“Our brand is very Americana”: Steve Phelps admits expanding NASCAR overseas has become a ‘tricky’ affair

Steve Phelps, the president of NASCAR, shared his thoughts on the expansion of the sport on a global scale. Speaking about the chances, the NASCAR official stated that NASCAR is very much "Americana" and its expansion worldwide is currently a "tricky" task.

Over the years, NASCAR has primarily been a sport that has and enjoyed in the United States. Unlike other major racing series such as Formula 1, Formula E, World Endurance Racing, and many other global racing series, the stock car racing sport was limited to the North American country.

Even though there were efforts to take the sport beyond the US, such as to Japan, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada, the reception was far from expected due to the struggles with shipments and the unavailability of sufficient merchandise.

Phelps, in a recent interview with Axios Media Trends Live on Thursday, opened up about the sport's expansion plan beyond America, where he shared the positive, as well as the negative side of it. Speaking about this, here's what he said:

"Our brand is very Americana."

Following this, he said about the expansion plan:

"Well, I would say it's a bit tricky right now."

The governing body currently operates the Cup, Xfinity, and the Truck Series in the United States. They hosted the Cup Series and Xfinity Series earlier this year in Mexico, at the renowned Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the track where the F1 race, Mexico City GP, takes place every year.

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NASCAR chief shared positivity about global expansion

Despite the tricky situation, Steve Phelps, the governing body president, also spoke about the positive signs of the sport's expansion globally. Speaking about this, here's what he further added:

Trackhouse Racing driver Shane Van Gisbergen during the Cup Series Mexico City Race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Mandatory Credit: Carlos Perez Gallardo/Reuters via Imagn Images

"Ours is about really, again, a sensory experience and one that I think globally is is gonna work out really well for us. We believe that there are other opportunities to create a global racing series."

"What that looks like at this particular point. I'm unsure, but I know as a sport and as a brand and things Americana, it can work outside of our borders."

The sport travelled to Canada in 1952 for the Unnamed 100-mile event at Stamford Park, near Niagara Falls. Six years later, in 1958, they travelled to the Exhibition Stadium for the Jim Mideon 500.

In 1988, the sport travelled to Calder Park Thunderdome in Melbourne, Australia, for the Goodyear NASCAR 500. In 1996, 1997, and 1998, they travelled to Suzuka and Motegi in Japan for the back-to-back races.