NASCAR's Mid Week Dilemma

Should NASCAR Hold Mid Week Races?

By Richard Tix

This week if the topic wasn't Danica vs Dale Jr or that Trevor Bayne is expecting a baby girl, it was that the idea of mid week racing was floating around again in the social media world. The topic popped back up after Brad Keselowski tweeted on Wednesday that it was a full day of no "Major" professional sports on TV. 

Nothing. No MLB, no NBA, no NFL, and specifically no NASCAR. This day, the day after the MLB All Star Game, is the reason the ESPY's were placed on the date where they were (nothing else to watch). Yet, with everyone's (including mine) disgust with ESPN and all its worker people had no where else to turn but to the network. 

In come's BK and an agreeing Kevin Harvick with the question, why not have a mid week race?

In the world we live today this obviously hit the social media trail fast and the ball was rolling again (seems like we talk about it every few months). Every time it comes up it seems to get into a heated debate about why we should or should not have mid week racing. So I pose the same question, why not have mid week racing in NASCAR?

I think the first time I ever heard this idea a few years ago my initial reaction was, "no way NASCAR can't do that. I love my weekend race weekend to Michigan and this could screw that up!" In the years since, my thoughts have changed a bit and I will give you my reason and opinion on why NASCAR should give it a shot.

I understand fans travel from all over the country (and some from outside the country) to races on the weekend. Mid Week races would mean many of those same fans would have to take time off from work to get to a track.. But, many fans already take off time for weekend races (myself included) and still make it work every single year. Plus, lets not only think about the typical 9-5 Monday through Friday worker because many people out there work weekends and never get to go to races the way it is now with only Saturday and Sunday races.

The idea I really liked with this mid week race thought was that it could be used with many tracks that have two stops on the season. 

Genius! That way people who go normally still can one of the weekends. Maybe you will have to change which weekend you go (if you only go to one of the two stops a year), but things change so at anytime NASCAR could drop or change that date anyways. I would be in the category of people who might be affected. I have gone to Michigan every year since 2006 for the August race. Changing that race to mid week would affect me, but I would reschedule and try for the first race in June, as many other fans would.

What if you normally go to both and can't do a mid week race? Well, maybe that opens up time to try another track. True, it might be a bit closer to continue going to the one you go to now but maybe you will like the new NASCAR experience as much or more as the one you currently have! You will never know until you try it. It most likely will open up new experiences and a chance to meet new NASCAR friends from other parts of the country (on of the best parts about traveling to tracks in my opinion).

I think with moving one date of tracks that have two dates to mid week would increase the demand of the weekend date for all travelers which would hopefully pack a track on that weekend NASCAR stop. On top of that, I do think that a week day draw could be a pretty big draw on a Wednesday. It may have a bit different crowd (locals and closer commuters), but it could still thrive. The big place it could thrive even if attendance continues to dip? TV coverage. Race fans LOVE racing at anytime, think about a Prime Time Wednesday Night Cup race? I know would tune in during the dog days of Summer for sure. Like Eldora, I schedule this Wednesday Night as soon as the schedule comes out. My weekends start filling up for Summer as soon as March rolls around which makes weekend races tough to consistently watch. Plus, I love hitting the local track on Saturday nights which also gets in the way of many Cup races that end up being Saturday Night races.

The draw on Wednesday during a day like the one after the MLB ASG or any Wednesday during the days of Summer where the NBA, NFL, and NHL are all off are just too big of a draw for me to think it is a bad idea not to try once.

What about the Teams? BK think's it can be done.

Now, I do not want all races on a weekday, nor do I want a huge drastic change right away (neither do BK or Harvick). This idea may not work and may never thrive like I could see it doing but, I do not know why NASCAR couldn't give it a shot. The best time for a test would be the day after the ASG (as mentioned), but some other opportunities exist out there for NASCAR to thrive on prime time Wednesday's. Things change everyday anyways, so why not give it a shot?

The gains of mid week racing for a select number of races a year just seem to promising to pass up the chance to test it out especially when considering the pitfalls. As always NASCAR will have fans who complain we change too much and the same ones who get mad when something doesn't change. So, NASCAR is once again in a lose lose situation as they always are. But, some drivers are starting to hop on board with the idea, hopefully some teams will be next, and the fans will follow.

While we are at it, maybe adding another short track or road course (or both) at the same time might work as well. I am sure Iowa Speedway would be happy to host a Mid Week Night race for the Sprint Cup. They have the infrastructure to add on to host Cup races and would be happy to just get on the schedule. Add in that it would be there first Cup race and the fact that it would be a new Northern Midwest market that is craving some Cup action (not many options up this way right now for Cup races) and you have everything you need for a track to pack the house on a Mid Week race.

If it fails? Then we go back to weekend racing the way it is, but what do we lose? NASCAR is at a spot where it is making changes left and right. Not just because NASCAR wants to make changes, but because the fans are demanding changes, as are drivers, and as are teams. So, NASCAR is constantly making changes for us and its drivers, why not give something a shot that is almost a no lose situation?

What do you think? Would you like a mid week race? Would you go to a mid week race?