Previewing NASCAR 2024: What’s In Store For Racing Fans?

As we shift gears and zoom towards 2024, fans of the adrenaline-pumping world of NASCAR are in for an unprecedented treat. The stage is set for a year of thrilling races, with a schedule that promises to deliver heart-stopping action for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The 2024 NASCAR season is pushing boundaries, taking a giant leap forward with a number of firsts, and etching fresh milestones into the annals of motorsport history.

Among the key highlights of this upcoming season is the Cup Series debut at Iowa Speedway — a much-anticipated event that will have the sport’s brightest stars racing under the heartland skies.

Concurrently, NASCAR continues its thrilling tradition of premier races at beloved locations, maintaining a delicate balance between old and new. Fasten your seatbelts as we take a closer look at what the 2024 NASCAR season has in store, and gear up for a year that is bound to leave an indelible mark on motorsports.

Non-Stop Adrenaline Rush

The 2024 NASCAR season packs a punch with an intensely demanding schedule. Get ready for a racing marathon, as once the Daytona 500 kickstarts the season, fans and racers alike will be treated to a riveting spectacle of 23 straight weeks of racing, including the electrifying All-Star race in North Wilkesboro on May 19.

This is one of the most grueling yet exciting schedules in recent years, and it will undoubtedly test the determination, endurance, and skill of every team and driver. However, after this marathon, a well-deserved two-week hiatus for the Olympics will allow everyone to recharge before they plunge into the final 14 weeks of non-stop racing to the finish line.

No Dirt, No Problem: New Surprises Await

After the thrilling spectacle of Bristol Dirt in 2023, the NASCAR schedule for 2024 has raised a few eyebrows by featuring no dirt races. However, this doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of excitement and new experiences. With the Cup Series debuting at Iowa Speedway and racing under the bright lights of Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, fans are in for a treat as they witness the sport’s top drivers battle it out on new and challenging tracks.

Moreover, Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Operations, has hinted at a possible return to dirt racing in 2025, potentially adding 1-2 dirt races to the schedule. This intriguing possibility has already sparked excitement among fans and leaves the door open for even more surprises in the future.

The Ebbing Trend of Road Courses

The recent years have seen a visible trend in NASCAR’s shift toward incorporating more road courses into the schedule. This change peaked in 2021, with six road courses occupying spots in the NASCAR calendar — a significant increase from the standard two or three annual stops. However, as we look ahead to 2024, this trend appears to be reversing.

Notable circuits such as Road America, the Daytona ROVAL, and the Indy ROVAL are all conspicuously absent from the upcoming schedule. Instead, the 2024 season will feature just five road courses, including a new addition — a street course in the heart of Chicago.

This shrinking number of road courses may feel reminiscent of the past when Watkins Glen, Sonoma, and the Charlotte ROVAL made up the majority of the road racing events. However, even the future of the Charlotte ROVAL seems uncertain. The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) appears to be the only one from the recent additions that has managed to secure a spot on the 2024 schedule, making the surge in road courses seem more like a passing fad than a permanent change.

Interestingly, the shift towards road courses was premised on the belief that the new Next Gen car would excel on these circuits. However, the reality reflects a different story. While the older car was boxier and more challenging to handle on road courses — leading to chaotic, unpredictable races — the Next Gen car handles better and results in less chaos. This has raised questions about whether developing a vehicle to handle both left and right turns — a hallmark of road racing — was a strategic misstep.

This ebbing trend of road courses promises to add a new layer of intrigue to the upcoming season as NASCAR continues to evolve and break new ground.

The Financial Implications of Atlanta’s Revised Schedule

The revised schedule of the 2024 NASCAR season presents Atlanta with two key races — one following the Daytona 500 and the other as the playoff opener. However, this newfound prominence has potential financial implications attached, especially for the teams. The similarity in track style between Daytona and Atlanta raises the risk of damage, potentially leading to teams losing two to three cars from their fleet before even reaching the third race. A similar risk appears later in the season, with Daytona on Aug. 24 and Atlanta two weeks later. The costs of crashes and subsequent repairs are crucial financial considerations that can impact the teams’ budgets significantly.

On the brighter side, the new schedule positions Atlanta in prime spots, potentially attracting more sponsors and advertisers due to the heightened visibility and race’s importance. Moreover, with the playoff opener now in September, it offers more fan-friendly weather conditions compared to the mid-July heat, possibly attracting more spectators and boosting revenue from ticket sales and concessions. Thus, while the revised schedule presents certain financial challenges, it also opens up new avenues for economic growth and prosperity.

