NASCAR Tops NFL in Faith-Driven Rankings

By Paul Ausick Updated Jan 13, 1:02PM EST · Published Feb 18, 11:15AM EST

NASCAR Tops NFL in Faith-Driven Rankings — © Thinkstock

According to a ranking published last year, the most popular U.S. sport is pro football, with 32% of Americans saying the game is their favorite. That’s double the score of baseball, which ranked second with 16%; more than triple the 10% who say college football is their favorite sport; and more than quadruple the 7% that name auto racing. But when it comes to the sport that is most compatible to religious faith-driven consumers, auto racing’s NASCAR more than doubles the score of the National Football League (NFL).

According to a ranking released Thursday by an organization called Faith Driven Consumer (FDC), the Faith Equality Index score for NASCAR is 50, compared with a score of 24 for the NFL. The index is based on a 100-point scale and, according to the FDC, indicates “how well brands acknowledge Faith Driven Consumers by welcoming, embracing, and celebrating them.”

On the Faith Equality Index, NASCAR scored 11 of a possible 30 points for its commitment to faith-driven consumers; 28 of 30 possible points in the faith-compatible corporate action category; five of 20 points on equal application of equal protections; and six of 20 points in the category of corporate competency in the faith-driven consumer market segment.

Chris Stone, founder of FDC, said:

Like the NFL, NASCAR is significantly made up of Faith Driven Consumers at all levels of the organization. But unlike the NFL, NASCAR is in a strong position given its initial Faith Equality Index score of 50. With this foundation, we believe NASCAR will close the gaps and increase its score—and its relationship with the faith community—in very short order. We look forward to working with NASCAR, professional sports organizations, and major sponsors alike to help them improve their standing with the faith community.

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FDC also rated racing team cars and sponsors on its index. The top rated car is Toyota, with a score of 40, followed by Ford with a rating of 32 and Chevy with a rating of 29. Among sponsors, the top-rated is Interstate Batteries, with an index score of 60, followed by Thrivent Financial with an index score of 52 and Menards with a score of 42.

Further rankings and details on the FDC equality index cover a variety of companies and industries.

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About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for 247Wallst.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.