Did NASCAR Make a Huge Mistake by Abandoning Its Ambitious Dirt Race Program as the Sport Fails to Realize Tony Stewart’s Eldora Dream?

Back in 2021, NASCAR decided to go back to its roots, starting with the Bristol Motor Speedway. To be precise, the stock car racing series brought back dirt racing for the first time since 1970. Although many were thrilled, the race did not last long and has been officially dropped from the calendar from 2024 onwards. But why?

Unfortunately, this blast from the past has not been particularly successful. So when the 2024 Cup Series calendar was announced, the Bristol Dirt race was absent. In other words, any plans for a dirt race revival in the NASCAR Cup Series are back on ice. One of the biggest reasons has to be that covering the half-mile track once a year must be very expensive. Additionally, people admitted that they missed having the spring race at Bristol.

Why NASCAR should continue the dirt racing experiment

Dirt racing in NASCAR does have some potential. As a matter of fact, each of the three divisions should have a dirt race on the calendar. For one, racing on dirt surfaces demands some unique skills, and thousands of racers in America have competed at their local dirt track. All that is needed is to navigate the tracks while making minor adjustments to an 800+ hp monster in search of grip.

Interestingly, both Ty Dillon and Austin Dillon started their racing careers on dirt. According to their grandfather Richard Childress, it was a chance to learn the fundamentals of racing in the toughest of circumstances. It also probably explains why several MotoGP riders often compete on dirt tracks during their off-season. After all, Valentino Rossi’s VR46 ranch boasts of a nice dirt track, where a number of his academy riders race against each other.

Closer to home, Kyle Larson is the best example of this. The Hendrick Motorsports star is an absolute phenomenon and is well known for being a jack of all trades in motorsport. He arguably managed to become that good because he has been competing on dirt surfaces his whole life.

WATCH THIS STORY: Amid Calls for Change, NASCAR’s Indecisiveness Over Bristol’s Bleak Future Might Upset Dirt Fanatic Tony Stewart

Was the stock car series right to pull the plug on the dirt racing scene?

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Of course, every sporting event including NASCAR, views fans as their bread and butter. It is a bad sign for the sport if the fans don’t attend the races. When it comes to dirt racing fans, they are arguably among the most loyal fans. And one of the biggest complaints is that NASCAR is ignoring actual dirt tracks.

Unfortunately, the sport’s higher-ups broke their hearts with a brutal rejection. This would honestly have been a great solution to go to an already existing dirt track. Instead of applying dirt to an existing concrete track like Bristol, which would be removed and re-applied again and again. Such a process would not only be tedious, but also expensive, as NASCAR found out the hard way in the last three years. The only problem is finding an actual dirt track that has the facilities to host a Cup race.

Dirt tracks are dime a dozen, but finding one that is capable of hosting a race is a different kettle of fish. After all, there are many Grand Prix circuits in the world, but Formula One can’t just pick and choose any track they feel like going to. The FIA has a grading system for each track to determine which tracks can host certain types of races. Back to NASCAR, though, there was a massive opportunity to compete at the Eldora Speedway, which would have made Tony Stewart‘s day. Back in 2021, Stewart approached NASCAR with an offer to host a Cup race at the track, that he owns, but his offer was rejected. The only other option is the Knoxville Raceway, but both are relatively small.

READ MORE: Two Years After Closing the Doors of Eldora for NASCAR, Tony Stewart Has a Change of Heart