NASCAR Restoration of Controversial Road Course Tactic Triggers Heavy Backlash Across the Racing Community

Road courses may not be the biggest attraction for an avid NASCAR fan, owing to the constant turns and building of a separate strategy. For every NASCAR enthusiast, it is the wrecks and takeovers that provide the ultimate racing experience for viewers. However, in order to match the footsteps and maintain its relevance, the authorities implemented several changes and also to suit the taste of the Next-Gen cars.

One such step towards the future was increasing the number of road courses in the schedule, and the 2023 Cup Series season is a testament to that. Yet, introducing the road courses was not the plan that the authorities had up their sleeves. But as the sport demands more, NASCAR is ready to introduce more changes.

NASCAR retracts its steps as it announces new regulation

The 2023 Cup Series marked the comeback of the ‘road course ringer’, a term that had gone out of vogue in the recent past. Undoubtedly, it is the traditional road courses that have always occupied a cherished position in the heats, but the road courses in the recent past have delivered the most contentious races. Moreover, with more road courses, NASCAR has opened its door to drivers belonging to other formats of motorsport, including Formula 1 drivers.

With 7 different road course venues, including the makeshift street course of Chicago, NASCAR witnessed a surge of international viewers as drivers all across the globe joined in the world of stock car racing. In order to make the race more eventful and the strategies more sound, the governing body announced at the beginning of the season that it would do away with the stage breaks.

Although stage points were awarded, there was no disruption in the flow of the race. Elton Sawyer, the Vice President of NASCAR, believed, “When we introduced stage racing … we took an element of strategy away from the event,” hence the new directive. However, it seems that NASCAR is ready to go back on its words and announce that it is ready to implement stage breaks in the remaining road course races in the playoffs, namely the Charlotte Roval. 

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The news was announced by Elton Sawyer in his appearance at Sirius XM Cloud. He expressed, “I’m sure the question from our fans, and even our competitors, is why do that now. We want to make sure that throughout the playoffs, in the 10-race Cup Series playoffs, we were officiating across the board the same way. Now, all of our races will have caution stage breaks — that includes the Roval.”

However, it was not the only news that awaited NASCAR fans. Continuing on the same lines, Sawyer also added, in an official statement released by NASCAR, “The restart zone for the Charlotte road course race will be moved to the final chicane before the start/finish line on the 2.32-mile layout. In the previous five Roval events, the initial start and restarts fired off from a portion of the oval track that’s used as a run-off area on all other laps.”

Fans are disappointed once again!

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The news since its publication did not sit well among NASCAR fans, as fans bashed the authority for failing to be consistent and taking away the intrigue from the sport.

Many wrote, “Ugh. They just want the chaos. I loved getting to see strategy return on road courses. Changing it for the final RC of the season is pretty icky too.”

“Why. Flows so much better without them. Should get rid of them for every race.  Enough yellows already.”

“Car is definitely the problem not the cautions but I guess nascar knows best.”

Others also wrote, “Not exactly the best move. How come every time NASCAR makes one good step forward, somebody else in the sanctioning body takes us 2 miles back? For once can’t we just have a natural race play out like they did back in the Winston Cup days?

“The wreck ’em up demo derby fans are excited now, the lowest common denominator, watch only for the biggest wrecks.”

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Nonetheless, with the race at the Roval just around the corner, it is to be seen how the race stands up to the expectations of the fans and whether it will be able to deliver the same intrigue as the past races.