Should NASCAR Schedule More Night Races?
Tuesday May 22, 2007
I love night racing. I would love to see NASCAR expand its night racing calendar to include most of the races from May through September. However this could have a devastating impact on the foundation of the sport. Race fans might stay home to watch the NASCAR race on TV instead of going out to support their local Saturday night races. NASCAR needs the local tracks to provide future talent and grow racing's overall fan base.
Would you like to see more night races on the NEXTEL Cup schedule? What about the impact on local tracks?
Comments
I love night races.
Well Steve I agree with every word you wrote. I really like night races, but it could be devastating. I think NASCAR should run Saturday nights ONLY at the tracks where the Sunday afternoon heat is just tremendous. (like Daytona july race) Maybe 1 a month might not affect the locals too much. GO KASEY
It would be great if they had more Saturday night racing. I would need to see statistics regarding potential effects on local tracks before commenting on that; I don’t have any idea if it would affect them or not.
Night Race’s a Great in the summer,but Sunday afternoon is better in the spring and fall!…There’s just no better way to spend a sunday afternoon!
I think Nextel Cup races should be on Saturdays day or night.
I prefer night races though.
Then I would go to our local 1/4 mile track in Slinger WI. more often on Sundays.
I like night races but I have only one problem, after having a busy Saturday, I fall asleep in the middle of the race than on Sunday morning I have to check Nascar.com to see who won. LOL LOL
Let NASCAR race on Saturday nights and the local tracks on Friday night or even Sunday afternoon.
Hey, cut me some slack. Im 72 years old and a nascar fan for 40 years. I cant make a half hour without falling asleep. I love Sunday racing
Saturday night is ‘date night’ whether one is single or married. We have to DVR the Saturday night races and it isn’t the same. Sunday 1 PM races are perfect.
I did go to Richmond for the night race this year – was disappointed with the rain postponement, but totally enjoyed the race on Sunday.
I like nascar night time racing, but we have a good local track here and if I had to make a choice between the local track or watch nascar night racing all the time on tv, the local track would win out. nothing beats a good local track racing, and when the sprints come to town nothing beats them.
The Brickyard was miserably hot last year! Especially since they moved to a later start time. I love the night races. It makes the summer races more comfortable for the drivers AND the fans!
I agree Steve, it would have an impact on the local tracks.
I recall years back when Nascar started Saturday night races, there was a loud voice of concern from the local tracks. They have enough to worry about with encrochment of cities into thier back yard then complaining about the noise, worrying about rising insurance costs, land values, and trying to keep local racing affordable for all to compete in. They do not need to be competeing with Nascar Cup deep pockets on Saturday nights. Keep August Bristol and All Star Challenge at night, and the rest on Sunday afternoons.
Nascar needs to realize where the roots of their sport is and do whatever nessesary to keep that healthy.
If they think that moving more races to Saturday nights will solve thier issues, they need to get their heads out of……the sand.
Please, no more night races! Saturday night is for getting out on the town, not for watching TV. Give me a lazy Sunday afternoon in front of the tube cheering and jeering the greats and the “hates!”
I thinnk it was Junior that said a while back that he grew up understanding on Sundays you have lunch, then you settle in to watch the race.
Agree with him.
Tradition.
When you start moving things around, you loose the core fan.
Nascar has made many changes of late and it is just like a race car, you make to many changes all at once and you do not know which one worked and which one did not.
I like a night race every now and then, but I agree with those that say a lazy, Sunday afternoon with a Nextel Cup race is the best. Do not screw with tradition. Plus, the Saturday night races end too late and I am rarely awake when they end.
Night races are nice but what I would like to see is a DIRT TRACK.Thats how NASCAR started and when I started racing it was at Langley Speedway in Virginia.
I like the night races. However, Saturday racing conflicts with college football. As big a NASCAR fan as I am I’m not missing my team during college football season. The NFL is so boooooorrring that racing on Sunday is not a conflict.
Night racing is great. In the L.A. area, Irwindale race track has implemented a big screent to show the nascar race while putting on their races. It keeps the crowds comoing and enjoying the best of both worlds.
Night racing is great. In the L.A. area, Irwindale race track has implemented a big screen to show the nascar race while putting on their races. It keeps the crowds coming and enjoying the best of both worlds.
I like night racing. So much for all of the talk and preaching about real race fans but college football takes over for nascar.
I just said I like night racing that is why I go to my local track. They put on a far better show that NASCAR puts on. As Tlabonte fan, the person can’t make up his/her mind of what kind of fan they are. I have read on here how they are true NASCAR fan’s and they tell others they are not because of one reason or another. Nascar and NFL is so Boooooring.
I would really like to see a night race if there was lights at Loudon. July’s race gets really hot here in NE. Sylvania has stated that they would fund the lights (they sponsor the Sept race) but the owner of NHIS promised only Sun races to the local town. I agree with a earlier comment that Spring and Fall races should be on Sunday’s.
