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As the 2024 NASCAR season approaches, there is a lot of excitement, but, there is also some apprehension about what can go wrong, just like any other season. Today, we focus on the negative. What can go wrong during the 2024 NASCAR season?
One thing that the Next-Gen car has created is unbelievable parity in the Cup Series. The 2022 season saw 19 different winners, but, that total went down in 2023 to just 15 different winners. As time goes on, teams continue to learn the Next-Gen car, and, if the big teams figure things out first, the parity of the Next-Gen car could begin to fade.
Some may not consider this a bad thing. Less parity means that there is more lap time variability which could alleviate how difficult it is to pass on certain tracks. However, it could also make it even tougher for the smaller teams to catch up to the bigger teams.
Teams like Legacy Motor Club and Spire Motorsports have both invested in major upgrades this offseason. Legacy Motor Club switched manufacturers, and Spire Motorsports expanded to 3 cars with a brand-new race shop. However, these are major transitions for both teams, and they may not be totally smooth.
Some fans may expect both race teams to immediately compete for wins and Championships, but, that’s not usually how these things work. It’s very possible that the major transition both teams are going through could be more difficult than imagined. They should ultimately end up better off, but, it is no guarantee that will happen right away.
In 2023, 8 of 36 Cup Series races were impacted by weather in some way. This included a stretch of 6 races out of 10 between the Coca-Cola 600 in Mar and the August Race at Michigan. Weather will undoubtedly impact a few races in 2024, but, there is potential that even more races are impacted.
The weather is completely out of NASCAR’s control. It is the biggest wild card of any race weekend, and no one likes it when the weather hampers a day at the track. Unfortunately, it’s seemingly inevitable, and the hope is that few races are directly impacted by weather in some form or fashion.
There are two new, or newish, events on the NASCAR schedule in 2024, the inaugural race at Iowa in June and the return of the Brickyard 400 in July. Fans are excited for both races, but, it is uncertain how the racing product will be at both races.
Iowa is a short track, and the short track package has been underwhelming since the Next-Gen era started in 2022. The Brickyard 400 is back, but, it originally left the schedule because fans did not like the racing product on the Indianapolis Oval. Whether fans or NASCAR want to admit it or not, these races could suffer from a lackluster racing product.
Another year means another attempt to fix the short track package. NASCAR continues to not touch the one thing that drivers and fans alike have been asking for them to change, horsepower. Instead, NASCAR is going to make some aerodynamic changes to the diffuser and the spoiler height.
Optimism is not high amongst the fans or the drivers that this will work. Many believe that, while the short track package has improved, it’s still not good enough yet. With the relatively minor changes made for 2024, it seems likely that short track races will continue to suffer into 2024.
What are some other things that can go wrong in 2024? Did we miss anything or did we get it all right?