The Kickoff of Playoffs May Herald Unpredictability

The initiation of the 2024 playoffs could signal a fresh wave of unpredictability, thanks to the new schedule. With Texas and Darlington stepping out and Atlanta and Watkins Glen stepping in, the first couple of rounds could serve up an unexpected roller coaster ride for both racers and fans.

The first round encompasses Atlanta, Watkins Glen, and Bristol, while the second round includes Kansas, Talladega, and Charlotte ROVAL. Both rounds intriguingly feature a superspeedway as well as a road course, a blend that hasn’t been witnessed before in NASCAR.

This mix could potentially shuffle some teams’ decks, forcing them to adapt to varying racing dynamics and altering the conventional expectations tied to the playoffs. While Round 3 onwards remains unchanged, the wild start to the playoffs may set the tone for an unpredictable, intensely competitive season, pushing the boundaries of motorsport like never before.

Regular Season Culmination Returns Control to Drivers

The 2024 NASCAR season sees the return of control to the drivers with the conclusion of the regular season at the Southern 500. This shift from Daytona is welcomed by many drivers, as Darlington Speedway offers a more predictable and skill-oriented racing environment. While Daytona is known for its unpredictable nature, where anyone can win, the Southern 500 tends to favor those with the best skill and strategy.

This move could potentially balance the scales, allowing drivers to earn their playoff spots based on merit rather than fortune. Consequently, this could lead to a fiercely competitive regular-season finale with drivers pushing their skills to the limit, culminating in a thrilling spectacle for the fans.

NASCAR Continues Tradition on Easter

NASCAR, in a historic move, has reinstated tradition by scheduling a race on Easter Sunday, much to the fans’ delight. Contrary to the general trend of sports events avoiding major holidays, NASCAR boldly decided to claim Easter as its own, similar to the NFL’s tradition on Thanksgiving and the NBA on Christmas.

Over the years, NASCAR has proven that this strategy can yield promising results. For instance, the Bristol spring race on Easter weekend last year garnered over 4 million viewers, indicating a significant increase of 28% over 2021. This was the highest-rated Bristol spring race since 2016, underscoring the potential of Easter weekend for NASCAR.

The return to Richmond on Easter, especially as a night race, is set to elicit excitement among the fans and maintain this upward trend. Therefore, while it’s a departure from typical scheduling norms, NASCAR’s decision to run races on Easter Sunday seems to be a smart strategic move, aiming to capitalize on the holiday audience and continue the tradition of offering thrilling racing action to its fans.

Ideal Tracks

As we move into the 2024 NASCAR season and examine the racing odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, it’s worth highlighting a few tracks that seem ideally suited for the action ahead. First and foremost, the iconic Daytona International Speedway continues to be the heart and soul of NASCAR, with its high-speed, high-stakes racing that always guarantees a thrilling start to the season.

Another standout is the Atlanta Motor Speedway, now the centerpiece of the playoff opener and a track where drivers’ skills and strategic acumen can truly shine. Watkins Glen, with its reputation for unpredictable and exciting races, is a fitting addition to the playoff roster.

Furthermore, Bristol’s concrete track presents a unique challenge that often results in some of the most captivating races of the season.

Lastly, the return of the Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway to close the regular season is a welcome move, favoring drivers’ skill and strategy over sheer luck.

Texas, We Have a Problem

The 2024 NASCAR season presents a significant challenge for the Texas Motor Speedway. Once a vibrant venue with an INDYCAR date and two major NASCAR weekends, it finds itself with just one race weekend. The Speedway’s shift from the playoff schedule in 2004 to a spring date due to weather and audience concerns led to a reduction in race weekends.

Their attempt to compensate for losing the spring date by hosting the All-Star race was short-lived, lasting only two years. Now, the Speedway maintains only the playoff date but has to advance it to spring, resulting in INDYCAR dropping them as well.

Texas Motor Speedway’s problems were further compounded by a reconfiguration that unsatisfied fans and racers. Adding PJ1 to the track to create a second lane damaged it for both INDYCAR and NASCAR, resulting in a single-groove track. Therefore, it’s fair to say that Texas Motor Speedway finds itself challenging, needing innovative solutions to regain its lost glory.