On Easter Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series raced on Richmond Raceway for the first time this season. As expected, the racing (after the slicks were put on) was the usual snoozer that Richmond has offered up for years now. Although the NextGen struggles on short tracks, this is a track issue. Once known for fantastic action, Richmond Raceway has been a shell of its former self. Despite this, it has maintained its two dates on the Cup Series calendar. As other notable tracks lost a date, Richmond clung onto both dates mostly due to being a short track. However, recent reports are pointing to a shift in the NASCAR calendar in 2025. If those reports are correct, Richmond loses a date starting next year.
According to Jordan Bianchi, Richmond Raceway is a leading candidate to lose one of their races next year. Richmond would join Texas, Pocono and Michigan as tracks who lost a date in recent years. Despite Richmond’s long history in the sport, the modern product is insufficient for two dates. From the entertainment perspective, the track struggles to offer compelling action. The main enjoyment of a Richmond race nowadays is tire strategy, which can be completely undone by an ill-timed caution. More than simply the entertainment value though, Richmond is not the draw that it used to be. Formerly a track that would sell out its massive venue, Richmond now struggles to fill out its reduced capacity. Simply put, it is time for a change.
Benefits of One Date
While losing a race never sounds positive, this has the potential to benefit Richmond Raceway greatly. Sometimes, less is more. Losing a date automatically puts more significance on the remaining race left on the calendar. For Texas, Michigan, and Pocono, the lack of a second date has been greatly beneficial. Especially for Pocono, a track that fans loathed to see the Cup Series race at twice a year. Now, there is excitement for the Tricky Triangle. Michigan has never felt the ire that Pocono has, but the reduction to one race has helped with their attendance and boosted the significance of their one race. As for Texas Motor Speedway, well it certainly is there.
One date for Richmond could see the same benefits. There is a market for a tire strategy race, but that seems to be more ideal for a once a year (per track) arrangement. Plus, there is still the aura of Richmond being a short track. Despite the flawed racing from the NextGen car, there is still love for that type of racing. If the rumors are correct, Richmond would be losing its spring date. Assuming the summer race remains in that spot, the lack of a spring Richmond could not only help boost attendance for the summer race but the spring dates at Martinsville and Bristol. This season, those three short tracks each hosted a race within four weeks of each other. The tracks are relatively close together, which roughly draws from the same market. Dropping spring Richmond would help stop the oversaturation of that market.
A Potential Return
In addition to the single race benefits Richmond Raceway could receive, losing one its dates now does not mean that it is a permanent change. Look at Atlanta and Darlington as prime examples. Both of those historic tracks lost one of their races. Atlanta got their second date back in 2021 and will likely never lose it again due to the track being turned into a superspeedway. Meanwhile, Darlington saw its second date return after the warm reception from the COVID season where the Cup Series raced three times at the track.
Sometimes, distance makes the heart grow founder. For Richmond, NASCAR, and the fans, reducing the number of Richmond races to one is the right decision. Especially with NASCAR still attempting to figure out the NextGen car on short tracks, one race per season will be plenty for the track. Plus, the additions of North Wilkesboro and Iowa to the schedule (along with the LA Coliseum) has filled the Cup schedule with additional short tracks. If the racing improves (along with attendance), then Richmond could return to having two dates.
What Replaces Spring Richmond?
As mentioned earlier, it seems that the spring Richmond date will be the one lopped off the calendar. With Richmond losing that date, what track would replace it? At the moment, there are not a lot of options for NASCAR. No one is building a new track, seemingly including the short track where Auto Club now lays partially demolished. More than likely, a current track on the Cup Series schedule will not receive a second (or third) date. So that leaves few options for where NASCAR can go in Richmond’s place. However, there are still viable options to explore.
An International Track
NASCAR desperately wants to take the Cup Series international. Not since their exhibition races in Japan from 1996-1998 has the Cup Series ran a race on international soil. The Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series have raced above and below the border in more recent times. Now it seems that the Cup Series will take that step too. Mexico or Canada (or both) will seemingly be receiving a Cup Series race as soon as 2025. There have been discussions about taking The Clash to Mexico, especially after bringing the NASCAR Mexican Series to LA this season.
