All-Star Race could transform NASCAR
CONCORD, N.C. – After an unusually entertaining Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race on Saturday night, many fans left Charlotte Motor Speedway bubbling with excitement.
A new competition package produced tight racing and daring driving. Even though the usual suspect – Kevin Harvick – won the race, there was an interesting mix of competition throughout the evening and an air of uncertainty about what might happen from one lap to the next. It was one of those things that have been in short supply in much of modern NASCAR – a really good race.
Now it’s a new week, and at the end of it sits the next Cup race. It’s also at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but it’s vastly different – a grueling 600-mile race that often devolves into one of the most tedious events of the season.
The knee-jerk reaction to Saturday’s successful evening is this: why not put the All-Star package, which featured restrictor plates and huge rear spoilers among other innovations, in place for the Coca-Cola 600? Charlotte Motor Speedway president Marcus Smith could be convinced to take that route. He’s the guy selling tickets to the 600.
“Tonight was some of the best racing we’ve seen on a mile-and-half track in many years,” Smith said. “It was so much fun to watch. Fans weren’t using their seats. They were on their feet cheering.
“This is a huge step forward. This is mission accomplished. We wanted to make a positive impact on the sport and the racing. Tonight, judging by the fan reaction, it was really a lot of fun and exciting.” Smith said he began lobbying NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell “for more races with this package” shortly after Saturday’s event ended.
“It’s always better to do great things as soon as possible,” Smith said.
These kind of changes can’t be made overnight, however. Months of research and development went into the decision to try Saturday’s aero/engine package. It wouldn’t be realistic to expect teams to make such a big change on short notice, and it’s not likely that the specific package that fit CMS well would work at other intermediate-size tracks.
It’s also worth noting that NASCAR’s charter agreement with teams essentially prevents the sanctioning body from imposing major, expensive changes unless there are safety issues.
But Saturday’s big experiment was certainly a step in the right direction.