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NASCAR has tabbed Subnation Media to construct a branded digital platform for racing fans, an online experience designed to push the hugely popular circuit into the future Metaverse of interactive immersive experiences.

“NASCAR is focused on expanding our digital offering for fans and working with Subnation will build upon that effort,” said NASCAR Chief Digital Officer Tim Clark. “Subnation has a deep understanding of gaming culture as well as the ongoing evolution of the internet, and that expertise will help position our sport well for the future.”

With the move, NASCAR has joined the race to build a much-buzzed-about digital future where multitudes of immersive experiences all connect and allow audiences to easily move between them with a common avatar, digital assets and even currencies.

The three-year-old Subnation has advised brands such as Volkswagen, Lenovo, VIZIO, and L’Oreal, as well as several municipalities hoping to leverage esports and video gaming opportunities for economic development and tourism. The organization also has collaborated with TikTok, Paramount, and Turner Sports.

To build the NASCAR platform, Subnation will rely on decentralized platforms and Web3 tools that will improve interactivity beyond the platform itself, a key feature of most visions of a Metaverse-focused digital future.

Among other features, the companies plan to integrate the eNASCAR iRacing online racing experience into the platform. The electronic circuit became a big thing with fans in the early days of the pandemic, providing live if virtual racing competition at a time when all sports were shut down.

Other components of the platform will include team and driver collaborations, brand partnerships, e-commerce, and distribution of original and library content. Also planned are more virtual experiences for fans, and products such as exclusive non-fungible tokens, digital collectibles, and limited-edition apparel drops.

Such cross-platform compatibility is one key aspect of visions of the Metaverse invoked in sci-fi novels such as Neal Stephenson’s Snowcrash and Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One. The still hazily defined concept is now routinely invoked by executives at gaming-centric companies such as Epic Games and Roblox, as well as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who recently talked about creating an “enterprise Metaverse.”

“NASCAR has a loyal fanbase, an incredible cultural footprint, and is an exhilarating IRL experience,” said Subnation co-founder and Chief Managing Director Doug Scott. “As the digital world plays an increasingly important role in consumers' lives, we want to deliver an always-on experience so fans can truly immerse themselves in the sport, express themselves creatively and connect with their favorite teams and drivers seamlessly across physical and digital worlds.”

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