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Rea White: More two-day race weekends in order in tough economy
By Rea White - Associate Editor
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Chicagoland Speedway hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup LifeLock.com 400 Saturday night.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
COMMENTARY
This weekend marks the second Saturday night race at Chicagoland Speedway, which is a good thing.
It is also, however, still a three-day race weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, which generally isn't a good thing at all.
First, for the good parts. While some question NASCAR's decision to hold races on Saturday nights from time to time, it offers fans a chance to remember the sport's roots and gives drivers a reminder of the constant treks to local tracks that led to their emergence as national stars. There's just something festive about racing under the lights anywhere. It seems to add to the drama, to make an event feel more competitive, more hotly contested, like more of an event than the Sunday afternoon outings.
Perhaps it's just more traditional - and that's always a good thing. Perhaps it's just that it's going to be much nicer for fans and drivers to have a Saturday night race in the Chicago area than one on Sunday afternoon.
Still, one wonders why all Saturday night races aren't two-day shows. It's admirable, in terms of the Chicago schedule, that there is at least an attempt to match the race schedule. Drivers will be on the track later in the day - though clearly not under exact race conditions as the temperatures at 4 p.m. in Joliet, Ill., will undoubtably fail to match those later in the evening - and the qualifying time does match that of the race. One wonders, however, whether that time wouldn't be better spent on a practice session with qualifying at a different time. But at least the effort is there.
The better effort, though, would be on a two-day show.
In this era of an economic downturn, NASCAR needs to go the extra step to allow teams to spend an extra day away from the track. After all, look at the Cup schedule for the weekend. The cars hit the track at 4 p.m. local time Thursday for a 90-minute practice and then qualify at 7:40 that evening. Nationwide teams don't qualify until 2:05 p.m. the following day, with the Cup teams getting an hour and 45 minutes of practice time late in that day.
Why not do something radical, such as having the Cup teams on the track on the day they race? Nationwide and Truck teams do it. The Nationwide teams have qualifying at 2 and race at 7 that evening. Why can't the Cup drivers do the same? Why couldn't they have a pair of practices Friday, as they do now - only sessions that last a little longer and end closer to the start of the Nationwide race, giving them more time on the track in conditions more closely matching those in which they will race.
Then qualify shortly before the Cup race. That could achieve two objectives: First, the teams outside the top 35 in owner points would qualify with their actual race setup - putting those more apt to be competitive in race trim and those most capable of completing the race in the field. That would save them time and money from having a specific qualifying setup that needed to be changed to race trim. Additionally, it would save the teams money for an extra day and night on the road.
It's a long season, and while a savings like that might be minor, it's the kind of thing that can help teams a little along the way. It also helps to have an additional day off the road.
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6248 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -184 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -192 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -239 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -279 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | -312 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -340 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | -402 |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | -414 |
| 10 | Carl Edwards | -437 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | -448 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -556 |
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Comments
16 responses to "Rea White: More two-day race weekends in order in tough economy". Post a Comment.
yankeegranny said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 12:22 PMIt makes a lot of sense; that's why NASCAR will never do it. They could care less what it costs the teams to race.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportarttidesco said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 12:40 PM2 day race weekends make a lot of sense I was surprised that NASCAR did not anounce something like this when they initiated the testing ban in the name of saving on costs. 36 days off the road every year would be a huge saving for teams and equally race fans.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportamalycke said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 2:34 PMPerfect, this is just the cost-saving gesture that will get Neuenberger to Sprint Cup that much quicker! Please support Quaker City Castings, EZ-Slider Programme', Bay Area Goodyear, and most importantly, the Green Turtle Restuarant of Lower Marlboro!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportgbarna736 said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 4:34 PMBut please start the night races earlier, so east coast fans can get some sleep!!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 4:47 PMthey'd find some other way to spend the time and money. the testing ban just sent them to other tracks
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» Confirm Abuse Reportamalycke said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 4:51 PMThe fans also NEED TO MAKE SURE that they go to Quaker City Castings and simply buy an EZ-Slider cylinder liner that is aluminum. That way, the Sprint Cup Series can finally complete it's two-day shows because all of the engine castings will be up to par!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 5:54 PMthat will cut down on our hotel bills, unless they increase the minimum stay...stupid gougers...yeah you Super 8 and LaQuinta....
