The Monday Matinee at Dover did not keep Denny Hamlin from recording his weekly podcast “Actions Detrimental” with co-host Jared Allen. During a segment of this episode, Hamlin mentioned that Marcus Smith amongst other NASCAR executives expressed intrigue in Hamlin’s midseason bracket challenge idea.
Hamlin mentioned that Smith texted Hamlin expressing interest in the idea, and other executives reached out to Hamlin as well. However, Hamlin qualified that excitement by saying that he does not see it as likely to happen anytime this season or next season.
Hamlin’s bracket challenge was explained in the episode after Talladega released on April 24. His idea is to take the top 32 in points after 10 weeks, and place them in a bracket. Whoever finishes higher in the race that week advances to the next round, until there is one last man standing, with the winner getting $3 million.
Dirty Mo Media put out their own bracket challenge on twitter heading into Dover race week.
This could indeed offer some interesting intrigue to the middle of the season because, as Hamlin said, NASCAR should be able to make some hay in the ratings during this time. All NASCAR is going up against from May-July is early-midseason baseball. Even then, Major League Baseball’s showcase game is on Sunday Night, and rarely, if ever, goes head to head with NASCAR.
NASCAR should look into something to spice up the middle of the season. It seems that they know this based on the fact that executives listened to Denny Hamlin’s solution.
In the Stands
@SD_05A on Twitter was one of many fans to fill out their brackets the week leading up to Dover and expressed excitement about the concept.
Bell over Larson? Then Reddick over Bell?
The 1 in your profile picture, and Denny Hamlin winning the bracket. The peak of impartiality from Alex Fleener
Julie Bass believes in a Kevin Harvick swan song.