MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 15, 2020) -- As the NASCAR season gets back under way, fans will initially not be in attendance due to the ongoing health crisis. Neither will the merchandise trailers that are as much a part of NASCAR racing as last-lap battles and thrilling on-track action.
That does not mean that JR Nation and the rest of the loyal fan base will miss out on the newest apparel and souvenirs from their favorite drivers and teams. Thanks to Musictoday and its vendors, there is plenty of both in the pipeline coinciding with the return to on-track action.
Musictoday CEO Del Wood is behind the Virtual Trackside Program that is now in place. The program allows fans access to the gotta-have merchandise they have been missing while in many cases still under restrictions from the current pandemic.
The online aspect of the Virtual Trackside Program is a benefit both in terms of accessibility during the lockdown and the excitement that wearing the latest and greatest apparel can engender. Though the NASCAR season will reopen without ardent fans in the stands, the passion for the drivers and teams remains.
“It’s going to be different going forward,” Wood said of the current reality. “A fan interaction with someone they love that gives them that aura and joy that you get out of sports and entertainment...that has certainly been stymied physically, but not virtually. These virtual channels are going to continue to advance and get better.”
Musictoday, which handles e-commerce for JR Motorsports and its JR Nation retail store, also has a big stake in the music industry and is ready to help get the sports and entertainment world back on its feet in terms of apparel, especially given the extraordinary production and logistic support it offers during the COVID-19 outbreak.
In its marketplace of services, Wood and his company have played an important role in both procedures and support for those tasked with fighting on our behalf.
In the early stages of the outbreak, Musictoday was ahead of the curve and adopted a stringent protocol for cleaning and hygiene among its staff. The company is also a vendor for the state of Virginia (its base is in Charlottesville) and quickly moved to service a network of supply vendors that have been keeping Personal Protective Equipment in the pipeline. Employees are working a modified schedule to make sure the supplies of N95 masks, protective gear, face shields and all the materials used by first-responders get out on time and to the proper areas.
“We are a state vendor, a GSA vendor, and we have hundreds of supply chain vendors we deal with, many of whom have PPE or related essentials,” Wood explained. “Because we started this earlier, we were able to buy a ton of hand sanitizer, bleach and towels, all kinds of supplies. We created two essential stores that the general public can get to.”
It also handles the supplies that pent-up NASCAR fans need and want, and the Virtual Trackside Program is built with that in mind.
“E-commerce is a green industry, for growth, and it continues to improve,” Wood said. “It is a channel that has always been there, and I think that channel is going to be more important and is a stronger connection from the brand to the fan. It provides a channel for the fan to at least participate and be a part of the things that they love.”
The Virtual Trackside Program is now up and running with several new bundles from which to choose.
NASCAR is back, and so is the opportunity to support your favorite team and its drivers.