While the COVID-19 pandemic has postponed all NASCAR races until at least May, several of the sport’s drivers have still been able to sign autographs for fans - virtually at least.
Many drivers have recently begun to sign digital autographs for fans via social media. Similar to a traditional autograph session, where fans bring photos and memorabilia for drivers to sign, fans have been tweeting pictures to drivers with the hopes of getting them to sign the photos with a phone stylus.
The new trend appears to have started on March 13 when a fan tweeted a request for a digital autograph to Hailie Deegan.
Since there’s no racing for awhile. Some guy just tweeted a pic of him and I and wanted me to sign it. So I screenshot it and signed it on my phone then sent it back😂. Not gonna lie, laying in bed signing autographs ain’t too bad
— Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) March 13, 2020
“Some guy just tweeted a pic of him and I and wanted me to sign it. So I screenshot it and signed it on my phone and then sent it back,” Deegan tweeted. “Not gonna lie, laying in bed signing autographs ain’t too bad.”
After Deegan sent that tweet, several fans responded with similar requests for autographs. Deegan continued to sign for them as well.
— Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) March 13, 2020
One of the fans who replied to Deegan’s tweet, tagged Corey LaJoie, asking if he would sign an autograph as well. LaJoie obliged.
— Corey LaJoie (@CoreyLaJoie) March 13, 2020
Since then, several other drivers from NASCAR’s top three series have begun to sign digital autographs for fans, many signing photos fans had taken with them.
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) March 18, 2020
https://t.co/aH86pXzptf pic.twitter.com/RT7cgSqzkM
— Daniel Hemric (@DanielHemric) March 19, 2020
https://t.co/m03mOgBDUH pic.twitter.com/9cWWro6YIv
— Harrison Burton (@HBurtonRacing) March 14, 2020
Racers from IndyCar and NHRA have also since joined in on the fun.
— James Hinchcliffe (@Hinchtown) March 19, 2020
— Ron Capps (@RonCapps28) March 18, 2020
Team Penske has also encouraged all 15 of its drivers across NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA and Supercars to sign a group photo. All 14 of Penske’s drivers have signed the photo.
All done ✅ @Team_Penske ! Brad, I suspect my drawing of you in the #penskegame did not impress you and you expressed your anger in your signature? pic.twitter.com/uKF8QC2uau
— Simon Pagenaud (@simonpagenaud) March 20, 2020
While racetracks all around the world sit empty, signing digital autographs has proved to be yet another way drivers can continue to interact with fans.
