Should NASCAR run Sunday night races in the summer?

[MRM]

The TV broadcasters have said Saturday night races don't fare well in the ratings. A few times they have run races on Sunday nights, they seem to do okay. What else is on during the summer months on TV? Not much.

Looking ahead to the race at Nashville next weekend, it looks like the temps will be in the mid 90's for the race. Granted, it will still be in the 80's if they started the race at 8:00 instead of 5:00. At least the sun would be down, making it seem cooler. We know last year at Atlanta was a cooker and this year's will probably be the same. Shouldn't NASCAR persuade NBC to have the races in these hot weather locales to run them at night?

 

[2 Sweet]

I would prefer Saturday nights whether I'm attending or watching from home, but Sunday nights would be fine too. I always prefer night racing in the warm weather months

 

[Speedbowl14]

I like it for the Southern 500 and the Coke 600 and would like to see it expanded but it doesn't work logistically. For a 7pm EST Sunday primetime start you'd need it to be a shorter race, on the East Coast, with lights. It doesn't work after September because Sunday Night Football owns that slot/coverage. So your total tracks that it'd be feasible are- Homestead, Daytona, Atlanta, Charlotte, Martinsville, Bristol, Richmond. Out of that list Homestead, Richmond, and Martinsville are the races it'd work best with, but you'd have to move their dates significantly from where they are now.

 

[LARRY]

Saturday night!

 

[AuzGrams]

I prefer Saturday Night but Sunday Night I would be OK with at Richmond or Nashville

 

[antman12]

I love both Saturday and Sunday night races. Hell, the Wednesday night race at Martinsville was awesome and loved it during the week. Unfortunately the viewership numbers don’t reflect my opinion so we won’t be see many on the schedule IMO.

 

[wi_racefan]

Personally I'd prefer a Sunday evening race over a night race. Start around 5 or 6pm

 

[Efisher131]

Personally I'd prefer a Sunday evening race over a night race. Start around 5 or 6pm

This. Love the transition races. Makes for comers and goers and good racing.

 

[Mr. Gregory]

Hard pass for me. I like night racing in general, but I think the Sunday races already start a little too late as it is. I have to get up early for work on Monday morning, and my DVR is unreliable. Sure, I'm a racing fan, but I can't be staying up watching racing all night.

 

[9050lx]

Monday night Daytona race?(something different).

 

[donthaveanickname]

Would be impossible for me to watch so please no.

 

[Efisher131]

Would be impossible for me to watch so please no.

But but, the west coast viewers!

 

[donthaveanickname]

Also, most of the fans in attendance have to work on Monday and will have trouble making it home after a Sunday night race.

 

[Magicmiler]

Also, most of the fans in attendance have to work on Monday and will have trouble making it home after a Sunday night race.

I've always taken the Monday and Tuesday after the race off. I'm sure I'm not the only one who plans for this, in the event of weather, or any other circumstances...

 

[Spotter22]

Also, most of the fans in attendance have to work on Monday and will have trouble making it home after a Sunday night race.

Thats right. Not everyone has the choice to take off on Mondays which is exactly why NASCAR doesnt run Sunday Night races unless a Holiday follows.

 

[Jorge De Guzman]

I’d be okay with one or two Sunday Night NASCAR races, but I’d imagine you’d have to do those before Sunday Night Football/NFL starts up. I’d still be down for one or two Weds night cup races during the dull sports period that’s about to start now as with the NBA wrapping up last night, baseball is the only thing going. I posted before how it’d be neat for nascar to have a weds night race on that day after the Tuesday MLB All Star game as there is ZERO going on that day. I think logistics for fans wouldn’t be optimal if you had a race on Sunday nights or mid week, but I’d really love to see nascar try it.

 

[Revman]

Thats right. Not everyone has the choice to take off on Mondays which is exactly why NASCAR doesnt run Sunday Night races unless a Holiday follows.

NFL does just fine with Sunday night races. So good, that Monday works too.....and Thursday.

 

[Spotter22]

NFL does just fine with Sunday night races. So good, that Monday works too.....and Thursday.

Local base, most arent traveling 4 hours home

 

[Jorge De Guzman]

Local base, most arent traveling 4 hours home

yea fans going to those NFL Games are already local, so while its probably a later night than they're used to its nothing like traveling in from another state. But I agree with Rev in a way that if these Sunday Night races were to work, it'd have to be most local fans showing up probably with in 2-2.5 hours and that might be even pushing it? But I as a viewer would immensely enjoy some Sunday Night Prime Time NASCAR

 

[RHRFan#1]

I voted "not sure".

