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Harvick wonders how helpful Saturday night races are for NASCAR

By Jared Turner - SceneDaily Staff Writer

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Article Rating: 1.0
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John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

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Night racing has long been popular among Sprint Cup Series drivers and fans.

From the sight of sparks shooting out from under 3,500-pound stock cars to the nostalgia invoked of Friday or Saturday night shootouts on local short tracks, night racing is widely considered to be good for NASCAR for many reasons.

Kevin Harvick isn’t so convinced.

“Night racing is kind of a fad,” the Richard Childress Racing driver said this week. “I don’t know if that’s the best thing in the world to have. I like racing at night, but I don’t know if that’s the best thing for our sport.”

Television networks disagree.

In the United States, so-called prime-time television hours – when networks and local stations reap their highest ratings and advertising revenues  – are 8 to 11 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time and 7 to 10 p.m. Central and Mountain time Monday through Saturday.

On Sundays, prime time begins at 7 p.m. Eastern and Pacific and 6 p.m. Central and Mountain, ending at the same time as on the other six days of the week.

More races held in prime-time hours are therefore an attractive proposition to many television networks. This season, two non-points races are being held in prime time as well as at least part of 11 points races, including next weekend’s race at Chicagoland Speedway, where the Cup series will compete under the lights for the first time.

“I don’t know exactly what the night race is going to do for the crowd,” Harvick said. “I’m sure there is a lot to do in Chicago on a Friday and Saturday night, so it will be interesting to see how all that works. “

Other tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, site of Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400, as well as Richmond International Raceway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway have added night races since 1992.

Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted a night race since 1978.

Though races run in prime time may drive ratings, Harvick fears that it will hurt attendance.

“I guess it’s all a matter whether you want people in the grandstands or you want people to watch it on TV,” he said. “I like to watch my TV shows that come on at the same time because that’s the only way that I can remember that they’re on. NASCAR racing for a long time was on Sunday at 12 or 1 after everybody got out of church, and you go home and you watch the race and then you still had an evening.

“I think that you can argue it both ways. If the grandstands aren’t full and you want a prime-time race, you can’t have it both ways, I guess is the best thing to say.”

Harvick is also concerned that Saturday night Cup races hurt attendance at local short tracks, which often host events during the same time slot.

“I don’t think it does them any good,” he said. “I know talking to some of the short-track owners, they have a hard time drawing crowds when the races are on. Obviously you get your competitors, but the crowds are definitely down when we race on Friday and Saturday nights. Like I say, we've got to have prime-time TV stuff, but we also have to have consistency so the fans know when to follow it.”

Average Rating: 1.0

Comments

5 responses to "Harvick wonders how helpful Saturday night races are for NASCAR"
  1. 1
    Worm Dirt said:
    Jul 3, 2008 at 2:51 PM

    I'm all for Harvick having an opinion, but how can one man be so CONSISTENTLY wrong with every short-sighted word that comes out of his mouth? It's mind-blowing! I mean there's at least one article every week on this site where Harvick is crafting his new politician/businessman/owner/part-time driver image... where he's telling someone how to run their business, or how to act, or what is best for the sport, blah blah blah... I like night racing EVEN MORE now knowing that Harvick thinks it's "kind of a fad". Whatever...

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  2. 2
    Tim Edick said:
    Jul 3, 2008 at 3:14 PM

    Seems to me like I see Worm Dirt's name on here a lot doing exactly the same thing he critisizes Harvick for. Giving an opinion. Maybe Worm Squirt should forget his vengfulness against Harvick and realize the man speaks the truth. Saturday night races hurts the little owners who loose gate receipts because people stay home to watch the big boys race.

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  3. 3
    Anonymous said:
    Jul 3, 2008 at 4:56 PM

    Harvick is a MORON. Bring on the lights and special paint

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  4. 4
    Worm Dirt said:
    Jul 3, 2008 at 5:22 PM

    Did you not read the first seven words of my comments Tim?? I respect Harvick for HAVING an opinion, but I CAN'T HELP but find a lot of his rants short-sighted and SUSPICIOUSLY self-serving and image-conscious. Maybe Harvick speaks from the heart. If so, I sincerely apologize. BUT!!!! maybe if a level-headed free-thinking person examines his "opinions" a little closer, taking in to consideration his role as a team-owner, maybe there's more to it. Hmmmmm... And as for the Saturday night dirt-tracks etc... Why is it so easy to ignore ALL THAT big-time racing has done for these tracks? I think Cup deserves to give THEIR fans the most exciting racing possible! To take this issue into consideration on whether to race at night in Cup every now and then is beyond RIDICULOUS! Anyway, props on the Worm "Squirt" crack. That was funny...

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  5. 5
    FRANK LAVACCA said:
    Jul 3, 2008 at 6:42 PM

    you guys should all take a breath.harvick has a point and so do you.but have you been at daytona in july in the hot sun.its unbearable to sit there and burn when at least at nite,even though its hot,the sun is down and you can enjoy the race,im also sure the drivers prefer it also because of the heat.as for tv,there is no excuse for them except 'MONEY'

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