It wouldn’t be wrong to consider Jimmie Johnson as NASCAR’s knowledge bank of European racing. He has spent a fair amount of time running endurance races to know exactly what the motorsports structure there is. And it’s quite well-developed compared to the United States, according to him. There is, however, a very interesting reason he gives for the lack of that synergy in American grassroots racing.

 Jimmie Johnson on European grassroots racing

“Now, it sure feels like European karting is the premier place,” Johnson argued. Europe is now known to be the place for proper karting. There are numerous national and international tournaments that bring the best drivers together. Almost all the current Formula 1 drivers have come from karting. But this is where Johnson feels Europe has a certain ‘geographical advantage.’

“Europe’s smaller, there’s some elements that I think geographically bring the best together more often and continue to drive that evolution of the competition,” he told Will Buxton (former F1, current IndyCar journalist) and Kevin Harvick. “Here it’s more difficult, and it’s more regional. For you to go race against the California kids and you’re an East Coaster.”

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His statement seems quite apparent. Europe is roughly the size of the United States. Moreover, they have quite a few historical tracks, and racing dates back to their history. F1’s structure, roughly laid out: karting, Formula Regional/4, then Formula 3, followed by Formula 2, and then finally F1, is quite organized, and all the young racers have a clear pipeline ahead of them.

Meanwhile, the vast expanse of the United States makes it difficult to have a similar synergy. Yet, Jimmie Johnson feels that motorsports is resurging with the growing generation, and it might be soon enough when many karting drivers take the wheel in NASCAR’s premier series.

“But I feel like motorsports in general is really having a resurgence. There’s a lot more interest in and around it,” he said.

While Johnson feels this, the grassroots levels of racing might already be changing in the US. And it is one of NASCAR’s rival series that has come up with a new plan.

Motorsports in the US to have a new level of grassroots racing

While NASCAR happens to be the premier level of stock car racing, the sport hasn’t exactly focused on the grassroots level. There is the ARCA Menards Series and a few regional races, but that does not align well with the level of grassroots racing that Europe has. However, that is set to change soon.

The International Hot Rod Association recently announced its own stock car racing series. The drivers will compete for a $2 million purse, and it will largely be focused on grassroots levels.

“We’re bringing stock car racing back to its roots,” IHRA President & CEO Darryl Cuttell said in a statement. “This is racing that rewards driver skill, smart setups, and teamwork, not massive budgets. It’s exactly the kind of competition fans love, and competitors deserve.”

This is certainly interesting. While this does not appear to be a sudden threat to NASCAR, considering they are targeting a different racing level, it will surely give more structure to American racing. Perhaps, young drivers in the future will have more chances to showcase their talents through this.

At the end of the day, however, what Jimmie Johnson said stands. Europe does have a much better structure of grassroots racing, which has been formed over the course of the past decades. Now, for America to replicate that, it will be a long run. But IHRA’s Stock Car Series seems to be a strong start.