Getty Steve Phelps has confirmed that NASCAR will continue to make bold changes.
NASCAR has made multiple big moves in recent years, including taking all three series to the Circuit of the Americas in Texas. Now even more changes could be on the way based on comments by NASCAR President Steve Phelps.
“We’re going to be bold and innovative,” Phelps said during a media availability ahead of the Sonoma race. “I think we’ve done that, whether you’re talking about scheduling innovation, think about going to the LA Coliseum and running an exhibition race. The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. We never would have done that, right?
“First time any of us heard that — they brought it to me — I’m like, ‘Can we do that?’ It was important. So we’re going to be bold. We’re going to be innovative. We’re going to keep mashing the gas, if you will. That’s been the success of NASCAR over the last two-and-a-half years, is doing things that are unexpected, going to places that are unexpected.”
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NASCAR Has Taken on Multiple New Tracks & Configurations
GettyThe Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course joined the Cup Series schedule in 2021.
There are several examples of NASCAR pushing to take stock car racing to new markets or revisit those that had previously been left behind. Some schedule changes have just shaken up certain mainstays on the schedule.
A fitting example was a big move in 2018. NASCAR went from having two races a year on the 1.5-mile oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway to only one. The second race, which sat in the middle of the playoffs, moved to the road course (ROVAL). Ryan Blaney captured the inaugural event before Chase Elliott won twice and Kyle Larson won once.
Other changes to the schedule have included the dirt races at Bristol Motor Speedway, Road America, Nashville Superspeedway, Circuit of the Americas, World Wide Technology Raceway, the Daytona Road Course, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. These races have created conversations — both negative and positive — and brought more attention to the NASCAR Cup Series.
What Changes Are on the Horizon?
NASCAR has already made numerous changes to the Cup Series schedule, but Phelps confirmed that there will be more bold and innovative moves in the future. So what does that entail? Will the Cup Series head to a foreign country once again? Will there be a race on an ice track?
One potential option is the long-rumored street race. The Cup Series drivers experimented with the idea by competing in a virtual version of Chicago on iRacing. There have also been discussions by key figures in the industry about the possibility of a street race.
Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, for example, showed support for the idea of a street race after William Byron won at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He told reporters in a media availability that these schedule changes have a positive impact on the fanbase.
“I just think it’s exciting. I think it’s different,” Hendrick said, transcript via ASAP Sports. “I think it would be. Why the Coliseum race? I mean, if there’s a right street circuit that we could race on, I just think something different brings in a new level of fans. And it’s exciting. It’s something different to talk about.
“I think keep changing it up, and it just seems to bring in a lot of new people that we haven’t seen. The age group at the Coliseum were people — I think they said, like, 60% had never been to a NASCAR race. I think just doing something different than you’ve done for years and years is good for the sport.”
Similarly, Phelps addressed the possibility of a street race prior to the date in Sonoma. He told FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass that he thinks having a street course on the schedule “would be a good thing” and that it would be part of the sport’s future. He didn’t add any specifics about where the race would be or if it would eliminate any of the road courses.
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