Darl Ernhardt, Jr. has released a new social networking site for NASCAR fans. The site is called Infield Parking, and while it’s in beta you can register, set up and profile and start connecting with your racing buddies.
The site begins with most of the features you’d expect (profiles, photos, comments, friendlists), and it makes good old fashioned forums a key feature. Mashable made the comment that it’s good to see forums remain prominent in this social network. I agree. Forums are the precursors to myspace type social networks, but they’re not obsolete. I can’t speak for NASCAR, but I know NFL fans still use forums extensively.
What I don’t see on this NASCAR site is any area where fans can connect with fans of a specific driver or team. The system does ask you (upon registration) who is your favorite driver, but it’s not clear what they’re going to do with that information. I expect they’ll allow fans of Rusty Wallace to connect with other fans of Rusty Wallace. He’s a NASCAR driver, isn’t he? We think this (allowing subcultures to form) is going to be a key to our social net, My Colts Network, when it launches.
We’ll offer registered users the option to form public or private groups based on a sub-interest category like home town, particular players, or whatever. Each group will have its own home page within the system. Each group will also have its own events calendar, and forum.
There’s one thing any niche social networking systems need to keep in mind. Based on our research, fans want “inside access” more than any other feature we’re offering. It’s relatively easy to offer Myspace type profile pages, photos, etc., but it’s very hard to give thousands of fans the feeling that they’re getting behind the scenes.
Pat,
Thanks for the blog posting about our site. We do have a lot in store for the NASCAR fans, and yes there will be many subcultures within the Infield Parking realm. We have a large contingent of Nextel Cup drivers coming into “the Infield” to build up their own presence and fan interaction. And we have much more in store. It is going to become a pretty robust place for the fans, yet still keep it grass roots approach.
I would love to chat one on one sometime, and share challenges & experiences. You can contact me at the e-mail address I used to submit this comment.
Oh yeah! Kudos to the Colts and good luck! I am a Patriots fan through & through; but you can’t win them all. Hope Peyton gets his ring!
-Ed Sullivan-
CEO- Infield Parking
http://www.InfieldParking.com/EdSullivan
Hi, I have a profile on IP and I love it. My comment is this. As a race fan, I am used to intermingling with fans of other Drivers. That’s what makes Nascar Unique! I’m not sure that I would want to be totally connected with everyone that only likes the driver that I like. As many fans like several drivers. We do have these tags that we post on our page. They are key words like “Kasey or Bristol” I can click on those and it will bring up others that have a similar tag. So I do have a choice to find those if I want to! I like the basic way that it functions~~~Lisa
Infield Parking is a great idea! I like the idea that forums are still prominiment!
this is a great site…i’ve been a member for a few months and i love it