Night racing adds elements to racing. Knowledgeable racing fans know that crew chiefs have some extra things to plan for in races where they start during the day but finish the race in the lights (i.e. changes in track temps, etc). But all this talk about how Saturday night racing hurts local racing and/or some fans limited social life gets me to thinking – why are we limiting our thinking here. Are you ready for some RACING? How about some Monday Night Nascar? Call me crazy, but since TV goes to pot during the summer anyway – Prime Time Racing just seems to make perfect sense to me. Monday, Thursday – whatever, just limit it to those that end in Y. The plus sides in this are just enormous – from late Aug on there is no conflict with NFL games on Sunday and/or college football on Sat. The only places I see the need to watch the schedules is during March Madness, the NBA and MLB Playoffs. But there always are those times that some sports come to heads up battles for the viewing public – DUH!
-that is why God made video recorders! I am serious about this Monday thing – look everybody knows Nascar was invented south of the Mason-Dixon line along with most all other rightous and worthwile things, like, both kinds of great music (country and western), long-necks, cheerleaders with great legs and Juniors (both Dale and Hank). I am positive “all my rowdy friends” could commit to Monday Nite!!
I love night races I would love to see more of them, but I also agree with you when you say it could be devestating to the sport
They should stick to Sundays!
If you really love racing then try visiting a local short track. Most race either Fri.or Sat nights. The racing is usually better than anything Nascar can offer.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE NIGHT RACES. I JUST LOVE WATCHING THE CARS UNDER THE LIGHT & IF IT RAINS YOU HAVE SUNDAY FOR MAKE UP INSTEAD OF MONDAY.
lee says
july 1st to aug 30th.
YEAH! What Stephen No.23 said……
Let’s see, run at night, get divorced for tieing up the better half’s night programs, HUMMMMM
I like night races to but i think we need a race in canada busch series is a start but i want to watch nextel cup or how a about a night race in canada
I would love more night races. It leaves my day for mommy stuff and the night to enjoy the race with the family.
Stephen#23 has a great point. We are heading into the time of the summer where TV is in reruns, Football does not start occupying weeknites until September, Nascar wants cooler evening races. The only downside would be for those attending the race. It would be more vacation time used up. A weekend race ends up to me maybe two vacation days used. A weeknite race would be three maybe even four vacation days.
But then again, Nascar has never really been caring about the fans at the track and is more concerned about TV deals and ratings.
I would be more inclined to watch during a weeknite than on a weekend which as time goes on, tends to fill up with projects around the house.
Move over Mike Helton, Stephen #23 for Nascar President!
NO day time races are just fine.
NO afternoon races are just fine.
Who has time for racing when you are protecting the border. Of course there is a lot of racing across the line.
I have been in love with cup racing since I lived w/my father at the age of 14 in S. Florida & went to a race party in and he gave me five bucks to draw a name out of the hat for the race pool. It was Dale E.’s he won and I won the $215 race pool (1985). There were no fans of Dale’s that were any more in love with him than myself. I have many fond memories of races on Sunday afternoons with my Dad, pitching horse shoes, barbecuing and watching Dale whether at home or a party at someones else’s house, or at the race live. For some reason Saturday night races are not the same for me and I never have liked them as much. I have been very disappointed with the increase in night races, and I think there is a real potential for it to move more in the direction of a big adult party instead of a family oriented event. I like the tradition of Sunday afternoon races. They for the most part have been on Sunday’s for the history of the sport and I for the life of me just can’t seem to figure out how all those people survived the heat…lol. But I also don’t like alot of the changes that have come in the last decade, I think Nascar is ruining the sport they’ve got too big for there britches, the France family is slowly deteriorating the sport single handedly. Now there going to communist China for sponsors (joe nemecheck’s car Haier) I think it was a much better sport before all the changes (especially rules) when it was predominantly in the south-south east. But that is just my opinion, & everybody has differing opinions due to different personalities and temperments. Nascar bring back the days of “rubbin is racin” man I miss Dale and that style of racing–Glory Days
GO JR. GO
We fall asleep, with the tape running, then watch in bed on Sunday Morning. It’s ok. I guess. It does leave Sun. to do outside work.
Who cares? All it does is to give people something to gripe about. Some people just not happy unless they can complain, gripe about something. These people would complain if someone gave them $100. they would grip because it was wasn’t $200. yes I know I’m complaining about the complainers.
Hi everyone I would love to see more night races. But as a president of a track in Ca. we race on Sat. nights from april till October and if nascar runs more night races then ill have to tape more races and when i tape races then I fast forward thru all the commercials and we all no in this business advertising and sponsorship is why nascar is were it is today. If sponsor see a drop in viewers than they will drop the sport they are buying ad spot for. Just look at the NHL this year, they had a problem last year and didnt play and it took them till the playoffs to get any national Tv time and that has been very little. just some food for thought Thank you for reading
i think they should start late afternoon then end at night like the coke 600,californias sept.race go 24
John, that is the point a lot of us trying to make, We don’t like the changes nascar been doing, Night racing doesn’t matter to me, but the rest is the problem. We know there will be changes andCars need to be safe but they don’t need to look like a box. They should look like chevy, ford, etc. All of those bogas yellow flages, and the list goes on. Nascar dont seem to listen unless you have $$$ to offer. If it takes sponsors to drop them before they hear the fans so be it. I for myself lately I go to my local track before watch nascar, the locals put on a far better race show than nascar does now.
