NASCAR makes right calls with new schedules

by Larry McReynolds

Updated: August 19, 2008, 7:47 PM EST 47 comments

In case you haven't seen it yet, here's what NASCAR did: Atlanta's second 2009 race will be held on Sept. 6, Auto Club Speedway's (formerly California Speedway) second race will be Oct. 11 and Talladega's second event will move to Nov. 1.

We have been plagued by weather issues at Atlanta Motor Speedway at both of their races for many years. I feel bad that the track has always been in a no-win situation because of weather concerns. It's going to be so nice to see AMS finally have a decent spot on the calendar, even though there are no guarantees we'll get great weather during the Labor Day weekend. However, the odds for great weather are even better thanks to the date change. The folks at Atlanta may be a little disheartened because they are no longer a race in the championship Chase, but they are going to be in a much better timeframe for weather.

Weather was also a big sticking point in southern California so it was good to see them willing to change their schedule. Going there on Labor Day weekend has been a huge mistake. First, it's 105 degrees even when the race starts at night. Second, it's the last weekend of summer on the West coast — people are going to go to the beach or the mountains instead of Fontana, Calif., for the NASCAR races. Their new date in the Chase will likely attract a much larger crowd.

I think everybody is winning on this, particularly Auto Club Speedway.

Yeah, Talladega Superspeedway was also involved in this deal, but we have raced there in the past in October so I don't think we are going to realize any difference. Talladega is still in the Chase, and it is only a few weeks difference so the weather shouldn't be too difficult — I don't have a strong opinion either way and I don't think fans will either.

I've already received a few e-mails from fans wondering about why new tracks like Kentucky Speedway or older tracks like Rockingham weren't included on the schedule. Unfortunately folks, I think it is time to let those dreams go because it's not going to happen. It's not about the tracks themselves, it's the fact that those venues are not located in heavy, saturated markets. Like NASCAR CEO Brian France and President Mike Helton have said in the past, we are tapped out of races at 38. So the only way we will likely see a new track on the Sprint Cup schedule is if a shift is done by a track owner.

One fact that may be overlooked about the new schedule is that there is an additional off week on the schedule right before the Labor Day weekend. I spoke to Chad Knaus early this morning and he said that the neatest part of the schedule is the additional week off just two weeks before the start of the Chase. Instead of going 17 weeks without a break, we will only go 12 straight before the end of the season and as a result the teams will feel re-energized going into the title-deciding portion of the year. I don't think it'll change which teams run well during the final stretch, but it will allow teams to recharge their batteries and we could see an improved title fight because right now some of the teams just get worn out right before the Chase and don't have anything left in the tank to fight for the title during the final 10 races.

Looking beyond the Cup schedule, the addition of Iowa Speedway to the Nationwide Series schedule is ideal in my eyes. We need to go to Iowa — it's in a good market in the Midwest and all of the teams who have tested there have given nothing but good marks to the venue. The .875-mile oval is the perfect little-sized racetrack.

What I'm hearing about Iowa is that the track is fan and competitor friendly. We go to so many tracks that were built recently — and older ones, of course — that didn't involve all the people that should have been involved like fans, drivers, etc. Take for example Auto Club Speedway. That 2-miler is an awesome speedway, and hopefully I am not offending people here, but whoever designed those garage areas ought to have their toenails plucked out. They are atrocious — you can't even jack up your cars in those garage stalls. They need to level those garages, and I don't care that they are just 10 years old.

On the other hand, you look at a track like Kentucky Speedway and they involved a lot of people to get things right. Darrell Waltrip was involved in a lot of design aspects concerning the track and things around the racetrack itself — and he wasn't the only one. As a result, I've only heard good things about the track. Iowa Speedway is the same way, which is why I'm glad they got a Nationwide date.

FOX race analyst Larry McReynolds has more than 25 years of NASCAR experience as a mechanic, crew chief and broadcaster. He and his fellow Crew Chief Club members take you behind the wall at www.crewchiefclub.com.

"How to Become a Winning Crew Chief" is on bookstore shelves, or you may order your own autographed copy from www.DWStore.com.