The NASCAR schedule has changed more in the last 3-5 years than it had in the 25 years before it combined. Today we look back on all of the major changes NASCAR has made to the schedule since 2018 and see which have done well and which have fallen short. From the Charlotte Roval on forward we will break down all of this and more and I will give my opinion on each event. After that we will ask a simple question, “Success Or Failure?” Looking back at NASCAR’s Biggest Recent Schedule Changes.
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36 comments
What NASCAR schedule changes have been a success to you? Which were failures?
The Nascar Schedule is successful. Failure is Chicagoland speedway and Kentucky Speedway
Imagine 2 races at Chicago back to back weeks coming back from the Olympics? That’s a huge missed opportunity.
@JGR4LIFE Olympics is probably the reason why Chicagoland isn’t back unfortunately.
@muhammad wahyu hidayat Kentucky Speedway was an overall failure. It shouldn’t come back.
These are seriously my favorite type of videos. Please keep making these here’s what I will say the Indianapolis road. Course was overall a failure, but It did have some pockets of success. One because it was different and unique I think 2021 was the best race I don’t like when people wreck but I kind of enjoyed it the only positive about this year’s race. No Stage breaks which I am for. I need to call out along the NASCAR fan base here. We are all entitled to an opinion and of course we are allowed to change our mind because it is a free country having said that though I hear a lot of people out there saying that we should get rid of stage breaks and I am with you on that. having said that you guys want it back? Why are you complaining that the race is too short heck a lot of you complained that you have a short attention span’s and you can’t even watch a three hour plus race you guys are a bunch of hypocrites I always want more. Also I did not like that this year they change the restart zone that is stupid. They should’ve never done that with the Chicago Street course that spreads the field too far out. What’s the purpose of having a stage break to bunch the field back up subway to spread out again that is a complete oxymoron. I thought we love drama, especially going out in the term one no matter what track it is especially a road course. You guys don’t know what you want I love the drama. That’s part of racing. Sure, I don’t like when the Hendrick cars get wrecked out but that’s the risk you take. I am happy they’re bringing back the oval and they should’ve never got rid of it the Bristol dirt I’m against even though it was unique. It should’ve been the clash or the All-Star race. I am happy that they are going to be repaving North Wilkesboro with, and I found out recently. They are repaving Sonoma any where you can repair the track you don’t have to worry about the bumps interfering the way you race. The Daytona road course is good it’s very scenic. It’s like a big Roval. I just don’t like when the field spreads out the Charlotte Roval is also unique. I would get rid of it personally but then again like I said it’s unique that’s what I do like about it to Chicago Street course one of a kind. I love Nashville superspeedway it’s like the biggest concrete track we go to. again an intermediate track that’s unique with the Darlington throwback week. It should go back the way it first started when NBC came back with NASCAR in 2015 under the lights to start the playoffs Labor Day weekend to me. It makes it even more special than it does now combined all of it in the one weekend gateway is interesting it’s deafly not my favorite track but it’s a unique layout and it produces some good racing but not the best Atlanta a unique hybrid super speedway when the track fades even more I hope they eventually go back to a traditional mile and a half racing life they have done with the other tracks with the package and the way these cars run reconfigure Texas the way it used to be. Bring back Rockingham. I hope they keep Fontana as it is in the repave it bring back Chicagoland one day hopefully eventually the Nashville Fairgrounds Rd., America needs to be back on the schedule. I think that was the best addition to the NASCAR schedule since adding all these new tracks at scenic it’s the longest row course, it’s just unique there’s no other recourse like it COTA for me, is the hardest track to learn on a track map and understanding where the cars are at the there’s some good racing but not the best.
I may be in the minority but I loved the Bristol Dirt race. I’d rather have an actual dirt race like Eldora on the schedule but it had some bright moments like the 2022 finish.
I agree. This year’s Bristol dirt race was the best one in its three year stretch. I do think NASCAR does need to be on dirt; it doesn’t have to be Bristol. Maybe have it at Eldora or potentially Churchill Downs
There is not a dirt track in the country that’s capable of holding a cup race
@Evan Nuh-Koo-LaI agree, but Bristol was also evidence one could be created. I wanted the dirt race to move around since the 2nd year, and if they can dump a bunch of dirt on Bristol, why can’t they do it at other short tracks?
The only thing I want is a dirt package for the cup cars (though for that to happen there’d probably have to be atleast 2 dirt dates) so the racing can be just a little bit better, and we don’t have to have any comp yellows for guys to clean their grills
Same here man I loved it
Success: Chicago Street Course, even when people said it was gonna be a massive failure. Boy they were proved wrong
Failure: Leaving Daytona Road course after just 2 years
NexGen truly is NexGen, unless it’s a short track or a road course
The Chicago Street Course was a HUGE Success
I don’t wanna go back to Chicago! I hate the city.
