Should Sprint Cup Have A Dirt Track Race?
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There’s no question that the implementation of the double-file restart has done a lot to add some newfound and much-needed excitement to NASCAR racing.
Fans love it and most drivers love it – except those that it’s victimized several times already instead of helped, like Jeff Burton.
But despite Burton not liking things the way they are, it got me thinking about the next rule change NASCAR could make to bring even more excitement back to the sport.
Well, not so much a rule change, but a change of mindset, if you will. If NASCAR really wants to get people talking and be more excited than usual, there’s a simple solution:
Run a race on dirt.
But not just any race. Run it at a place like Martinsville, where it would be very easy to truck in several tons of dirt to convert a fast asphalt track into a fast dirt track.
Now, I’m not talking about bring modifieds or late models to the table. Use a regular COT, allow minor modifications to make it more racy on dirt, and then let the green flag fly.
Bristol Motor Speedway twice trucked in a literal mountain of dirt to hold a pair of World of Outlaws races there.
I’m sure, logistically, the same could be done to have a Cup event there, but I just don’t think Bristol would be the right place.
Martinsville, on the other hand, would be perfect. It’s a fairly flat track, is a short track, and is a place that could accommodate portable lights and extra portable seating.
Phoenix and New Hampshire are two other places that come to mind, but at one-mile each in length, that would be a very difficult undertaking.
Tony Stewart’s annual Prelude to the Dream has become extremely popular in the last few years, with more Cup drivers wanting to take place for the first time – or return for a second, third or even fourth time.
If Stewart could, he could EASILY fit 30,000 fans into his little tiny Eldora Speedway. Right now, he has to limit the crowd to around 20,000, including standing room.
If NASCAR brought a Sprint Cup event to a place like Martinsville, I’m willing to bet it would go down in history as one of the most unique, but also exciting events that we’ve ever seen.
Hey, better yet: a dirt track race coupled with a double-file restart following cautions. What more could the average race fan want.
Catch you Wednesday.
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