When NASCAR signed five-year sanctioning agreements with tracks, NASCAR wanted to help these race tracks. Instead, the plan backfired on meand the NASCAR the schedule is now a popular topic of conversation.
Many people are suggesting race tracks for NASCAR races, but there have been few changes to the schedule. Keep in mind that race tracks cannot be easily added to the schedule due to the fact that these sanctioning agreements guarantee those race tracks at least one race on their respective series schedule.
Most people suggest new race tracks for the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, but both programs are packed with races. The 2019 Cup Series schedule features 36 races And 2019 Xfinity Series schedule features 33 races. Meanwhile, the Truck Series schedule only has 23 races, so this series arguably has the most room to add races at new race tracks.
The most recent addition to the Truck Series schedule is Atlanta Motor Speedway. After a two-year absence, the track began hosting the second race of the Truck Series season in 2015. However, NASCAR’s newest race track is Eldora Speedway.
In 2013, Eldora Speedway hosted the first Eldora Dirt Derby. As the only dirt track on one of NASCAR’s three major series schedules, the race has become a jewel of the Truck Series schedule. Following the 2018 Eldora Dirt Derby, track owner Tony Stewart suggested the track should host a Cup Series or Xfinity Series race.
Before getting into the main topic of this article, I would like to thank Matt Weaver, deputy motorsport editor at Autoweek And founder of Short Track Scenefor his ideas on what NASCAR expects of race tracks in order for them to host NASCAR races.
First, there are the sanction costs. Sanctioning fees are the fees that tracks pay to NASCAR to host a NASCAR race. For many tracks, sanction fees are too high. Unless NASCAR reduces sanctioning fees, many tracks cannot financially afford to host Truck Series races.
Safety is also a concern for NASCAR. NASCAR has had many horrible wrecks, but often the drivers come away only a little sore. It’s thanks to SAFER barriers. As a result, race tracks need SAFER barriers, or some sort of protective padding on their walls, in order to host NASCAR races.
The infrastructure of a race track goes beyond safety, however. NASCAR asks these questions of potential race tracks. Is there enough parking for all fans, teams, TV staff, etc.? ? Are there suites for NASCAR management and corporate sponsors, and is there space for members of the media, particularly television and radio broadcasters? How many concession stands are there? If a race track can offer these amenities, it could attract the attention of NASCAR.
Finally, money is an important factor for future racing circuits. Is there a company willing to sponsor the race, which will in turn determine each driver’s purse? Will the grants be sufficient to allow the teams to travel to the track, particularly with certain Truck Series teams like Brad Keselowski Racing Foldable because their owners lost money?
Since teams spend money on equipment, tires, accommodations, etc., team owners may choose to skip races if there is not much money to be made from them. So unless the tracks can find someone to foot the bill, they probably won’t host NASCAR races.
With all of these factors, I propose that NASCAR add five tracks to the Truck Series schedule. The Truck Series has already run more than 23 times in his history. From the 2003 season to the 2011 season, the program included 25 races. The 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons only featured 22 races, and since then the calendars have featured 23 races.
Keep in mind that the following tracks are suggestions and that a new track may be added to the NASCAR Truck Series schedule no sooner than 2021.