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSTP43FAN said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 5:57 PMFirst of all, there is nothing worthwhile in night racing at the big league level - night belongs exclusively to local tracks; NASCAR's big leagues belong only on weekend days. Second, NASCAR's one and two-day shows don't work - teams are never prepared for the race and far from saving money are hemmhorraging it, and it shows in the complete dearth of competitive cars in the BGN and Truck series. Two-day shows are a waste; three- and four-day shows are absolutely vital for proper preparation for the race. There is no money saved with shorter weekends and "in this economy" is BS because disposable income has been rising all year.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAndi said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 9:24 PMPeople who can't afford to go to the race, always do the days leading up to it. That's good for the sport.
Report as AbuseAs for the time on the track, with no testing and going to some tracks that aren't under the NASCAR sanctioning body, which is not many, this gives teams time to use the practice sessions a test, espeically the first ones. I've heard a couple of drivers and teams say that, so they like the time on the track.
Yes cutting it down a day will save on money HOWEVER....you have to realize that the teams will be in that city the day before all the stuff on the track starts. With the stuff happening on the track thursday this week, the teams and most drivers will fly to Chicago at some point on wednesday. If its a sunday race, they leave on thursday. Some teams even leave on wednesday if its a west coast race, so they aren't suffering from jet lag. If you ask the drivers with the testing ban....they'll rather have the time on the track then away from it.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 9:53 PM#8...i'm glad that the CHicago race went to nights...the heat and humidity there was unbearable...Daytona was hot...so are other races...and prepping a car?....they've got 400-500 miles to get the car figured out...it brings the pit crew into the mix...not the "experts" before the race...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSheilaLovesNASCAR said:
Jul 7, 2009 at 10:39 PMLet the fans go to the local tracks on Saturday night. But what are they all doing on Saturday during the day when they race at night? Not practicing or qualifying. Certainly, if qualifying is rained out on Friday, let them qualify on Saturday before the race. Something going on on the track. You keep saying how night races bring us all back to the local racing that the drivers grew up on. If we're watching a Cup race on Saturday night, who is watching the local races? Or vica versa?
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAndi said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 2:28 AM#11....what do they do before the race when they race at nights or before the race for that matter? Uh....its called making changes that the driver/crew chief decided after the practice sessions. Or if a team wrecked in practice, they fix that car and prepare it for the race. Also they do the inspections. The garages aren't open all night in fact..some times they close like 2 hours after the final practice session the day before. There are things that they are doing that are important in the garage before the race, not just night races, but ALL the races. But that's what goes on in the garage before the race. They get the tires for the race, fill up the gas cans, prepare the pit boxes, get them ready for the race. Also sometimes drivers have sponsor appearances at the track or around it or just appearances at the track even before the race. Just because there isn't any on track activity, doesn't mean there isn't anything going on, there is, ALOT actually.
Report as AbuseI love that there are SOME races on saturday nights, yes I love the sunday afternoon races, but I like the night races. Don't get why the second fontana race is a sunday night race, they literally get home by dawn monday morning. That makes no sense to me.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAndi said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 2:32 AMAlso...the saturday night races is a tribute, to me, that's how I see it anyways, for those who started on the local short tracks.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmotorsportsphotography said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 10:10 AMPractice on Friday, Qualify and Race on Saturday Night and go Home. No more Sunday racing. It should be that way. Its easier on everyone at the track. That includes Safety workers, pit crews, tire changers, inspectors, and drivers. Its cheaper too. I wish all race were on Saturday night. Plus its cooler on the drivers.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Jul 8, 2009 at 3:52 PMplus if it rains on Saturday you could run on Sunday instead on Monday....
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjohnb51 said:
Jul 9, 2009 at 2:03 PMNight races save me a lot of time. I get to do the things that I normally do with family and friends at night. Then I zip through the recorded race the next day. Usually can do a 4 hour race in about 2 hours. No commercials and skip boring parts, including commentators flapping jaws to try to make up for boring racing.
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