On the Right Track

A NASCAR BLOG BY Jeff Gluck

Is night racing good for the sport?

Jul 12
JOLIET, Ill. – This weekend's NASCAR races at Chicagoland Speedway are the first to be held there at night, following the addition of lights in the offseason.

Half of all Cup tracks now have lights, and roughly one-third of the races either start at night or end under darkness.

Clearly, night racing is a trend that isn't going away anytime soon. More tracks will probably add lights in the next few years, and companies don't just invest millions of dollars in improvements not to put them to use.

Once NASCAR starts scheduling night races at a track, it seems unlikely to go back to the now-standard 2 p.m. Sunday start time. Chicagoland, for example, will probably always have night racing in the foreseeable future.

But is night racing good for the sport? I don't know if we have concrete answers to that yet. Considering the rapid addition of lights, though, someone either has a bunch of research showing it's good for ratings and attendance or the TV partners are really pushing for more prime-time events.

It could be both. But before every Chase event is run at night and every track puts up lights, let's wait five years and see if this is truly the best direction for the sport.

Average Rating: 2.5

Comments

4 responses to "Is night racing good for the sport? "
  1. 1
    Dr. Spaceman said:
    Jul 12, 2008 at 10:41 AM

    I really enjoy the Saturday night races. I like having Sundays to spend with my family and taking care of things around the house.

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  2. 2
    Lanette Williams said:
    Jul 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM

    Night races are attractive because the heat of the day has passed and the temperature is cooler while watching the race. Unfortunately, the extra five or six hours before the start time allows some fans to consume even more alcohol during the long afternoon while tailgating. They can barely stumble to their seats where they consume even more alcohol during the race. This is a very unattractive outcome of night racing.

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  3. 3
    Worm Dirt said:
    Jul 12, 2008 at 3:51 PM

    It may sound selfish, but if I'm not actually going to the race, I would MUCH rather watch at night. I just feel TOO guilty spending 4 hours sitting on a couch in the afternoon when it's a beautiful sunny blue-sky day outside. On the other hand, if I'm going to a race, I'd much rather go during the day. There's just something I like more about being at the track in the heat with a cooler of beer and some sunglasses on. Also, the women are more likely to wear less clothing when it's hot and sunny than at night.

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  4. 4
    Anonymous said:
    Jul 13, 2008 at 7:47 AM

    Night racing hurts your local short track. You know, the place where REAL race fans go to watch family and friends. In the olden days (ie seven years ago) all Nascar drivers came up from the short tracks in the 'hood. When your local track goes out of business, the big (Nascar) teams become dynasties for their own families and friends with the dollars. Sorry, but for real excitement, go to your local track and support it. Those guys and gals are the true heart of the sport. I am a (female) racer with relatives and friends in Nascar and it's is no longer fun for them at that level.

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