Is The NASCAR Schedule Too Grueling?

Is the NASCAR Cup schedule too grueling? A simple and loud NO is the answer. I have been a NASCAR fan since 1964. I have seen a few changes over the years. The NASCAR schedule had more races in the 1950's. NASCAR would sometimes be racing three or four times a week. Now only at Daytona do they race more than once a week. The current schedule is really too short. There should be between 40 and 50 races a year.

 

I have been an auto racing crew member on short tracks and the ARCA series. In Wisconsin during the summer months in the 1960's and into the 1980's the short track racers competed up to 7 times a week racing from April until October. Then some would head south and race the rest of October and into November. Others would start down south and race for a month or two before coming back to Wisconsin. All for a lot less money than the big boys were getting in NASCAR.

 

A person is not forced into racing. He or she chooses it as a career. At the top of your profession if a driver cannot practice, qualify and then race 40 or 50 times a year, they should look for another way to make money. Yes they have sponsor commitments, but they still have more time off than the people paying their wage, the race fans. And they make a ton of money more than most race fans.

 

Maybe the NASCAR championship has caused some of the problems. In the early years of NASCAR racing the emphasis was on winning and not the championship, some drivers and/or teams would only race the races they wanted to race, not the full schedule. As the emphasis switched from winning races to winning the championship, only than has the schedule been an issue.

 

The schedule is probably more grueling for the crew members than the drivers. The schedule can be more grueling for the smaller teams. The larger teams have crew members for the shop and another set for race weekend. Some even have another set for testing (now laid off due to the no testing rule). Again, few are forced into racing. They choose it because they like racing. Along with racing comes long hours, many days away from family and hard work. All of that is known up front.

 

More of a problem than the grueling schedule is the economy. Will the current economy support the current schedule or will lack of sponsorship force a cutback in the schedule? That is going to be a far larger issue in the next few years.

 

I do know one thing. If any driver thinks their schedule is too grueling, step aside. There are plenty of drivers out there that would gladly take their place. I would even jump at the chance to take their place. They just need to suck it up and race or find another way to make a living.