Kamara’s new job: Help NASCAR grow fan base

Alvin Kamara has officially become a two-sport star.

The New Orleans Saints running back was named as NASCAR’s first-ever growth and engagement advisor on Sunday, continuing his growing relationship with the sport over the past year.

“I’m excited they carved out a role for me,” Kamara said Sunday. “I got an office. I got a key card. I feel like I never had a job besides the NFL, so I got two jobs now. [Saints coach] Sean Payton going to have to give me some downtime.”

Kamara also tweeted at Payton, who sent a humorous reply after he got married this weekend in Cabo San Lucas.

Aye @SeanPayton … kinda got a new job. We gotta figure somethin out. pic.twitter.com/QY12nDbXp1

— Alvin Kamara (@A_kamara6) June 20, 2021

@A_kamara6 Congratulations! I’ll send over my Mariachi Band to celebrate. Now can I get a little peace and quiet? pic.twitter.com/SMZ0qnIf0c

— Sean Payton (@SeanPayton) June 21, 2021

According to NASCAR.com, Kamara will “work directly with NASCAR leadership on strategic planning and creative opportunities that support its fan development efforts.”

“It’s an honor to be able to team up with NASCAR and be their first-ever Growth and Engagement Advisor,” Kamara said, according to the website. “I’m excited to use my passion as a fan to help shape their long-term efforts to grow the sport.”

Welcome to the family, Alvin. We’re proud to announce @A_kamara6 is joining our team as our first-ever Growth and Engagement Advisor. @KlutchSports pic.twitter.com/SpjMtuItoX

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 20, 2021

Kamara, who grew up near Atlanta and went to college at Tennessee, just recently became a fan of NASCAR. He first emerged as a public supporter of NASCAR on social media last June after the organization banned Confederate flags from its racetracks. NASCAR then invited Kamara to attend his first race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he came out to support driver Bubba Wallace — who pushed for the policy change and debuted a Black Lives Matter paint scheme.

Then in February, Kamara decided to sponsor driver Ryan Vargas through Kamara’s juice-bar chain in the Xfinity Series race at Daytona after he learned Vargas had no funding.

“Alvin’s journey to NASCAR happened very organically from that initial curiosity to experiencing our events to developing a real and sincere passion for the sport,” said Pete Jung, chief marketing officer at NASCAR. “That’s what we’re looking to tap into … his insights, perspective and ideas … and learning more about his experience so that we can enhance what we’re doing to engage and develop new fans.”

The collaboration was organized by Kamara’s team at Klutch Sports Group. According to NASCAR, his role will focus on connecting new audiences through immersive and educational experiences that help them learn more about the sport. Kamara will interact directly with fans at races — including Sunday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway — and share his NASCAR fan journey through digital and social media content.

He got down on the track at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this year, and Kamara walked through the media center and garages at the Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday with the track hosting its first Cup race after having been shut down the past decade.

Being in the garage Sunday at the Nashville Superspeedway rather than the suite where he watched his first race was an eye-opener for the technical side of racing.

“Just looking at these guys’ toolboxes how organized and how like just particular everything is,” Kamara said. “It’s not a mess down there. These guys are like precise and surgical when dealing with those cars. Obviously, when you think about it, being able to go 200 mph for 300 laps, there’s a lot that goes into it.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.