It was another phenomenal weekend for NASCAR as it took over Chicago this past weekend for its second annual Street Race.
With that, it came with multiple brands, local businesses, social media influencers, and content creators to not only celebrate the Chicago Street Race, but to also put a spotlight on the windy city itself.
A major goal of the Chicago Street Race is to introduce NASCAR to new audiences, emphasized Julie Giese, NASCAR’s President of the event. NASCAR hopes to broaden its appeal and experiment with a novel format by hosting the race in downtown Chicago. The street race was introduced last year as a new format for NASCAR.
A more comprehensive experience is provided by holding the race in an urban environment, Giesse said. The music lineup reflects this strategy, with Buddy Guy, The Chainsmokers, and Keith Urban performing Chicago House and Blues. In light of this variety, the event will appeal to a wider audience than just the race itself, since its marketing strategy has been to offer something for everyone.
“For us, it’s a blend of that entertainment experience and racing experience and really trying to have something for everybody,” said Giese. Something for everyone has been its approach from a marketing perspective.
Although the focus remains on the race, Giese noted that incorporating unique elements such as music, driver appearances, and unique experiences adds value. Chicago Street Race has been enhanced with these additions to create a more engaging and unexpected atmosphere that will set it apart from traditional NASCAR events and attract a wider audience.
Last year, 85% of the attendees were experiencing the first NASCAR race, according to Giese. As a result of this retention strategy, the event continues to attract new fans who were introduced to the sport last year.
“We’re going to continue to introduce our sport to a new audience, have people that maybe attended their very first race last year return for their second race, or maybe they went to another NASCAR race on the circuit in between,” said Giese. “For us, it’s a mix of continuing to educate about the sport and what to expect, but then also making sure we’re delivering on some of those core experiences that our long term fans come to expect, whether it’s things like scanner rentals, driver appearances, all those things that make NASCAR so unique.”
To create a compelling “I need to be there” moment for viewers, NASCAR’s social media strategy for the Chicago Street Race last weekend was tailored to each platform’s strengths. The league’s TikTok strategy emphasized thoughtful content creation, aiming to engage younger audiences. Facebook provided detailed event details and larger recaps, making sure fans had all the necessary details.
Furthermore, NASCAR used influencers and local businesses to amplify their message in Chicago. This partnership helped to spread the word and highlight the diverse activities and experiences available throughout the city during the race weekend. Through this multifaceted approach, the event was adequately covered and engaged across all social media channels, enhancing its visibility and appeal.
Three Questions: Valvoline Hosts GRIDLIFE Drivers During Chicago Street Race Weekend
During the Chicago Street Race weekend, Valvoline hosted around 30 grassroots GRIDLIFE drivers in Chicago, who shared content about both the race and Valvoline on their social media channels. As a sponsor of both Hendrick Motorsports and GRIDLIFE, Valvoline is committed to supporting motorsports at all levels—from grassroots to the world’s top racing series. This effort helped the brand convey its message directly to consumers who see racing as more than just a sport, but a way of life.
Bolstering the brand’s positioning as “The Original,” Valvoline’s long racing history has a deep connection with the city of Chicago. Valvoline lubricated the winning car in the first auto race in the U.S. in 1895, held in Chicago.
We spoke with Maggie Compton Pinsker, Brand Manager at Valvoline Global, about how Valvoline leveraged the social media reach of the 30 grassroots GRIDLIFE drivers during the Chicago Street Race weekend to enhance brand awareness and engagement.
What specific types of content will the GRIDLIFE drivers be sharing about the race and Valvoline, and how does this align with Valvoline’s overall influencer marketing strategy?
We are excited to see our hosted GRIDLIFE drivers authentically communicate this passion to their base of followers through various forms of on-the-ground live posting on their respective platforms. This is in alignment with our influencer marketing strategy to remind followers that Valvoline has a great history in motorsports. In addition to being “The Original”* motor oil, Valvoline is the brand that introduced the original racing motor oil in 1965.
What are your hopes on what the race will do for the brand?
Valvoline Global is thrilled as their history with racing and the city of Chicago are deeply intertwined, as Valvoline lubricated the winning car in the first auto race in the U.S. in 1895 in Chicago. Whether we are talking about Valvoline Global’s support for grassroots organizations like GRIDLIFE or big time NASCAR teams like Hendrick Motorsports, we are committed to racing and winning at all levels.
This weekend, as Valvoline gets top billing as Kyle Larson’s #5 Camaro hits the streets of Chicago in a Valvoline paint scheme, we are excited to host grassroots drivers who share our common love of the sport. As a partner of Hendrick Motorsports, each of us at Valvoline Global is proud that all Hendrick cars go racing with Valvoline in their engines. And, just like any fan, we’re always hoping for a win!
How does Valvoline ensure that the influencer content remains authentic and resonates with both the drivers’ followers and Valvoline’s target audience?
We’ve thoroughly vetted our GRIDLIFE drivers to ensure our partnership is mutually rewarding. Beyond that, we trust them to honor our provided brand guidelines, including tagging official Valvoline accounts in their posts, and believe they know their audiences better than anyone else. So we encourage them to share their genuine experiences with Valvoline at the Chicago Street Race in a way that feels the most authentic to their respective audiences to maximize performance.
We know that there is a common thread connecting these GRIDLIFE drivers, their followers, and Valvoline – a passion for racing and a passion for cars. This common thread is what creates a resonance between the followers of GRIDLIFE drivers and the Valvoline target audience.
