Last week at Texas Motor Speedway, there was one thing missing from the NASCAR infield – the scoring pylon. Denny Hamlin is not a fan. The old pylon had been there since the track opened and was a little beat up.
So, Texas Motor Speedway took out the scoring pylon. They then added a massive screen on one end of the track so fans could keep up with the race. However, if you want to know the full running order, the video board is no help.
Texas isn’t the only track to take out pylons and video boards in favor of a more centralized focal point. Denny Hamlin doesn’t think it is a good move for the fan experience.
“After I wrecked, first of all, I was looking for the scoring tower to see who was running where,” Hamlin explained on his Actions Detrimental podcast. “I couldn’t find the damn thing, they took it out. I don’t know what the obsession is with taking out scoring pylons now.
“So, Bristol we used to have, we used to have, so they had the big video thing right? But they used to have a round video board on the bottom of that centerpiece – the ticker of who’s running where. Now you only see like the top eight. We also used to have video boards up on the suites at Bristol, they took those down. Watkins Glen we took out the scoreboard on the frontstretch. I can’t make sense why they’re taking out the scoring pylons at these tracks.”
Denny Hamlin and his cohost Jared Allen then talked about other sports leagues. They are adding more boards, more visuals for fans to keep up with the game. NASCAR isn’t as easy to keep up with, the speed, size of the venues, and other factors make it more difficult.
So, why do NASCAR and SMI keep taking out these pylons and boards?
“That’s my whole point. I guess I heard that, so they put a new video board on the back on Big Hoss [at Texas] they have new screens,” Hamlin continued. “Which it’s very clear, great job by the way. But that being your only source of scoring, well you only see the top eight. Then when they scroll you might see where your driver is running every five minutes. … And this is just me, if you’re sitting in the stands, you’ve gotta have pretty good eyesight to see the running order, no?
“I mean I’ve got good eyesight so I feel like I can see it but even in my bus, like I can see the video board, but even with my really really good vision, it’s not clear as day and I’m halfway to the screen compared to where the people sitting in the stands are. So, I don’t know why we’re taking out video boards.”
Making it more difficult to keep up with races at the track is not the way to go. Motorsports without a scoring pylon just feels wrong. Do you agree with Denny Hamlin, should there be more, not less, ways to watch the race unfold for fans at the track?
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