Jeff Gordon hopes NASCAR continues to grow internationally

Jeff Gordon believes NASCAR should be thinking outside of the box — or, outside of America — as they look to the future.

The four-time NASCAR champion believes there’s a tremendous opportunity to grow the sport, and it’s time they take advantage. Gordon isn’t talking about completely changing the way it’s always been, but he believes NASCAR would be well-suited to look at Canada, Mexico and South America as a whole for racing destinations.

“I know that there’s been conversations about Montreal, and I’m not sure if that’s going to happen or not, but I would love to see us be international,” explained Gordon, via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Not international like, overseas. Because we’ve done that in Japan, and if that happens again, I’d like to look at how we go about it. I don’t know that that actually grew the sport. But I think there’s a lot of fans in Canada. I think there’s a lot of fans in Mexico and South America, that we’re not tapping into, that I think would grow the sport, and put a lot more eyeballs on it.

“So I would love to see it, whether it’s next year or the year after that, I would love to see it.”

Alas, Gordon’s idea isn’t far fetched, as NASCAR was considering adding Montreal to the schedule for the 2024 season. In the future, it would serve the sport well to listen to Gordon’s advice, as new tracks, new fans and new way to entertain should always be welcomed.

Time will tell, but Jeff Gordon drives a hard bargain. There’s a reason why he’s one of the most respected and beloved drivers to ever grace the sport.

NASCAR officially announces Cup Series to race at Iowa Speedway in 2024

It isn’t international, but NASCAR will officially be introducing a new track for their 2024 schedule. For the first time ever, the Cup Series will head to Iowa Speedway for an event.

On Tuesday, the sport announced it will head to Newton, Iowa for a race on June 16, 2024. It marks the first time a NASCAR Cup Series race has ever been held at the track.

The venue has previously hosted NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series events. It has also been the host of IndyCar races. This serves as another example of the Cup Series trying to expand to broader audiences by getting into new markets.

“We’re taking the show to Iowa!” NASCAR put on X. “The NASCAR Cup Series will race at (Iowa Speedway) for the first time on June 16, 2024!”

This will be a unique stop on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2024, given the dimensions of the track. The Iowa Speedway is labeled as a short track, coming in at .875 miles. It provides drivers with a new challenge while introducing a new market to the sport.

Additionally, the speedway is no stranger to hosting big events, either. NASCAR’s Xfinity Series ran at the track from 2009-19, as did the sport’s Truck Series. The track first opened in 2006.

In recent years, NASCAR has made a push to try to expand its reach and increase its exposure with new ideas. Incorporating more road courses into the schedule was one strategy. The sport has looked into traveling internationally — particularly into Canada. This year, NASCAR hosted the Chicago Street Race, which sent drivers into the heart of the Windy City.

On3’s Dustin Schutte contributed to this article.