With the NASCAR Cup Series a mere 38 days away, discussions about the schedule and tracks are already heating up among fans. A recent proposition by a publication — The Daily Downforce — has particularly sparked debate regarding the Daytona race. The suggestion was that incorporating the Daytona road course would have enhanced the schedule, drawing mixed reactions. While some agreed, others dismissed it as a poor decision.
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They posted, “I think that If NASCAR didn’t overuse the Daytona Road Course in 2020 by having 3 races in a year, fans would’ve appreciated it more. I would love it back on the schedule.”
Those in favor echoed the sentiment, with one fan suggesting, “They should put that Daytona road course the week after the Daytona 500 stay at Daytona for another week.”
Another supporter of the idea added, “I like the Daytona road course. They should 100 percent bring it back, but most NASCAR fans are so…shall we say challenged that they think the races at Crashtona are actually good.”
I think that If NASCAR didn’t overuse the Daytona Road Course in 2020 by having 3 races in a year, fans would’ve appreciated it more. I would love it back on the schedulepic.twitter.com/sCqfd2Zm2W
— The Daily Downforce (@dailydownforce) January 8, 2025
Conversely, detractors felt the suggestion was off-base. One said, “Nah we have enough road courses.”
Another highlighted the excitement provided by the Coke Zero 400, arguing, “The Coke Zero 400 has given us much better racing and greater moments since it’s come back. It shouldn’t be replaced,” underlining that the drama at Daytona International Speedway’s second race of the regular season surpasses what the road course could offer.
One critic bluntly assessed the publication’s proposal, stating, “What a horrible take. Infield road courses are lame af and always have been. Tons of real road courses to race at across the states, go race at them.”
Significance of Daytona Road Course
The Daytona International Speedway road course initially served as a stand-in for the Watkins Glen International races in New York, hosting the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 race. Created in 2020 as a temporary measure due to cancellations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the race made a return in 2021 for similar reasons.
In 2021, the race stepped in for the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and also took the place of the Homestead-Miami Speedway race which was postponed by a week. Chase Elliott won the first O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 race in 2020, while Christopher Bell took the checkered flag in the second installment in February 2021.
Besides these races, currently, Daytona’s road course layout plays host to the Rolex 24 — a prominent 24-hour endurance racing event in North America. Scheduled from January 25 to 26th, the race incorporates the majority of the tri-oval and an infield road course, where 61 cars across four classifications participate.
Traditionally held on the last weekend of January or the first weekend of February during Speedweeks, it marks the commencement of the major North American auto racing season.
