With seasons postponed, NASCAR, IndyCar drivers are signing digital autographs for fans

NASCAR and IndyCar drivers are still finding ways to sign autographs away from the track.

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, NASCAR and the IndyCar Series are among the many sports organizations that have postponed or canceled events in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, or flatten the curve.

NASCAR postponed a total of seven races through May 3, and it hopes to return to the track the following weekend at Martinsville Speedway. In the meantime, it launched an exhibition iRacing series with some of the biggest names in the sport, like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch.

IndyCar canceled its season-opening race in St. Petersburg last weekend, along with three more races through the end of April and is looking to kick off the season in early May with the GMR Grand Prix. (IndyCar’s next race after that is the Indianapolis 500 on May 24, which is still on for now.)

Especially at the tracks, both racing series offer a huge amount of fan engagement with drivers regularly signing autographs and taking photos with the people around them. And because of that — along with several other reasons — it’s just not safe for racing to continue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended the cancellation or postponement of gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks.

So without racing, many fans are missing out on the opportunity to get autographs from their favorite drivers at the track. Well, drivers have a way around that: digital autographs.

Since last week, people have been sending drivers photos, and the drivers are signing them on their phones and sending them back. This isn’t new for racers and fans, but with the sports world in limbo, it’s a great way to still have some fan interaction.

Earnhardt even jumped in and signed this photo of Landon Cassill and a fan after Cassill signed it.

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