The introduction of Next-Gen cars has changed the short-track racing forever in NASCAR. It has become less entertaining due to traffic, lack of passing and lack of tier wear. With sport looking to expand and race in new venues, the short-tracks are paying the price for the underchallenging race product.
According to recent reports, Richmond Raceway will most probably be the next track to lose it’s second Cup race date. Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. even fears that it would lose it’s place to a road course. Two times Cup champion Joey Logano, who loves the track, has spoken about the rumors and urged NASCAR to keep the second date.
It is one of my favorite race tracks and I’ve always said, I’ve always said that no track should have more than one. But, gosh Richmond is so cool. Like it’s one of the race tracks that I would like to race in a weekly series. I think I would actually really like that one. Mainly because it is one of the only race tracks that we have tire fall off anymore. Darlington and Richmond, name another one that we have that much, you can’t. Joey Logano tole SiriusXM NASCAR.
The Team Penske driver do have a point as the natural tier fall off has been the reason for good races in the short-track. But only few track could offer this and even they aren’t able to produce entertaining races because of repaving and the durability of new cars and tiers. The track do have to come up with some solution to keep their spot.
Joey Logano explains how repaving has ruined some tracks
The champion driver highlighted the repaving of tracks as a major reason for the change in race product. He pointed out that the asphalt technology has become really good that the newly repaved track seems to have no affect of tier wear and the asphalt now lasting longer than it’s past is an issue as well.
…Because we don’t have a lot of those because everybody just repaves the race tracks lately. You used to have Fontana, you used to have Atlanta, Texas used to be that way before they repaved it. Then they repave it with this new asphalt that lasts forever. Like, the technology in asphalt is obviously way different than it used to be and it seems like it just lasts forever and it never gets to the point to where it was before they paved it. Joey Logano said.
Tracks such as Richmond are the root of the sport and NASCAR should be looking to better the race product their and not replacing it. They should use tier compounds that has more wear, so a race like the one in Bristol 2024 will be on the cards and should continue investing on making aero package for short track racing better.
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