NASCAR isn’t the same anymore, and Richard Petty’s son, Kyle Petty, knows it all too well. Earlier in the year, the duo pointed to NASCAR’s modernization, suggesting it may have gone too far, and noted rising costs for cars and tires. But this is just one aspect of the problem. Fast forward to today, and Petty’s concern about the racing economy has only grown, as one NASCAR insider reveals how the sport has evolved.
As the motorsports world buzzes with record car counts and growing participation, Kenny Wallace recently highlighted a perspective that has fans and teams talking.
“The real subject matter of the day: the economy is booming. Gas prices are way down,” he said. “Kyle Petty says you can follow the car counts in auto racing by the stock market, because everything we do in racing or in sports, including sponsorship, follows the stock market. So the stock market is basically like going to Vegas.”
Wallace wasn’t just observing trends. He was echoing the insights of Kyle Petty, who has long argued that motorsports reflects broader financial markets.
Speaking to Sports Business Journal in 2006, Petty explained, “Now you are part of a marketing platform. The driver, the car, and the sponsor are part of the activation, the marketing, and the sales.”
Petty’s insight highlights how motorsports has evolved into a complex business ecosystem. Drivers and teams are no longer just competing on speed. They sell exposure, performance, and branding, all of which are directly affected by economic conditions. When companies are doing well, they are more willing to invest in sponsorships, which in turn fuel larger fields and more competitive racing.
The connection is clear. Thriving car counts, robust sponsorships, and packed events do not happen in isolation.
Wallace’s recent comments show that dirt tracks, sprint car events, and even marquee NASCAR races feel the ripple effects of the broader economy.
Take the 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals as an example. The event has attracted an exceptionally large field of drivers, with entries reaching approximately 385 competitors ahead of the event.
That figure surpasses the previous record of 381 entries set in 2022 and reflects the continued growth and popularity of this indoor midget spectacle in Oklahoma.
“Like the way people want to live that, that, that’s always been crazy. But when it comes to finances, things are really good right now. Sponsors are doing well. And so I have just noticed that. And I wanted to bring that up that when you see gas prices as cheap as they are, that means these dirt teams, they can travel cheaper,” Wallace added.
