Tired of changes to the NASCAR Cup Series? Wish you could go back in time to the days of more horsepower and shorter tracks? Do you miss watching the IROC races, where every driver was a champion and they were given a chance to prove who was the best if all the machines were the same? Reliving the Glory Days isn’t always easy or advisable but SRX Racing and CARS Tour provide long-time fans with the opportunity to go back in time, even if only briefly.
SRX Racing
Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham joined forces with Sandy Montag and former NASCAR COO George Pyne in 2020 to form Superstar Racing Xperience. This new way of racing old-school was a breath of fresh air for fans who felt like NASCAR was making too many changes. The drivers – most of them well-known former or current NASCAR drivers – brought decades of experience behind the wheel. While the season only has six races, each track brings a unique challenge to the driver and an exciting viewing experience for fans.
Twelve-minute heats determine the starting lineup. Races run 50 or 100 laps (dirt or paved) and take about 90 minutes to complete. There are no stage breaks or necessary pit stops, just a half-time for adjustments. Champions are determined by the old-school points system. Tony Stewart won the SRX Championship in 2021. Marco Andretti claimed the title for 2022.
The 2023 Season will have drivers racing around the short tracks of Stafford Motor Speedway (@StaffordSpeedwy), Thunder Road (@ThunderRoadVT), Motor Mile Speedway (@MotorMile), and Berlin Raceway (@BerlinRaceway). To the delight of fans (and the surprise of no one), SRX will race at Eldora Speedway (@EldoraSpeedway) in the 2023 season. SRX will also feature at the Lucas Oil Speedway (@lucasspeedway) for some added dirt track fun.
SRX Racing ran on CBS the first two years, but will air on ESPN for the 2023 season. With races held on Thursdays this year, long-term fans get to enjoy Thursday Night Thunder again. Races air on ESPN at 9:00 pm each Thursday from July 13th through August 17th. Drivers for 2023 have yet to be announced, but will surely include notable current and former champions.
CARS Tour
Earlier this week, racing fans were delighted to hear that the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour – the Southeast Late Model racing series – had been purchased by a new partnership of four champion drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, and Justin Marks joined forces to fund the acquisition. Jack McNally started CARS Tour in 2014. Races feature both late model and pro late model cars. With the change in ownership, the race schedule has grown from 12 races in 2022 to 19 races in 2023.
The CARS Tour series races at various paved short tracks throughout the Southeast, primarily in North and South Carolina, with a few in Virginia. One of the most recognized tracks on the schedule is North Wilkesboro Speedway. Unlike SRX Racing, which changes most of the tracks each season, CARS Tour continues racing at the same tracks each year. Dirt tracks are not featured on the schedule.
CARS Tour qualifying matches what NASCAR currently does, with single-car qualifying determining the starting lineup. Pit stops operate the same as the NASCAR series. There are no competition cautions, but there are Lucky Dog opportunities during each caution. Champions are determined by the more traditional points system that long-time NASCAR fans remember. Notable drivers at certain tracks last year included Josh Berry and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Other notable drivers from the CARS Tour include Anthony Alfredo, Chase Purdy, Corey LaJoie, Kaz Grala, John Hunter Nemecheck, Landon Cassill, and Ty Gibbs, among many others.
Neither of these series pose an immediate threat to NASCAR, but they could become even more popular with some of NASCAR’s long-term fans who long for days gone by. Change is good and necessary for growth, but it often comes with disgruntled acceptance. As more things change in the primary motorsports series, the smaller series like CARS Tour and SRX Racing may see more fans, drivers, and teams coming their way. SRX Racing keeps costs lower by having a short season and short races with each team having the same equipment. CARS Tour keeps costs lower by having a specific rules package to minimize team expense.
All this means fans have an expanded opportunity to find their favorite version of racing. If you want old school points system, quick races, dirt or asphalt, and don’t care about pit stops, tune in to Thursday Night Thunder on ESPN for SRX Racing. If you want old school points system, asphalt, and pit stops, check out CARS Tour races on CARS Tour TV. Regardless of why you’re watching, you’re guaranteed to see great racing from competitors putting in their all from green flag to checkered flag and every moment in between.
