The debate over NASCAR race lengths has picked up steam, especially this season, with several drivers questioning whether some events have become longer than necessary.
While those comments have fueled conversations among fans, NASCAR COO and member of the sport’s founding family, Ben Kennedy, has set the record straight, implying that the issue is more nuanced than simply counting laps or race duration.
Speaking on the Rubbin’ is Racing podcast, Kennedy, a former racer himself, says modern NASCAR has evolved significantly, and so have the expectations of today’s audience.
That said, he also acknowledged that traditional NASCAR races were designed around endurance as much as outright speed. In the past, mechanical failures were common, making simply reaching the checkered flag an accomplishment. That, he says, is no longer the case.
Reflecting on the issue, he stated, “Yeah, if you think about the lengths of the races, in my opinion, they’re pretty historical. So, it was more about endurance and finishing the race than who the best driver/competitor was every single weekend.”
Rather than suggesting NASCAR should immediately shorten races, Kennedy emphasized that the sport has changed dramatically since many of its marquee events established their distances decades ago.
“Because you’d have cars that finish laps down, you have cars that’d break midway through the race and there’s something incredible about a driver and a vehicle going 500-miles and being the best at it,” he added. “And in today’s world, every vehicle is going to finish a race or they should finish the race. So, it’s evolved from that and the audience has changed.”
Improvements in reliability mean races are no longer tests of survival in the same way they once were, while fans consume sports differently than previous generations.
His comments come shortly after Hamlin reignited the discussion during the Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran was heard on team radio saying the race was “way too long,” prompting mixed reactions across the NASCAR community. Some agreed that certain events could benefit from fewer laps, while others argued that long races remain a defining characteristic of the sport.
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