For the vast majority of people a car IS an appliance, a tool. What gets us from point A to point B most economically and safest within our budget is what we buy. Cars with 4/6 cylinder engines and FWD are it. Added bonus is increased traction because the major weight is over the drive axle.
As for NASCAR, their races are run with 8 cylinder engines at an average speed of 160+ mph. All top tier cars in NASCAR are capable of going 230 mph.
At 160 mph a different set of dynamics comes into play. Aerodynamics dictate that the air flow over the body will help the rear wheels stick to the pavement better at such speeds. Ceramic brakes help the braking as the cars decelerate.
Plus RWD is easier to repair/replace when the driver blows an engine or the car has a mechanical problem.
The relationship between auto makers and NASCAR is so incestuous that NASCAR will be RWD as long as RWD cars are mass produced for the public.
If Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Toyota, etc announced the end of RWD car production NASCAR would switch to FWD so fast it would make your head spin.
Since most people drive considerably slower than 160 mph and enjoy the stability of FWD as well as the sharper turning afforded by the transverse engine the majority of cars will be FWD.
None of NASCAR’s namesake cars are RWD, AFAIK, and none offer the street-obsolete 4-speed manual, or a V8.