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NASCAR unveiled its 2020 calendar on Tuesday, marking the most dramatic changes in recent years. Here are 15 of the biggest changes, ranked in ascending order.
1. Martinsville will decide who will go in the final
If you thought the fall race at Martinsville was intense before, then that was the first race of the final, wait until next year. The November 1st race in Martinsville will be the last chance to win the championship at Homesteader, Phoenix! – and you can bet that aggression levels will be off the charts. There may be a legitimate fight on the pit road after this one.
2. Martinsville wins a night race
Helllllllllll yes! It is a big step forward that has been anticipated since the installation of runway lights. A Saturday night race in Martinsville (May 9th) should be a big show – and the tickets could be an easy Mother's Day gift (the day after the race) if you have a NASCAR-loving mother.
3. Pocono Doubleheader Weekend
It's innovative and smart. We congratulate all those involved in the development of this plan, as it was obviously necessary to compromise between the track, NBC and NASCAR. Two Pocono races in eight weeks seem excessive for years. It is good to see the two races of the Pocono Cup in one weekend (27 and 28 June). It's a ton of value for the fans, a unique demand from the drivers and teams and a huge unknown about its progress.
4. Atlanta is warming up
Atlanta had seemed punished by its race date for a few years, but now, NASCAR will launch the West Coast Swing just after the Daytona 500. Maybe three weeks will not make a huge difference, but the odds of a better weekends certainly increase by putting it on March 15 instead of February 24, as it was the case this year.
5. Bristol Night Race as the final series of the first round
Making Bristol a playoff race (September 19th) is a great concept and there will be a lot of things on the line given the end of the first round. The big worry would be whether this would go against the usual Bristol Night Race date – obviously sold for decades, but recently took a hit. Now the kids will be back at school and it will be against college football. In terms of the race, however, this should be a watch not to be missed.
6. West Coast Swing after Daytona
The order of the races is a bit changed – Fontana (March 1st) passes Phoenix (March 8th), but everything is moved a week from Las Vegas (February 23rd). It's a good thing overall, but there are some potential weather issues. This strange snowstorm in Vegas would have occurred during the race weekend this year, and it might still rain in Fontana (mourners!) As Southern California leaves winter. NASCAR has to go somewhere, though, and it's better to try your luck with the west coast than Atlanta.
7. The series race in Vegas comes out of extreme heat
There is potential relief here. The Vegas playoff race in mid-September for its first two years will now take place on September 27 two weeks later (although the track has announced the date in October on posters). As a compromise, Vegas loses the opening game of the playoffs – but is now the opening race of the second round. So, there will not be the same hype before the playoffs, but it's still a good deal for the track.
8. excluding Olympic weeks
NBC and its networks broadcast the Olympics again next summer. NASCAR has therefore chosen to accommodate its television partner by installing consecutive weekends (July 26 and August 2). It's a bit weird not to be in a Cup this summer, but it's also such a long season (which will end a week earlier, despite the change in the calendar), which could offer nice break for pilots, crews and pilots. fans while rejuvenating everyone for the final boost.
9. Round 2 of the playoffs
Wow, look at this shopping list for the second round: Las Vegas (September 27th), Talladega (October 4th), Charlotte Roval (October 11th). Yes, two wild races in the same tower. It really has the potential to eliminate a champion or a championship caliber team, which is not ideal from a competition point of view. But it's a tragedy, and we're all going to talk about this round of play all year round, as the drivers try to get a pool of points. I think what you think of this round is what you think of the concept of the playoffs in general.
10. Daytona as the closing race of the regular season
Too many fans will be angry at Daytona's loss of its July 4th weekend date. I understood. Another tradition has disappeared, this one going back to the opening of the track in 1959 (!!!). It's hard to swallow. For its part, Daytona, as a race at the finish of the regular season (August 29), intrigues. If a driver did not play in the playoffs before the 26th race, should he really get upset if the Big One spoiled his shot? It has the potential to be a cool-type race of the last chance. I just wish it does not mean another loss of tradition. (But hey, at least NASCAR has ruled out the possibility of not starting the season with the Daytona 500. Phew.)
11. Dover loses the race in series
It stinks for Dover and I feel bad for them, but I guess sacrifices had to be made. The second Dover race will take place from the beginning of October to the 23rd of August. There is not really much to say about it, but it was a change of schedule, so I had to classify it.
12. Southern 500 opens the series
The Southern 500 is one of NASCAR's most prestigious races. It is perhaps the second after the Daytona 500, now that the brickyard is weakened by its constant movement of dates and lack of crowd. So, have Darlington open the series? This means that the winner of the race could get out of his car in the Victory Lane and say, "I'm so happy we're stuck in turn 2!" Should not you Southern 500 – the SOUTHERN 500! – to be able to stand up? That said, I guess NASCAR was in a box if it wanted to shorten the season by a week while allowing Darlington to keep the Labor Day date. So maybe that could not be avoided.
13. Homestead loses the championship and goes on a random date in March
I hate it Homestead is the perfect Intermediate track and has always produced classic championship races. There is no better place to end the season. "Homestead" has become synonymous with "championship" in NASCAR. Now, Homestead has not only lost the championship race, but is not even in the playoffs. It's March 22, between Atlanta and Texas. The weather should always be decent, judging by recent reports on the chaotic Spring Break crowds invading Miami Beach. But it's a shame to see such a beautiful track lose its importance in the NASCAR calendar and become a new race.
14. Indianapolis hosts the Brickyard 400 weekend race on July 4th
Last year, we were told that Indianapolis was scheduled to play the final of the regular season in September to get away from the unbearable summer climate of Indiana. The race is back in summer – July 5th, all dates included (Sunday afternoon race). It will have the moisture of a race in Daytona in July, without the beach or an attractive vacation spot for racing fans.
15. Phoenix to Host NASCAR Championship Weekend
If Homestead were to lose the championship race, whatever the reason, was someone arguing for the Phoenix final? Vegas or Fontana … maybe. But Phoenix? Look, the track has been well renovated and the infield looks cool. But the race in Phoenix, apart from some exciting rounds at restarts, does not exactly say "championship". In addition, there is a series of 15 races out of 36 contested on intermediate tracks and only three outings disputed at flat 1. -mile ovals. And now, the championship will be one of them. The advantage would be that it starts a new trend of changing finals every year – but this is not a guarantee, and Phoenix could end up becoming the new championship race for years to come.
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