I Love night racing, usually go to local tracks on Friday nights
Linda and Pat need to hook up! Date night—-PLEASE!
I love Saturday night racing, especially when I went to El Cajon speedway, it was so cool, your all pumped up for it every week can’t wait for Saturday Night races.
Would like to see a night race in April race in Texas. We no longer have the IROC race on Friday night. Have been to Charlotte several times and loved the night races.
yes more more more. The Sunday races are great also but a few more wouldn’t hurt through the year.
I agree with #’s 26 & 27. Especially night races in the summer. Why can’t you make date night at a local sports’ bar that shows the races. I am not as crazy about night races during hockey season because I am a MAJOR hockey fan and attend most of the in town games and will not miss the TV broadcast of the out of town games so June – August would be great for night time races on Saturday.
GO JJ #48 Go STARS!!!!!
I don’t like night racing because NASCAR does cut into a tradition of Sunday afternoon events. How woould you like Football to stop playing on Sunday and play instead on weekday nights. it could be done if the NFL went pay per view. Saturday nights are not just for racing. It is a time to spend with friends and families. long gone are the days of the Jackie Gleason Show and othe prime time Saturday night TV. Peolpe like to go out on weekends, go to movies and such. I like to dine on Saturday nights and like to have a date. Wgo would want to choose between and evening with a girl or guy or your children. Sunday is a time for peace. You got to church if that is what you do and spend an afternoon watching a favorite sport. Beside, if it rains as it did in Darlington, how can you start a race at 11pm and expect an audiance to stay up to 2 or 3 in the morning for a race. If they race during the day and it rainds, the track will dry faster with a Sun and if they have to extend a race past daylight, NASCAR still can. Besides, a night race is supposed to be something special like at the tradtional race at Bristol. If you croud night races into the schedule, it no longer become something to look forward to, it become just another race. if they wanted to race one race at night and one during the day during season that could be done, but racing most Saturday nights would just ruin my Sunday afternoons during the summer. I spend 6 days a week at work and like a quiet Sunday at the races.
One last thing, some people are under the impression that NASCAR cares about the fans. It does not! It cares about the money and that is all. If Bill France was still alive we still would have the Southern 500. In 1998, NASCAR made a big deal about it’s 50th year anniversary. Now al they car about is the buck that California brings in and North Wilkesboro does not. They would get rid of Martinsville if the the owner would give up his dates. And this new car of the future is just like a GT Corvette you would see at LeMans. NASCAR use to stand you Stock Car racing and it promoted the manufacturers. That is why Chysler, Toyota, Chevy and Ford have their names on the cars, but they don’t even look like a stock car anymore. Enzo Ferarri once said “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday”! Ferrari, ALfa Romeo, Jaguar and Audi showcased their race cars on Sunday and made their sports cars legends. Ford, Chevy, Buick, Mercury, Plymouth and Dodge did the same back when cars were real cars. If NASCAR keeps going the way it does with night racing and getting away from it’s roots, pretty soon we will no long see anything even remotely resembling a “stock” “steet” type car. In that case, I raher watch Formula One were the best drivers in the world compete all over the globe for a “World Championship”. They know tradition. If you don’t beleve me watch the race this Sunday at Monaco. They have race the same course there since the 1920’s. The FIA will never get rid of the street race at Monaco, like NASCAR did with North Wilkesboro. Somethings need to stay the same. That is the gace a digitiy of Fenway Park, Darlington and Churchill Downs. If we lose a part of our past, we can never get it back. That is why we need to stay on the Sunday’s Afternoons and NASCAr should consider stepping back and seeing what got them where they are today.
It would suit us aussies who love Nascar, as we can watch it live at during our day, instead of the early hours of the morning.
well i think night is good to deal with the heat and from being in the midwest alot of day races with the heat will make peoplenot come at all. you only have one chance to impress people so i say night racing is the best days suck.and tony stewart owns the local dirt track in cincy go smoke
I don’t really care for Saturday nite racing. Saturday is a great day to go bar hopping and by the time I get home from that I can’t even find the TV set. Also, it leaves me nothing to do on Sunday!
WTav you must be real proud of yourself, not to mention your parents. A fine upstanding person.
Better to be putting down the beer in a bar than to be stupid enough to be throwing it on the race track at cars like some so called fans do. Besides that, lighten up!!
Leave it just the way it is, we do have some night racing, but I prefer the Sunday, Barbeque, Beer and race day.
Every race should be a night race, even the Daytona 500, cars look better, more excitement. These grew up racing on Saturday night lets bring it back, all night races and bring back historic tracks, I would love it.
love see more night races need one at michigan mis it has the light there all ready draw more fans in too ty james catanese