The Schedule of Tomorrow, A look at changes for 2009

[DebWilliams-GFN]

By Deb Williams

For Atlanta Motor Speedway, the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule may provide one of the circuit's oldest tracks with the lifeline it has needed since losing the season finale at the end of 2000.

Inclement weather and freezing temperatures have plagued the track for several years, both at its spring and fall races, and, as a result, attendance figures have plummeted. Now, with next year's second Atlanta race set for Labor Day weekend and at night, hopefully, the 1.54-mile track will enjoy the same financial results that Bristol did when it switched its second event to the evening hours in 1978. At that time, Bristol was experiencing financial woes, but that quickly changed as the Tennessee night race's popularity soared. True, Darlington Raceway experienced a drop in attendance on its traditional Labor Day weekend date before it lost it to then California Speedway. But it was during the day and when Darlington switched its spring date to a night race, the track experienced sellouts.

It's evident that Atlanta President and General Manager Ed Clark believes his night Sprint Cup race on the traditional final weekend of summer could pay big dividends. In fact, Clark felt the Labor Day weekend night race -- “a summertime setting on a holiday weekend” -- overshadowed the opportunity to have his track in the Chase for the Championship.

With Atlanta moving to Labor Day weekend, Auto Club Speedway [formerly California Speedway] switching to the fourth weekend of the Chase, and Talladega assuming Atlanta's former date in late October, International Speedway Corp. now has six of the Chase dates, while Speedway Motorsports Inc. owns three of them. Dover International Speedway isn't owned by either corporation.

NASCAR President Mike Helton noted schedule changes always begin at the track level. In this case, Clark and Auto Club Speedway President Gillian Zucker initiated them. However, Talladega Superspeedway General Manager Rick Humphrey was also happy with them, even though he still must go head-to-head with Southeastern Conference football, a challenge he's faced since 1997.

There will be four Cup off-weekends next year with the final one Aug. 30.

That gives a breather to the teams in the title Chase, and even though it's simply because of the calendar this year, it's something NASCAR should attempt to incorporate into the schedule each season. With 12 straight weeks down the homestretch next year, I think you will see a much better title Chase than you will this year with 17 consecutive weeks.

Of course no schedule is perfect and the 2009 Sprint Cup itinerary still has its hiccups.

The first glaring problem is Bristol and Martinsville back-to-back in late March when snow is often still falling in the mountain ranges these short tracks call home. Next, are the quick, cross-country trips required by the team transport, souvenir rigs and motor coach drivers at the season's beginning and end. They must go from Daytona Beach, Fla., to Ontario, Calif., in less than a week after having been in Daytona for two weeks in February. A similar regime must be followed at the end of the season, traveling from Phoenix to Homestead, Fla.

In a teleconference with those involved in the schedule change, it was constantly mentioned that it would be nice for the fans. Well, let's hope the tracks checked with the motels and hotels in the area to make sure no special conferences have been booked for those weekends. NASCAR's schedules are made on a year-to-year basis and that's not the case for other events.

When NASCAR switched the Sonoma race from May to June, everyone who had accommodations in the San Rafael, Calif., area were left scrambling for rooms because all of the hotels had booked a medical conference for that same weekend four years earlier.

The shifting of the three Sprint Cup dates also affects races in NASCAR's other top two series. Atlanta's spring Nationwide race will move to September and it will have a truck event in March. Iowa Speedway receives the race date formerly held by Mexico City, a change that came as no surprise. Due to five Sundays in August next year, the Nationwide race in Canada has the final off-weekend for the Cup series as its race date.

Chicagoland Speedway gets a long hoped for truck series race on Aug. 28, and Talladega is moving its ARCA event to the spring, leaving only Cup and trucks for the fall weekend.

With Atlanta's second event now at night, the Sprint Cup Series twilight total is nearly half of the 36-race schedule. Wonder how the restaurants that have always prospered during race weekends view that economic impact?
Guess everyone had better stock up on the NoDoz.