Do you remember the days when NASCAR races used to start early in the afternoon? A relaxed Sunday for many would start at 10 a.m. as TV would show the pre-racing events. Followed by the main race starting at noon or 1. All fans and racers would be free to rejoice in the evenings with friends and family. Those were the days, weren’t they?

Over time, the race timings have been pushed to mid-afternoon. However, the recent Michigan race was run for 51 laps. The race was then postponed until Monday at 11 a.m. ET. Currently, Chase Elliott is in the lead, followed by Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace in the top 3. While many are indulged in horsepower and weather discussions, it certainly has taken Kyle Larson and his fans to the days when NASCAR started early.

But what made NASCAR change the race timings?

Now races happen in the mid-afternoon. Like the Michigan race, it was scheduled to kick off at 2:40 p.m. ET but did not start until 4:55 p.m. ET due to a rain delay. Had races started early, the delays wouldn’t have been as bothersome as they are now. Racing is now not just about the race itself but about all the commercial events that surround it. Be it the pre-race events or the commercials in between the races. They all act as a revenue stream for NASCAR.

NASCAR’s biggest revenue comes from broadcasting the race. According to the Sports Business Journal, NASCAR signed a deal of $7.7 billion with FOX Sports, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), and Amazon. The US$7.7 billion figure represents a 40 percent increase on NASCAR’s last media rights deal. Isn’t it kind of evident, that the more money broadcasters pump in the sport, the more control they will get to dictate things?

Because of the network’s emphasis on maximizing viewership, races seldom commence at the scheduled time, as they opt to prolong pre-race programming. Michigan’s resuming time tomorrow has taken Cup Series, table topper, Kyle Larson down memory lane. Reminiscing on the golden days, he wrote on X, “I miss the 1pm start times from my rookie season….” 

Larson’s rookie season was back in 2014. Race timings have changed a lot since then. And it’s a change that is not welcomed by the fans who rallied behind Larson. Hitting out at NASCAR to bring the good old days back.

Fans echo the emotions of Kyle Larson

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Starting the races sooner would ensure that they end sooner. Then the drivers and fans have the evening to themselves and their families. Besides this, unforeseen delays would be mitigated if the races started early. One fan agreeing with Kyle had an appeal for NASCAR, He wrote, “We all do Kyle. Unfortunately, NASCAR doesn’t listen to the fans.” Another fan echoed the same emotion as he wrote, “Don’t we all Kyle.”

The fans have a complaint for NASCAR, that the authorities have chosen their convenience over that of racers and fans. Late-night races definitely attract more viewers who may not be able to watch during regular daytime or evening hours. One fan voicing the same sentiment wrote, “I hope NASCAR is reading these comments and realizes that nobody wants mid-afternoon start times except TV exes.” Another fan took a sly gibe at the broadcasters as he wrote, “Everybody does except NBC and Fox.”

Collectively, all fans are demanding NASCAR to schedule their races for a sooner time. On these lines, one fan wrote, “They need to roll the races back to that time.” But with increased viewership, networks can command higher prices for advertising slots during the broadcast, and rolling back to the previous timings seems impossible looking at the recent collaborations between NASCAR and broadcast networks.

What is your preferred race time? early afternoon or mid-afternoon? or a completely different one?

Let us know in the comments below.