Date of Award

2006

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA Corporate and Professional Communication

Department

Communication and the Arts

Advisor

Dennis J. Mahon

Keywords

NASCAR, Sports, Car racing, Sport success

Abstract

This study examines the critical factors that make NASCAR so successful. Now known as the fastest growing sport, NASCAR started out as a limited funding, dirt track racing sport to a multimillion dollar, super speedway sport. Just like every sport, NASCAR has gone through many changes and this study will further discuss how it went from a sport to a business and then to entertainment and now a lifestyle. In the beginning NASCAR drivers were renegades with ties to moonshining; today drivers are considered role models and are active in Pop Culture. Constant changes in the sport have allowed it to grow from dirt tracks in a farmer's backyard, to millions of television sets across the country. Dirt to asphalt, barely 1 OOMPH to over 200MPH, daily driver to super racing machines and Ralph Earnhardt to Dale Earnhardt to Dale Earnhardt Junior. What makes NASCAR so successful? The answer is constant change while keeping the same basic concept of 43 drivers and teams battling it out for 500 miles to see who will be the victor and champion of the sport.

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