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Another 2024 schedule bomb was dropped when Bob Pockrass not only dropped Wednesday as the target date for the 2024 schedule but also added in a couple of interesting nuggets for the 2024 schedule. The first is that there could be two new Playoff sites and the second is that Darlington could be the Regular Season Finale. Let’s take a look at both of these questions and see how they affect the 2024 schedule.
Darlington being the Regular Season Finale is likely because of the schedule being shifted back an extra week. As Pockrass noted, without a midweek race or even a doubleheader weekend, NASCAR cannot take a two-week Olympic break without adding an extra week to the 2024 calendar. The Southern 500 is pretty well locked into the Labor Day weekend slot, as is the traditional slot of the race.
Therefore, the Southern 500 becomes the Regular Season Finale because of where it sits on the calendar. Now, this race being the Playoff Cut-off Race is definitely interesting. The Southern 500 has never been a cut-off race throughout its history.
Some may be upset about it no longer being the Playoff opener, and that is understandable. However, the Southern 500 is a “Crown Jewel”, so the race will likely be just fine as an event no matter what. Not being a Playoff race could take something away from it, but, it’s still gonna be a big race.
However, this also forces NASCAR to potentially make some other moves. With Daytona potentially no longer being the regular season finale, then could this be the incentive for NASCAR to move the race back to its traditional 4th of July slot? The Chicago Street Race already has the weekend of July 6th and 7th locked up via contract, but Daytona could maybe slot in the week prior and switch dates with Atlanta.
Atlanta could move to the end of August where Daytona was and run at night. That is an option that many NASCAR fans would love to see because that 4th of July Daytona race is one of the most iconic races in NASCAR.
As Pockrass notes, Darlington being out of the Playoffs and Texas potentially moving to the spring means that two new venues could enter the 2024 Playoffs. Which venues could join the Playoff roster in 2024?
Watkins Glen International
With the Roval potentially gone in 2024, NASCAR may want a road course to slot into the 2024 Playoffs. Watkins Glen would be the perfect track to do so as it would only require the date to move a couple of weeks. It also would open up a mid-to-late-August date for the tracks affected by the Olympic break including Richmond, New Hampshire, and Pocono. As long as the race is in September, the weather should be just fine in upstate New York.
Nashville Superspeedway
The 2024 schedule being pushed back means that at least one race needs to be pushed out of the regular season into the Playoffs. Why not Nashville Superspeedway? It is a venue that has hosted solid races so far in its history, and it has local fan support. It also is in a major market, which is exactly where NASCAR wants the Playoffs to be run. The weather in September and October is perfect for a race at Nashville, and it may be a good opportunity for a major market to open the Playoffs.
Dover Motor Speedway
Dover is a race track that has hosted Playoff races before. It was the site of the first Playoff elimination race in 2014, and it has had some major weather issues in recent years. It may be worthwhile for Dover to just change the time of year. It has hosted races in September before, so why not try again?
These are just a few options for what could slot into these empty 2024 schedule dates. It looks like we may have to wait until Wednesday to have them answered.
