Standing at a place where NASCAR has seen a dip in its audience in recent years, the authorities do not shy away from carrying out a spectrum of experimentation with its tracks and racing, making the sport more dynamic and attractive. The dirt race on the track of Bristol was one such leap of faith. Truckloads of dirt covered the 0.533-mile-long oval track, to host dirt racing in the elite series of the sport. A budding fan of the sport might be awe-struck by NASCAR’s experimentation. However, a seasoned NASCAR enthusiast, who has been around the arena for years, might see it as the restoration of the yesteryears. 

Nonetheless, NASCAR’s vaulting ambitions seem to have been cut short, as the dirt race is set to bid farewell in the 2024 Cup Series season. Owing to this, it seems that this decision by the authority would come to haunt the sport and might prove to be detrimental to NASCAR.

NASCAR’s sudden turn of tables delivers a blow to its roots

When it comes to racing and delivering a nail-biting performance, it is the superspeedways of Talladega and Daytona that claim the crown. The races on this track are an amalgamation of speed and strategy, as the drivers try to outdo each other. However, in the process, these tracks have bore witness to a few of the most horrific and tragic wrecks in the sport. While some turned out to be lucky, others succumbed to their fate.

Nevertheless, in order to garner more attention from the audience and maintain the sport’s hallowed position, stock cars racing on dirt tracks were the last thing that could have come to the minds of NASCAR fans. However, nothing has remained unachievable for the sport, and the recent outings remain a testament to that fact. As a result, three years have passed since the introduction of dirt racing in the Cup Series.

Moreover, this has not been the first instance where a dirt race has been hosted under NASCAR’s banner. It was a part of the schedule until the 1970s, before making a comeback in the 2010s when the Truck Series competed on the tracks of Eldora. However, these variations never affected the Cup Series NASCAR, until 2021, when the authorities introduced dirt racing in a temporary format, which was not loved by fans. 

Probably after listening to their dissatisfaction for three seasons, NASCAR, in their announcement of the 2024 schedule, stated the scrapping of dirt racing from their schedule. Moreover, the two races that are slated for Bristol Motor Speedway, in the upcoming season, are set to run on the traditional course of the track. However, the question that arises at this juncture is whether it was a prudent decision by the authorities to scrap the race from the schedule. 

NASCAR insider lays bare the reason behind the dirt racing in the Cup Series

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To understand the sudden removal of the race from the schedule and what lies ahead for the sport, one has to decipher what led to the introduction of the format in the schedule. Before the hosting of the inaugural dirt race back in 2021, the viewership of the race had plummeted exponentially. The grandstands which have a capacity of 162,000, only 38,000 seats were sold. 

In order to reinvigorate the thirst for racing, the authorities had to implement new strategies and attract the audience to the tracks. In an interview with Autoweek, Chief Development Officer Steve O’Donnell stated, “If you look at where we’ve been from a capacity standpoint for that (spring Bristol) event, the track wanted to look at reinventing. What could we do for that weekend (and) keep some momentum going for the sport.”

Speaking of introducing dirt racing O’Donnell had expressed, “When we talked to our television partners about that, that was the number one thing they wanted to see if we could make happen, so we all got together, worked with the race teams and said: let’s give this a try.”

Cup Series veterans share their displeasure with NASCAR’s initiative

Since then, three seasons have passed, with three different winners, and Christopher Bell being the latest novelty race. However, it seems that traditional opinions have persisted over NASCAR’s experimental ambitions, as fans now demanded the return of the traditional race course. Moreover, the removal of the dirt from the track and prepping it up for the night race during the playoffs proved to be a costly affair. 

Even many of the Cup Series drivers seemed to have expressed their displeasure about racing on dirt tracks in a Cup Series car. One of them is Hendrick Motorsports Alex Bowman. He stated, “They’re just so slow on dirt tracks, almost painfully slow.” Even dirt track prodigy and 2x Chili Bowl winner Kyle Larson was vexed by running on a dirt track in Bristol.

Larson had expressed, “I just don’t really see much excitement out there. These aren’t dirt cars. I think the fans probably have gotten to a point where I think they would rather see us on the concrete. We all love the concrete surface better than the dirt race here. I would think 99 to 100 percent of us would rather be on concrete.” 

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Will there be a silver lining for Bristol?

Nevertheless, amidst the popular opinions and the wave of negativity against the dirt track, there is no denying the fact that the past three races have been a unique spectacle. The races provided the much-anticipated thrill that every NASCAR fan craves. Whether it was Joey Logano outlasting Denny Hamlin to take the victory or the last-lap spin between Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick, the races have been an absolute pleasure to watch.

In these challenging conditions, the drivers portrayed their grit and their dexterity as Cup Series drivers. The drivers were able to deliver quality racing, even though the visibility on the track decreased and weather inclement tried to play the role of the spoilsport. 

The configuration of the track also holds the possibility of delivering one of the most memorable races in the season. The addition of the track provides the much-needed intrigue into the race, in tune with the night race. Moreover, in the past three seasons, the viewership increased and attracted fans back to the grandstands.

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With that being said, if minor tweaks are made to the placement of the dirt race, Bristol has the potential to be one of the most beloved tracks for the drivers as well as the fans. Although it has been asserted that the dirt race might return in the near future, it will be interesting to see if Bristol once again becomes NASCAR’s dirt destination.