I voted that way because while it works great for NFL, NBA and the MLB, those are all towns with a base of those fans. NASCAR and auto racing is more unique in the sense that many fans travel 4+ hours to attend a race for a particular weekend. And those fans obviously would then have to travel back and would need to take off work the next day most likely, which I could see hurting attendance. So that's the downside.

The upside would be: I think it'd be a ratings and viewership goldmine.

I can see both sides. I know it works really well for the Southern 500, but that's Labor Day weekend obviously.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

NFL does just fine with Sunday night races. So good, that Monday works too.....and Thursday.

NFL is an 800-lb gorilla. Few other sports televised in the US are comparable, and motorsports aren't on that list.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

They could move everything back to Sunday afternoon except Bristol 2 and I'd be happy.

 

[Jorge De Guzman]

They could move everything back to Sunday afternoon except Bristol 2 and I'd be happy.

I like your thinking.

 

[sdj]

As long as my DVR works, IDC.

 

[Spotter22]

yea fans going to those NFL Games are already local, so while its probably a later night than they're used to its nothing like traveling in from another state. But I agree with Rev in a way that if these Sunday Night races were to work, it'd have to be most local fans showing up probably with in 2-2.5 hours and that might be even pushing it? But I as a viewer would immensely enjoy some Sunday Night Prime Time NASCAR

I would enjoy it myself but if I look big picture I cant see sacrificing the gate but what Covid did show us anything can be done including zero fans in the stands

 

[DewChaser988]

Take it one step further and run Monday Night races

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

Saturday night doesn't work for TV anymore.

I'd hate to sit in the stands in the kind of heat we get now for five hours to watch a race on a Sunday afternoon. But, again, Saturday night doesn't work for TV anymore.

 

[Tony_K]

I don't think it would matter much to me. I live on the west coast and many times think about the people at the races or watching on tv on the east when it runs late Sunday night if they got to get up early on Monday.

 

[Hawaii808]

Sunday nights would probably be a hard sell for track owners. Go to a race 'til midnight, get home at 1-2am then go to work in the morning? Only the real die-hards would go for that.

 

[jws926]

I don't care what night of the week , I love night racing, but I would probably lean more towards Saturday night, but I would be happy with Sunday night races too.

 

[Jorge De Guzman]

Take it one step further and run Monday Night races

Monday Night NASCAR with these gents. Lets Go!

 

[DIDIT]

No...I know there are folks who say fans in the stands don't matter and it's eyes on tv. But you don't draw ne fans to NASCAR by TV, you get someone to go to the race and then they might be hooked. A Sunday race is not good for someone to attend for many reasons already stated.

 

[Revman]

Local base, most arent traveling 4 hours home

I hear you, but I don't know...These aren't three day shows anymore....While I understand that weekends provide the opportunity to travel without taking time off, I am not sure that this would be a big deal with our big races. Does anybody bitch about having to attend the Super Bowl late on a Sunday night (Eastern)?

 

[lisa]

Sure, the only thing that could throw that for a loop, is a rain out.

 

[Biggreen695]

Not just no but hell no. I get up at 0430 during the week and I know as soon as I opened my phone I’d know who won. I don’t see the point in watching a rwce when I already know who won so I’d just check out the extended highlights on YouTube and be done.


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[Magicmiler]

It's simple . If you have the time to use from your job, plan accordingly to make the most of your anticipated experience.
Planning makes all the difference.

 

[Revman]

Sure, the only thing that could throw that for a loop, is a rain out.

Kind of the same thing when we rain a Sunday event out, isn't it?....but I see what you are saying, you are already off on the Sunday typically.

 

[Revman]

I don't care what night of the week , I love night racing, but I would probably lean more towards Saturday night, but I would be happy with Sunday night races too.

I do too, and I am surprised how quickly it has fallen out of favor.

 

[Spotter22]

I do too, and I am surprised how quickly it has fallen out of favor.

They can run at 3 in the morning and I''l watch, I'm just playing devil's advocate

 

[Charlie Spencer]

Does anybody bitch about having to attend the Super Bowl late on a Sunday night (Eastern)?

Anybody who can afford Super Bowl tickets can afford to take the whole week off.