack Daniels Post-Race Show” and “NASCAR 24/7.”
TrackPass RaceView was one of the applications that truly enhanced the race experience for the fan at home by creating almost a video-game feel to the race coverage. Instant race data on the computer screen shows a driver’s position and his movements throughout the race.
In all, NASCAR.com experienced double-digit growth in 2007 with 1.4 billion page views. Its average unique monthly visitors also grew by 4 percent during the year, and in its most recent quarter it averaged 8.3 million unique visitors per month.
“Through a terrific partnership with Turner Sports Interactive, NASCAR.com continues to grow by any metric you would want to measure,” said Paul Brooks, president of the NASCAR Media Group. “Most importantly, our fans continue to benefit with the increased features, especially in the area of exclusive video and live race data.”
One of the most-visited sections of the site is the NASCAR.com Community, which launched last May and boasts more than 22,000 members. These members have access to a comprehensive NASCAR video library, which allows them to download their favorite race highlights.
NASCAR.com has evolved well beyond its unique content offerings. The NASCAR.com Superstore has become one of the favorite shopping stops for NASCAR fans, and the entire NASCAR industry gauges driver popularity by reviewing sales data from the site.
“One fascinating trend that puts all of this in perspective is that during an average month, 1 million more people go to NASCAR.com than tuned in to a NASCAR Cup Series race on television in 1998,” Brooks said. “While all of our media partners are growing, NASCAR.com continues to enjoy exponential growth that is being fueled by great content.”
Increased video content, including two broadband shows.
