NASCAR appears to be steering hard back toward its patriotic, blue-collar fan base, and many longtime supporters are thrilled to see it.
For years, stock-car loyalists have watched the sport drift leftward, with corporate executives embracing progressive causes that alienated core viewers, according to the Daily Caller. Fans were told to accept the Confederate flag ban, the Bubba Wallace noose controversy, layers of DEI bureaucracy and Im not talking about Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and even overt LGBTQ+ messaging that felt more like political lecturing than racing promotion.
Now, however, the 2026 season is being rolled out with a very different tone, and the message is unmistakable: Theyre back. The shift coincides with a broader cultural realignment on the right ever since President Trump was elected, and NASCAR seems pretty serious about returning to their roots considering how theyre literally using a character named Cleetus.
The new advertisement leans unapologetically into Americana and heartland humor, built around that Cleetus character. Not only do you have Cleetus, who is fantastic by the way, but theyre giving us exactly what we want: Fast cars and American flags.
The response from viewers suggests the strategy is working. And Americans absolutely ate it up.
For conservative race fans gearing up for the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24, this is more than just clever branding; it feels like cultural vindication. As someone who is excited for the Daytona 500, as well as the Rolex 24, I couldnt be loving this commercial more, the writer notes, adding that even if it is designed to win back fans, but the fact that NASCAR even feels the need to do that if they are, thats a win.
On the right, there is a clear understanding that cultural momentum shapes political power, and the author spells it out bluntly: Culture leads to votes, votes lead to winning elections, winning elections lead me to enjoying the Daytona 500 with a cold beer after we conquer Greenland. Coming soon, ladies and gentlemen. And boy oh boy, is it going to feel great as an American.
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