NASCAR’s ‘sound’ would be a draw in Japan – Kobayashi

Kamui Kobayashi believes there would be an audience in Japan if NASCAR were to make a return to his homeland.

NASCAR brought stock cars and its Cup Series stars to Japan for the first time in 1996. The cars were shipped across the Pacific and ran at the Suzuka Circuit, in NASCAR’s first major international race. After two years of competing at Suzuka, the exhibition event ran at Motegi in 1998.

“I think for sure there is an opportunity,” Kobayashi (pictured at left, above) said Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he is embedded with 23XI Racing ahead of his second Cup Series start next weekend. “It is very different than any type of motorsport. It’s the sound. NASCAR has amazing sound. It’s amazing compared to any type of car, even Formula 1.”

Kobayashi has experience driving a Formula 1 car and a sports car (he’s a two-time WEC champion and former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner). In August, Kobayashi added stock cars to his résumé when he made his NASCAR debut at Indianapolis.

“It sounds noisy, but it’s one of the greatest sounds,” Kobayashi continued at a NASCAR stock car. “When you are watching them race that close to the wall, it’s something that is hard to believe. I’m impressed. When you look at older sports cars, it’s hard to define the noise.