Last year, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was heavily rumored to be on this year’s schedule. The Canadian road course would have been the second track that NASCAR would share with F1 in the same season. Ultimately, that plan fell through and the Cup Series is heading to Iowa in the summer. Since it was heavily rumored, the idea of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve replacing Richmond will be a popular one. However, it is unlikely that NASCAR could keep the spring date for this race. During Easter Sunday, the weather in Montreal was in the 40s and, as of this writing, it is currently snowing there.
If NASCAR wants to keep the spring date, then Mexico City would be the better international date. Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez would play host for the Cup Series after hosting the Xfinity Series in the mid-2000s. Obviously, the weather in Mexico would be ideal for Richmond’s spring date. However, the looming cloud of The Clash going south of the border might prevent a points paying race from going to Mexico.
One more thing about these international dates: they are both road courses. NASCAR scaled back the road courses this season. Would NASCAR want to replace a short track with a road course? Maybe. There are questions about whether Chicago will remain on the schedule for 2025. It would be more sensible to swap an international road course out for the street course if Chicago does not get renewed for 2025.
Southern California
Outside of The Clash, NASCAR will not be hitting the southern California market this season. Depressingly, Auto Club is currently undergoing demolition to be potentially converted into a short track. However, the recent rumblings about that process points to a reality where Auto Club is forever gone. However, NASCAR has been adamant about remaining in the southern California market.
According to Chris Myers, NASCAR fans should expect an event in southern California next year. But where? The LA Coliseum seemingly has run its course, so that does not seem to be a possibility. There are the reports about NASCAR looking to utilize Dodger Stadium in some capacity, but that would likely be a replacement for The Clash. As for replacing the points-paying Richmond date, where could NASCAR go?
For an oval, Irwindale Speedway could be an option. The ARCA West Series races there yearly. However, additional grandstands would have to be installed to host the Cup Series. It would be similar to the objections NASCAR had with Eldora.
With that potential eliminated, that leaves the Long Beach street course as the main viable option. NASCAR is attempting to buy a 50% stake in Long Beach, which would imply interest in racing there. Similar to the international road courses, NASCAR will likely not want to double down on street circuits if Chicago remains on the schedule. However, NASCAR seems set on staying in that southern California market. Even if Chicago remains, Long Beach has a chance.
North Wilkesboro Speedway
Realistically, this seems like the most likely option. While the on-track action of last year’s All-Star Race left a lot to be desired, the atmosphere and fan reception of returning to North Wilkesboro Speedway hit the nail on the head. NASCAR hosting a Cup Series points paying race at the historic track for this first time since 1996 would likely garner the same level of enthusiasm. Plus, NASCAR could borrow the throwback weekend from Darlington and slap it on the North Wilkesboro weekend to add to the pageantry.
Now, this heavily depends on how well the All-Star Race is received this year. Not so much the on-track product, but the fan engagement and TV numbers. Another sellout and strong ratings for the All-Star Race could stamp North Wilkesboro Speedway onto the 2025 schedule. What would that mean for the All-Star Race? Well, NASCAR has floated the idea of having the All-Star Race switch locations regularly. If that is the route they go, then that would free up North Wilkesboro to replace Richmond Raceway. Also, North Wilkesboro would be the easiest switch among the current options. No issues of cold weather should interfere, which would prevent NASCAR from having to reconfigure the schedule to replace Richmond’s spring date.
For the fans, hopefully the repave has helped the racing action. Based on the short track package, the adjustments to the NextGen car have not been enough to improve the racing. Maybe the repave will aid slightly to improving this year’s All-Star Race though. Despite the questionable quality, replacing a short track race with another short track seems more likely than cramming another road course on the schedule. While there might be a negative perception of short track racing right now, it pales in comparison to the fans’ feelings toward the road courses. Assuming the All-Star Race receives the appropriate fan reception, North Wilkesboro Speedway feels like the favorite to replace the potentially departing spring Richmond date.
