Cup Races Too Long?

I do not like Harvick, but I think he's smart, and often agree with his racing observations. On the second point he is absolutely correct. I've never been in favor of stages anywhere, but they are ruinous for road courses.

On the shorter races front, I think the argument is valid for the bulk of the schedule (not the traditional 500 and 600 mile events, which should remain).
 
NASCAR fans seem so concerned over shortening *wait for it* 3 1.5 mile 500 mile races and a couple 2.5 mile 500 mile races. Phew

Anyway I’d rather see 500 mile races. Thanks
 
Sorry Kevin, but I can't get on the shorter race train. If I'm interested in something and I enjoy it, then I want as much of it as I can get. Anything less just brings the value down IMO. If the racing is boring some fans, then make the racing better so they won't be bored. The cautions, especially on road courses, I can agree with him though.
 
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I agree that throwing the yellow at the end of a stage is stupid, ESPCIALLY at road courses.

I just don't understand why people are asking for shorter races. What's the logic behind the argument? How would it be an improvement? Yes, the cars/equipment are much more durable than they were decades ago, and easier to drive, so endurance isn't as significant of a factor anymore. That doesn't explain why shorter races would be better. Attention spans? GTFO. Riding around and taking it easy until the end? I thought stage points were the solution to that.

I'm sure there are some tracks like Pocono or Dover that are better as a 400-miler than a 500, but why is that, exactly? How about instead of shortening the races, we try and improve the cars/tracks so we have a better product worth showing for 3-4 hours. Will you see as many fans making a week/weekend out of a 2-hour race? I certainly don't think so. I think attendance would suffer dramatically.
 
I’m not sure that could be actually be done anywhere other than maybe Atlanta 1 and Texas. Daytona, Talladega, Coke 600, Southern 500 are untouchable. I don’t think TV is asking for less programming either.

I agree on the stage cautions on road courses. Very lame.
 
The average race should be around three hours, which your average 400 mile race is anyway. Some are going 3.5 hours, which is fine. I don't mind some of these races going down to 300-350 miles.

If they'd drop the stage break crap, they'd have more time. The point of a "TV Timeout" is going to be moot in the next contract anyway I suspect especially if ESPN is in the picture which they more than likely will be.
 
sdj said:
Too long?

Hell, since they invented the DVR, ain't a been no races too long for me! :booya: :beerbang: :punkrocke
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THIS. times 100. I've been watching races on DVR since I was in high school and I would tape them on my TV/VCR combo in my bedroom and watch them over the next week. It really sucks that these races are going to inevitably be shortened because the world is catering to people who cant look up from their phones and dont have an an attention span over 1 hour.
 
AdoubleU24 said:
I don't think a it's so much the length of the races as it is the stage breaks and running 7 caution laps for a single spinning car.

Nobody was complaining about how long these things were before this format came along.
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The races more often than not have no flow to them. Between comp cautions(thing of the past?), natural cautions, stage breaks, prolonged cautions and often a GWC, if not multiple GWCs they can at times be tedious to watch.
 
I've got my Asbestos underwear on so I'm ready for the flames. Yes they are way too long. Formula 1 does it right: no race can go longer than 2 hours, and at most there are 3 pitstops, and sometimes just 1 pitstop. What this does is make every moment of the race actually matter. If I turn on a NASCAR race (which I don't do so much these days) I know that nothing that happens in the first 3 segments means much of anything (outside of crashes). For example If Kyle Bush spins out, it doesn't really matter, he will find his way back to his old position in a bit.

Think about this: the first two-thirds of a race is so meaningless that I can watch 4 minutes of commercials then grill a burger and I still won't miss anything. All that being said this question is purely academic. NASCAR can't shorten the races because they are so dependant on advertising revenue. Shorter races means less ads.
 
AdoubleU24 said:
I don't think a it's so much the length of the races as it is the stage breaks and running 7 caution laps for a single spinning car.

Nobody was complaining about how long these things were before this format came along.
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That's what bugs me the most, and it has been this way for a while. There is no sense of urgency whatsoever during your typical caution. NASCAR wastes WAYYYYYYY too much time under yellow whether it's a massive pileup with a lot of necessary cleanup, a minor accident with little wreckage, or a harmless spin with no debris or fluid on the track.

NASCAR still throws more yellows than necessary, and when they do, it takes too damn long to get back under green. They should focus on addressing the cautions before they even think about shortening the distance of the races.
 
I disagree with shortening races, nothing shorter than 500 laps on tracks under a mile and 400 miles on tracks over a mile. (excluding road courses)
 
I heard somewhere that NASCAR was testing for a 24 hour race. So, I don't think they are going to shorten races.
Maybe it's because Harvick isn't involved in this test that he has his panties all wadded up.
 
Plenty of argument for both sides. Just last week some had their feathers up because the race was shortened. Turns out, it couldn't get done fast enough for some lol.
 
The short attention span crowd is always for shorter everything.

I'm not for or against either side just yet. I see both sides. If anything, shorten the schedule. I think the NBA and MLB should also shorten their schedules. Things are a lot different than they were even 10 years ago. It seems to me one of the big reasons is the NFL is so popular is because the regular season is 4 months. it leaves fans wanting more.
 
StandOnIt said:
Plenty of argument for both sides. Just last week some had their feathers up because the race was shortened. Turns out, it couldn't get done fast enough for some lol.
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That wasn't due to length it was due the product. I love my soda and I drink every last drop and usually want more...but if it is flat then I drink very little, and I'm done.
 
I've never been a fan of the stages but IMO you should have a set lap for the stage break, but if a caution comes out within a predetermined gap prior to the stage break that caution should be the stage break. Nothing is more pointless to parade around for 5 or 6 laps, run two green flag laps and throw a caution for a stage break.

That gap would have to vary depending on the length of the track but that's nothing that can't be easily figured out and would definitely take away down time
 
People binge watch Netflix shows for 4-5 hours.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League was four hours and I watched the entire thing in one sitting.

People sat in movie theaters in record shattering numbers to watch the three hour Avengers Endgame movie.

If something is entertaining enough, people will watch.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
People binge watch Netflix shows for 4-5 hours.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League was four hours and I watched the entire thing in one sitting.

People sat in movie theaters in record shattering numbers to watch the three hour Avengers Endgame movie.

If something is entertaining enough, people will watch.
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Agree x100
 
MRM said:
The short attention span crowd is always for shorter everything.

I'm not for or against either side just yet. I see both sides. If anything, shorten the schedule. I think the NBA and MLB should also shorten their schedules. Things are a lot different than they were even 10 years ago. It seems to me one of the big reasons is the NFL is so popular is because the regular season is 4 months. it leaves fans wanting more.
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Then Indy car should be the top racing series and draw the biggest crowds.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
People binge watch Netflix shows for 4-5 hours.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League was four hours and I watched the entire thing in one sitting.

People sat in movie theaters in record shattering numbers to watch the three hour Avengers Endgame movie.

If something is entertaining enough, people will watch.
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People enjoy a good product...
 
Maybe I think differently, is she in a roundabout way calling out that the younger generation has so many diagnosed with ADHD/ADD?
 
I still miss the days when movies were 3 to 4 hours long with intermissions, but now I can't hardly sit through an hour and a half movie. It has nothing to do with attention span it is 100% product. Heck I can't hardly sit through a 30-minute sitcom or the newer tv series anymore. If it's a good product I will sit for hours and love every minute of it.
 
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