NASCAR drivers surprised by excitement at NYC Fanatics Fest

NASCAR Stars Shine at Fanatics Fest in New York

Some of the most prominent figures in NASCAR made an appearance at Fanatics Fest on Friday, which took place in New York City.

It’s interesting, really. New York isn’t typically recognized as a hub for car racing, especially with so many fans flocking for local legends like Derek Jeter and Eli Manning all weekend long. Yet, NASCAR’s big names found themselves pleasantly surprised by the warm reception they received from attendees.

“Honestly, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, so it’s pretty cool to be recognized here,” Kyle Larson shared with Fox News Digital at the event.

Meanwhile, NASCAR Cup leader William Byron expressed his astonishment at the supportive crowd at the Javits Center. “I’m kind of amazed. There were definitely a bunch of 24 fans here. It’s great. We’re headed to Pocono this weekend, which is exciting,” he remarked.

Denny Hamlin was engaged in a fan game, competing against stars like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski for a prize of $1 million. He acknowledged the mixed crowd vibe, given the context of his competition.

Hamlin mentioned, “It was overwhelming to see so much enthusiasm. It’s fantastic to see all the different booths and connect with various sports. I mean, NASCAR isn’t the biggest deal around here, but there were still quite a few racing shirts in sight. Getting autograph requests really shows that people do recognize you.”