Agreed, and I think it is trending up. Formula 1 has struck gold with their Drive to Survive series on Netflix. Viewership and social media engagement are way up, which can be directly attributed to the Netflix series as well as the quality of the television production for their races. Last season was phenomenal, especially the last 2 races.

Promoters here in the U.S. are eager to capitalize on F1’s growth. Just look at the sell out they had at COTA last fall. Strike while the iron is hot and get more races if it is possible. The F1 leadership is obviously eager to seize the opportunity also.

Viewership for NASCAR and IndyCar seems to be moving in the right direction. The challenge they face is attracting younger fans.

On a smaller scale, you can see an influx of money in dirt racing from streaming services in the last few years. On the dirt late model side, you have the XR series putting up big money this season (including Bristol the next 2 weekends), Eldora running the million again, and the FloRacing night in America series that will pay really well also. Streaming and social media can have a direct, positive impact on teams that engage their fans and monetize it. Hunt the Front is a fantastic example of a small town, weekend warrior race team that has grown exponentially through social media engagement. Now they have gone from weekend warriors to racing for a living. How many people would subscribe to a YouTube channel, follow on other social media, and buy merchandise from a traditional sprint car team that follows the model of Hunt the Front? I would expect it to be a huge hit among the open wheel fan base. Maybe somebody is already doing it, but if not there is a huge opportunity being missed.