As the 2024 NASCAR schedule has been changed, racing aficionados can expect quite a few significant revivals of races and forgotten racetracks as well. The famous Brickyard 400 is coming back this year and will mark NASCAR’s first race since 2020 on the 2.5-mile asphalt-shrouded racetrack of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Besides that, NASCAR has also added Iowa Speedway to its schedule for the first time since 1953. However, NASCAR has taken the Bristol dirt race off the schedule. Therefore, both races at the half-mile racetrack will be on the concrete. But that’s not even the most interesting part.
NASCAR is known to have a year-long jam-packed schedule. But this year’s NASCAR will be taking a two-week break after the Brickyard 400; thanks to the TV demands of the Olympics in Paris. Needless to say, the opening round of the playoffs might look slightly different.
Furthermore, the opening race of the playoffs till last year, i.e., the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, is now the regular season finale, whereas the opening race of the playoffs will roll out at Atlanta Motor Speedway. On top of that, 2024 is going to be the first time for NASCAR to host two road course races during the playoffs: one at Watkins Glen and the other at Charlotte ROVAL.
Another major change is that, just like last year, Texas Motor Speedway will not host the All-Star race and has been removed from the playoff picture completely. But good news for the longtime NASCAR fans; the recently revived North Wilkesboro Speedway will witness the All-Star race for the second consecutive year.
Is the viewership of NASCAR rising?
Although the viewership for The Clash at the 66th Daytona 500 had come down by 59% and 27%, respectively, it’s quite understandable owing to the unfavorable weather conditions during those weeks. Once the sun rose high in the sky, and so did those numbers.
The Pennzoil 400 at Phoenix Raceway witnessed the highest year-over-year increase, as per Sports Pro Media in viewership that the history of NASCAR has ever experienced. According to reports, 4.03 million viewers watched as Joe Gibbs Racing sensation, Christopher Bell, swam to victory lane and punched the ticket to this year’s playoffs. Reports also say that there has been a 19 percent increase in the numbers since 2023.
Now, the question that one might ask is, will NASCAR be able to maintain the craze once the races shift from the main FOX channel to FS1, following the race weekend at Richmond?
The answer is yet to be received.
