Sunday night time, Richmond Raceway will host its second NASCAR Cup Sequence race of the season. If the rumors are true in regards to the 2025 schedule, it is likely to be the final time Richmond has two races for the foreseeable future.
The Athletic reported that Richmond could be on the chopping block to lose one in all its race dates if NASCAR have been capable of safe a brand new venue. A global journey, probably to Canada or Mexico, was related to the dialog in regards to the Virginia quick monitor, inbuilt 1946 and having hosted NASCAR races since 1953 (two per 12 months since 1959).
“I form of perceive NASCAR’s choice as a result of … if the followers turned out right here and we bought out each race, then there could be two races,” Virginia native Denny Hamlin mentioned. “They’re going to do issues that the followers need to take part in. What’s loopy is that it’s all the time one in all our prime 5 [ratings] markets that watch us on TV, however [they] don’t truly come to the racetrack itself.
“So, it’s fascinating. There are many racing followers round right here, however attending to the racetrack has been difficult up to now.”
The 0.750-mile monitor sits outdoors Richmond amid neighborhoods, eating places and companies, however attendance has considerably dropped over time — down from when there have been constant sellouts. It was revealed in 2019 that the seating capability had been diminished.
One other criticism over time — the racing itself. Richmond has gone from being dubbed “The Motion Observe” to at least one the place viewers aren’t entertained by the motion on the racetrack even when groups and drivers discover it to be enjoyably difficult.
There was a time when Richmond performed a big half within the NASCAR calendar. It was the regular-season finale from 2004 via 2017 earlier than changing into the second postseason race from 2018 via 2021. Since then, it’s been moved additional forward on the calendar as one of many races main into the postseason.
Nothing has helped make Richmond the draw it as soon as was — not even the $30 million infield redevelopment challenge it underwent in 2018, as Hamlin additionally famous.
“I believe that has all been a very optimistic factor, however generally these are the cycles that it’s important to undergo,” he mentioned. “Hopefully, it’s a studying second for the monitor, and everybody concerned that may get this monitor again, reinvigorated as one of many prime quick tracks that we’ve got on our schedule. It actually is a disgrace if it goes to at least one week, however the viewers right here has made it warranted.”
