“Makes Me Want to Gouge My Eyes Out”- NASCAR’s Refusal to Do Right by Disheartened Fans Riles Up Veteran Insider

Championship weekend is set to sizzle in the Arizona sun once again. Phoenix Raceway, a mainstay on NASCAR’s top circuit since it first appeared on the schedule in 1988, will host the final race of 2024. And now, news has broken that Phoenix Raceway will continue to be the venue for NASCAR Championship Weekend across all three national series in 2025 for the sixth consecutive year, according to Cole Cusumano of the Arizona Republic. It seems both fans and NASCAR insiders are starting to feel a bit weary of the racetrack as the perennial backdrop for the finale.

Phoenix has been the scene for the finale weekend since 2020, taking over from Homestead-Miami Speedway, which had a solid 18-year stint as the finale host. Notably, the switch in 2020 marked Phoenix as the shortest track to host NASCAR’s season-ending race since the Cup Series wrapped up the 1970 season at the .396-mile Langley Speedway in Virginia’s Tidewater area.

Insider criticizes the organization’s decision to keep the final weekend race on the same track

Phoenix Raceway President Latasha Causey highlighted the fan enthusiasm while declaring, “Our fans are the heart and soul of Phoenix Raceway, and they create an unforgettable atmosphere for NASCAR Championship Weekend. They fill the grandstands and hillside and pack the GEICO Gecko Campground, which is nothing short of the best camping experience in all of NASCAR.” The excitement at Phoenix is underscored by the new TV rights agreement with NBC Sports that will air the NASCAR Cup Series season finale on Sunday, November 2, 2025.

Phoenix Raceway has seen a streak of six consecutive sellouts for NASCAR Cup Series races. The track announced on Thursday that only a “limited number of tickets” are left for the 2024 season finale scheduled for Nov. 8–10. The venue has also seen significant upgrades, with a $178 million renovation completed before the fall 2018 race. The upgrades included new escalators and elevators, an addition of 45,000 grandstand seats, 54 suites, a pedestrian tunnel, and a completely revamped infield featuring new garages, a media center, and a victory lane.

When Phoenix Raceway retooled its layout, it moved the start-finish line to what used to be the exit of Turn 2. This change, along with the wide apron in the dogleg before Turn 1, sparked some daring passing attempts, particularly during restarts. Not only has the track’s configuration evolved, but other significant changes include a shorter race distance (312 miles compared to the previous 400) and a tougher stance on unforced errors.

Each year at Phoenix Raceway, a new champion has emerged: Chase Elliott in 2020, Kyle Larson in 2021, Joey Logano in 2022, and Ryan Blaney in 2023. However, despite this variety, the track doesn’t seem to win over many fans, particularly because the next-gen cars struggle to perform well there [on a short track]. While NASCAR noted some slight improvements to its short-track package in March 2024, it appears NASCAR journalist Kelly Crandall is far from thrilled with the decision to host the championship at Phoenix yet again.

Recently on the podcast “Door Bumper Clear,” Crandall expressed her frustration returning to Phoenix, saying, “I’m spot off for Phoenix. As the championship race um it’s been one year one year was enough. […] As far as I mean every year I just wait for us to hear what the finale is going to be and it’s like a little part of me dies when they say Phoenix this is why. And it’s nothing against the facility people I have nothing against the people there I have nothing against the racetrack and all of that. It’s the racing just makes me want to gouge my eyes out.”

And if you think she’s just blowing things out of proportion, you probably haven’t tuned into the fan backlash over this decision.

Fans are pretty riled up over the decision to hold the championship finale at Phoenix Raceway again

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When Phoenix Raceway announced on Twitter that they’d be hosting the 2025 championship race, the fan backlash was probably more intense than expected. One fan quipped, “Idk what’s lamer…..this announcement or the racing at that track Boom roasted,“ while another chimed in with, “Rather finish the season at Homestead. Hell let’s go back to the finale at Atlanta.”

Another fan suggested, “Save your money until @NASCAR puts its Championship Race at a track that’s actually worthy of it, unless of course you enjoy 3 hours of boring racing with little to no action (then this is definitely the track for you 😂).“

One more added simply, “NASCAR continues to not listen to fans,” which really hits the nail on the head. Complaints were loud last year too, but NASCAR seems set on Phoenix as the finale venue.

This sparked even more fan frustration, with comments like “Snoozefest at a horrible track,” “Use me as a dislike button,” “Very disappointing… @NASCAR,” and “This is terrible leadership of Nascar the current leadership only knows how to screw things up.”

So, when was the last time you actually enjoyed a NASCAR final race at Phoenix or any other track? Let us know!