It was a great race, but the single file restarts ruined it as they always do with every race.
I think we can all agree Texas being cut to one date was a big success. Also, NASCAR should consider rotating the track for the All-Star Race as they’ve been doing for the last 3 years (Bristol was my favorite).
The only way it would be more of a success would be to cut it out completely. Reconfigure, repave, re-something.
As much as I didn’t like it at first moving Michigan to one date like Pocono was a good idea. The last three years the crowd has seem to get a little bigger. Now obviously the rain doesn’t help but I think when Michigan rolls around,I start getting more excited then I used to because it’s the only time they’ll go there in the year
Tell that to Auto Club. It was moved to 1 date then moved off the schedule entirely, when TexARSE should be axed
Same can be said about New Hampshire, and the fact that new car somehow races better than the Gen 6. Not sure how that works but it does
They’ve done some weird things I’m not crazy about, but I at least appreciate that they’re willing to shake things up.
The Chicago street race to me was iconic. Instant classic. SVG winning in that 91 car with the sun setting on the city behind him was a crazy visual and if nascar can repeat that magic again it may be here to stay
The street race was quite the spectacle. I hope they bring the race to another city for next year. I miss Chicagoland very much
3:00 I’m glad you said it! I say right after the Rolex 24, nascar has two weeks of speed weeks. 1st week will be the road course because I think the clash should be on that configuration for a 12 hour event and 12 hour testing days heading into the race. This also allows G56 to be used since it’s a non points race and while more aero could hurt the racing, it should be an even with all 3 series racing together and it should be dedicated to innovation and learning. The second week we’ll resume to the oval leading into the 500
One schedule change you didn’t mention that happened a few years was New Hampshire going to one race back in 2018. I went to every fall Loudon race since 2007 until it’s last year and let me tell you, attendance dropped off like a rock. With all the grandstands being removed from turn 3 and 4, I’m not shocked it only needs the one Summer race to draw any sort of crowd
You forgot that Michigan became a double header in 2020, and then went down to one date in 2021 as well. Like Pocono, the attendance at Michigan greatly increased after this move.
This season NASCAR defined itself as having the most diverse schedule in all of racing—intermediate ovals, short tracks, superspeedways, road courses, street courses, and a dirt oval. there was relatively good racing at all of them and they should stick with having 5-6 road courses. Makes me sad to see Bristol Dirt go
For the folks that go to the Roval, we absolutely love it and hope it stays on the schedule for years to come
I love Bristol dirt as seeing these cars sliding around on dirt was awesome especially on the banking. Making it grip at different lines making the track unpredictable. Also seeing a cup race at Daytona RC was amazing as it’s a new interpretation of a historical venue that has made history on that layout in other series like MotoAmerica and IMSA.
More dirt races!
One good point you made was about tracks with two dates. With two, maybe three exceptions, I think we should relegate tracks down to one date per year. I’d rather see more tracks on the schedule. The ones that get two dates would be tracks like Daytona (oval, then road course), Charlotte (oval, then roval), and Indy (oval, then road course). I think every other track going down to one date would up the attendance at those tracks and follow the trend that Pocono set that you mentioned.
Daytona RC was a really good one. It definitely could do well with the Next Gen but we won’t ever know unless NASCAR puts it back on the schedule. Plus all three series ran well here. I’d say ARCA too but there wasn’t too much goin on, just a cool race to see ARCA in the wet. The only issue I had with it was the addition of the chicane on the exit of the SS Turn 4. If anyone has raced the track in sim racing ya know how freakin awkward that corner is goin from the banking to the apron at 180mph and it seemed like every driver missed that chicane more than the bus stop/Le Mans chicane. And it definitely hurt the flow of the track, ya probably could’ve seen more passes from drafting and a closer field if that chicane didn’t exist. It was just a ideal like with the PJ1 of “ok this works at this track, why don’t we also use it at this track?” And obviously doesn’t fit and no other series will use that type of chicane at Daytona anyway.
Charlotte Roval is definitely a success and hope it never leaves. Was actually at the Roval this year for the first time and the experience was great with pretty large crowd. Having the Coke 600 only on the oval feels pretty good especially now that the All Star isn’t at Charlotte now kinda much how Pocono now where it is it’s own thing. If they were to get rid of the Roval, I’d rather see Rockingham take its place than go back to the oval.
I see 2 options for the championship beyond Homestead and Phoenix. Option 1: select 3 more tracks, rotate through the 5 selected (Homestead and Phoenix are already in there), and use Phoenix as the floater. For instance, a finale at, say, Charlotte would see Phoenix take the Charlotte spot at the end of the round of 12. Option 2: built a brand new track that is ONLY used for the championship (or renovate an older track such as Rockingham or Nashville Fairgrounds).
I love having a diverse schedule. No other series in the world can have the diversity of tracks and test different skill sets like Nascar can