The absolutely sad thing is that these next 5 or so years have enormous potential for the sport to take off, if only the idiots would get out of the way. Almost all of the meta-factors which hurt car culture (and thus NASCAR) over the last decade are starting to reverse.
That great big millennial generation which doesn't like driving hugs trees and would rather live in a cubbyhole and walk to work? Biology happened. Now they are older, getting married and having kids and that means moving to a house in the 'burbs and *gasp* driving a car! Vehicle Miles traveled (VMT) per capita is finally increasing again, just like it has for forever. Ya don't think that maybe, just maybe, those that spend more time behind the wheel might be more interested in a sport centered around driving?
How about the fact that auto manufacturing jobs are finally starting to return to the US? Thousands more families' livelihoods are going to be tied directly to the performance of fords, chevys, and dodges (and Toyotas) both on the showroom floor and hopefully on the track as well.
Finally we have an administration in charge that (at least for now) doesn't see ICE cars as an enemy. That bodes well for anyone not driving a prius-like slush bug. CAFE standards are likely to be relaxed and revised soon as well which could provide a long-term break for car enthusiasts or anyone wanting to buy a performance car like they see on TV.
Instead of kowtowing to NBC and Monster Energy trying to make NASCAR an extreme sport (Radicle brah!), NASCAR should stand pat, play up it's tradition and culture to the hilt and keep the sport free of gimmicks. The sport didn't need them in the 90's when these same social factors were last happening, and we don't need them now. Take the long view for once Brian. Monster will be gone in 2 years and NBC is just going to flood the broadcast with ads regardless of how many breaks you have.