Is Chase Elliott’s Recent Plea Behind NASCAR Change in Scheduling?

NASCAR recently announced a scheduling change for some of its races. Interestingly, the topic of not having enough night races was only recently raised by Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott. It won’t be too far-fetched to say Elliott’s comments might have something to do with the decision. Regardless of what prompted the scheduling changes, the move appears to be a win for the fans.

No longer will they need to brave the blistering heat at some of these venues, providing a much more comfortable viewing experience. Although, the plan does not come without its caveats.

NASCAR’s rationale behind the change in schedule

NASCAR journalist Bob Pockrass tweeted about the recent changes in the race schedule. When asked by a fan about the sudden rise in night races, one in Nashville and the other in Atlanta, Pockrass said that they aimed to enhance the fan experience by avoiding the day’s heat.

Trying two Sunday night races — Nashville and Atlanta — to try to see if better fan experience with racing not as much in heat of day (obviously trade-off with getting home later or next day and less wiggle room if rain). Get back to more mid-afternoon starts after Atlanta. https://t.co/L9JiTLVw54

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 3, 2023

However, this could mean fans returning home later or even the next day. It could also reduce flexibility in case of rain. After these races, more mid-afternoon starts are planned to resume. But to be fair, NASCAR is trying it out first to see if this makes things better.

Could NASCAR’s change in the schedule be due to Chase Elliott’s previous comments?

Upon the conclusion of the Nashville race, Elliott voiced his concerns about the intense summer heat. He acknowledged that it was simply part of the deal for the drivers, however, he empathized with the fans in the grandstands who had to endure 95-degree weather. Raising a valid point, he questioned the rationale behind subjecting spectators to such heat on a Sunday afternoon, particularly when the facility had sufficient lighting for evening events.

Further adding, “We’d love to see these events be on Saturday nights instead of Sunday nights for people that have to go to work on Monday morning. But I just don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t have more night races during these months where it’s so hot for the spectators.”

Well, looking at the timing of these recent scheduling changes, one could argue that NASCAR listened to Elliott’s previous comments. Although, it could also have been a way to change things around and look out for the fans sitting out in the stands.