Adam Stern recently tweeted out a quote from Denny Hamlin from a Jenna Fryer piece in the Associated Press. In that quote, Denny identified NASCAR’s biggest challenge as its lack of stars. Fans online also have their own takes on this opinion as well.
Jeff Gordon and Dale Jr have not raced full time since 2015 and 2017 respectively.
Brandon said that modern drivers are not names the mainstream population recognize.
Chris Weaver says the lack of a dominant driver causes some of the lack of stardom.
John Rhodes Jr mentions that drivers do not seem to do as many autograph appearances as they used to.
Matt Reid gives his two cents on why modern drivers lack the same starpower.
NASCAR has not had a licensed video game since 2021 with no new one on the near horizon.
Lance Fritz notes that drivers have more sponsors now then they have in the past.
Lex believes NASCAR should do more to market stars.
SpoPolPop talks about the lack of personality as a reason why NASCAR does not have the same starpower it once did.
Ralph Hughes believes it goes deeper than just the superstardom of drivers.
I would be all for this. Give Daily Downforce some advertising too?
ClearlyInvisible on Reddit wonders if the superstardom came from NASCAR being more mainstream, or if the superstars made it mainstream.
justBusinessbb talks about Hamlin further expanding upon this in the article
Darian agrees with Hamlin’s conclusion.
Could this become another Daily Downforce video article? We’ll be watching, Elite!
Kenny Wallace will have more to say on this topic.
It is impossible to deny the fact that NASCAR drivers do not have the star power they once did. How much can NASCAR realistically do to give these drivers more star power, even if it cannot recapture the star power of the early 2000s?
The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona drew nearly 1.4 million viewers on FS1, beating the 2025 opening race number by 37%, and becoming the most-viewed Truck Series event since 2016.
NASCAR’s secondary series is facing a huge brand change, leaving the title name “Xfinity Series” to become the brand-new O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. What is not changing, however, is its broadcast partner. The CW is headed for its 2nd season with the series, and has been investing heavily in it. Year after year, we put up the rating numbers and rank them accordingly in comparison to the previous season. Here’s how it works:
All Races (1 Total in 2026)
It wouldn’t be Daytona without some weird, wacky, and headline-grabbing fallout. From viral Victory Lane moments to renewed debates about driver approval, NASCAR’s biggest race once again delivered more than just on-track drama. And with Michael Jordan celebrating a Daytona 500 win, the spotlight burned brighter than it has in years.
Jordan’s presence mattered. When the most iconic athlete of a generation shows genuine emotion upon winning the Daytona 500, it reminds the wider sports world that this race still matters. That kind of authentic publicity cannot be manufactured. It resonated far beyond the garage. Meanwhile, the O’Reilly Series race added fuel to another ongoing debate. The massive Decker crash, Cleetus McFarland’s Truck debut incident, and past approval inconsistencies have once again raised tough questions. Consistency, transparency, and accountability are now front and center. Add in Austin Hill’s dominance and Ryan Ellis’ career-best sixth-place run to open the season, and Daytona gave fans plenty to talk about on and off the track.
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