August 8, 2009
By Rebecca Gladden
When internet search engine Ask.com decided to invest in NASCAR, it did so in a big way.
Before the 2009 season kicked off, Ask.com signed on as primary sponsor of the No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing Cup car driven by Bobby Labonte. In addition, the company rolled out an extensive ad campaign branding its product as "the Official Search Engine of NASCAR."
As part of their venture into NASCAR, Ask.com encouraged fans to download its "official NASCAR toolbar," complete with customizable driver skins, and to utilize the Ask.com search engine to find answers to NASCAR-related questions.
Interestingly, Ask.com compiles and releases a weekly summary of the top ten NASCAR searches it receives in three separate categories: driver searches, NASCAR searches, and NASCAR questions queried on Ask.com.
So, what kinds of questions are people asking the Official Search Engine of NASCAR?
Let's just say that the top ten questions have nothing to do with bump stops, brake pedals, or varying degrees of banking.
It seems NASCAR fans - or at least those with a passing interest in the sport - appear to be most interested in the love lives of their favorite drivers.
Nearly half of the top ten Ask.com search engine questions last week pertained to that topic, including these scintillating concerns: Does Tony Stewart have a girlfriend? Who is Tony Stewart dating? Who did Jamie McMurray marry? Does Kasey Kahne have a girlfriend?
(If you want the answers, I guess you'll have to ask Ask.com for yourself).
Additionally, taking up not one but two spots on the list were nearly identical questions about how NASCAR drivers, um, respond to nature's call during a race.
The remaining inquiries were a little more racing related, including: Where is Pocono Raceway? What does NASCAR stand for? Who won the Brickyard 400? Who holds the Cup Series race record at Pocono Raceway?
In terms of the top driver searches, Tony Stewart tops the list again this week, as he did last, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. second, and Jeff Gordon third. Perhaps surprisingly, the fourth name on the list is the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., with Jimmie Johnson fifth.
Rounding out the top ten driver names searched were Jeremy Mayfield, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip, and Kasey Kahne.
What does all that mean? Maybe nothing in the big scheme of things.
But I think it's worth noting that what draws a lot of fans and semi-fans to NASCAR is not the technical aspects of the sport, the rules, or even the competition, at least to a certain degree.
The drivers themselves have always been the backbone of NASCAR, and current superstars like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. continue to attract fans to the sport and keep them here.
So, maybe NASCAR needs to remember that the next time they're tempted to be too quick with the trigger finger when penalizing drivers for showing their passion and emotion.
And maybe the sponsors - and the drivers themselves - should keep that in mind when lining up things like driver appearances and autograph sessions. Fans enjoy meeting the B- and C-list drivers, but would love to have a little more access to the A-listers as well.
Even if it's just to ask them how they go to the bathroom in a racecar.
(Note: I will be posting the weekly top ten driver search results on Twitter at @WeCreateBuzz)
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