Why Was NASCAR Okay With Losing Money on Chicago?
What’s Happening? In an interview on Tuesday morning, NASCAR President Steve Phelps provided some rough financial information about NASCAR’s Chicago Street…
Every year, NASCAR fan’s opinions of different tracks can trend up or down. These shifting opinions can result from tire changes, date changes, or on-track action. So, as fans shift gears into 2025, here are some tracks trending up and those trending down in popularity.
When Atlanta unveiled its Superspeedway/Intermediate hybrid track in 2021, fans were uneasy about the new style of racing at a track formerly beloved for its old track surface.
However, this year showed the best of the new racing style the track has to offer. While there is a major problem with drivers opting to save fuel rather than go all out, the Spring race was a relatively exciting flag-to-flag affair, with three drivers making their winning moves at the same time.
These three drivers’ race-winning moves resulted in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history and a popular win, with Daniel Suarez taking home the trophy. While the fall race was not as memorable, it maintained interesting racing, and fans maintained a positive opinion of the track.
AMS’ growing popularity could be due to the Spring finish. Since the dissatisfaction fans initially had following the track’s changes, a shifting opinion of AMS is good for both NASCAR and AMS.
As tough as it is to say, Richmond Raceway is continuing to Fall to the bottom of fans’ track rankings. While its races have not been the best for some time now, the undesirable short-track product of the NASCAR Next Gen car has not helped the track’s shrinking popularity.
However, both races this season saw drama and major storylines. In the Spring race, teammates feuded as Martin Truex Jr. expressed his displeasure with Denny Hamlin’s overtime restart. While at the Fall race, Austin Dillon wrecked Hamlin and Joey Logano on the way to what was an upset playoff win that NASCAR ultimately reversed in that week’s penalty report.
Furthermore, Richmond was the test site of wet-weather tires and the new option tire this year, with fans walking away with a positive opinion of the tire. These storylines were not enough to save the track’s two race dates, as the Fall race is going to Mexico City next summer.
What’s Happening? In an interview on Tuesday morning, NASCAR President Steve Phelps provided some rough financial information about NASCAR’s Chicago Street…
Like Atlanta, NASCAR’s Street Race has seen a healthy amount of fan backlash. Fortunately for NASCAR, that backlash mostly proceeded the circuit’s 2023 debut.
That race saw an upset win with worldwide implications, as New Zealand native Shane van Gisbergen won in his NASCAR Cup Series debut. Despite the rain-shortened race, this first race was a success.
In 2024, Chicago once again saw a rain-affected race. However, fan opinions, for the most part, were positive. While the racing may not be as good as NASCAR hoped it would be, the views of the Chicago skyline and the memories made in the circuit’s short life could be a major factor in its success.
What’s Happening? In 2018, the Charlotte Roval earned the eye of the national sports scene with its dramatic new style of…
The Charlotte Roval’s downfall is reflected in Jeff Gluck’s well-known “Was It A Good Race” poll. While not a perfect reflection of fan opinions, it shows what those who care to vote, sometimes over 20,000 fans, feel about NASCAR’s week-to-week product.
The Roval’s exciting debut scored 93%, the first Next Gen race scored 19.2% and this season scored 55.4%. While this year had a fan-favorite winner in Kyle Larson, it seems that fans view this race as a chaotic gimmick rather than the groundbreaking idea it was in 2022.
This could be due to the Next Gen car again struggling on road courses; however, this season’s road course product seemed to be better than last year’s. The track fought rumors all season long that the Roval would not return for 2025. However, Roval will return next year with the addition of a Truck Series race.
If other road courses can improve, so can the Roval; 2026 is the beginning of a new era for the alternate layout.
At one point, Kansas Speedway seemed irremediable and failed to stand out amongst other intermediate tracks in NASCAR. Now, three seasons into the NASCAR Next Gen car’s life, fans suggest it as an ideal home for the Championship race.
The track’s popularity grew quietly throughout the early days of the Next Gen car. However, it sprung to the forefront this spring when Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher generated one of NASCAR most exciting finishes ever.
0.001 seconds was the difference between the two cars, and despite a decent finish in the fall, this finish is still on fans’ minds. While Kansas may not be the future host of Championship weekend, it is one of the best stories of NASCAR’s Next Gen era.
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It wouldn’t be Daytona without some weird, wacky, and headline-grabbing fallout. From viral Victory Lane moments to renewed debates about driver approval, NASCAR’s biggest race once again delivered more than just on-track drama. And with Michael Jordan celebrating a Daytona 500 win, the spotlight burned brighter than it has in years.
Jordan’s presence mattered. When the most iconic athlete of a generation shows genuine emotion upon winning the Daytona 500, it reminds the wider sports world that this race still matters. That kind of authentic publicity cannot be manufactured. It resonated far beyond the garage. Meanwhile, the O’Reilly Series race added fuel to another ongoing debate. The massive Decker crash, Cleetus McFarland’s Truck debut incident, and past approval inconsistencies have once again raised tough questions. Consistency, transparency, and accountability are now front and center. Add in Austin Hill’s dominance and Ryan Ellis’ career-best sixth-place run to open the season, and Daytona gave fans plenty to talk about on and off the track.
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On May 12, 2000, the NASCAR world arrived at New Hampshire International Speedway expecting another race weekend. Within hours, Adam Petty was gone. His death would become the first domino in an 18-month stretch that forever changed NASCAR’s approach to safety and reshaped the sport at its core.
Adam wasn’t just the grandson of Richard Petty or the son of Kyle Petty; he was a young driver building his own path, fresh off his Cup debut at Texas Motor Speedway and preparing for a future with Dodge and Petty Enterprises. His passing stunned the garage and deeply impacted fans who saw the Petty family as part of their own. From the unanswered mechanical questions to the emotional aftermath that eventually led to the creation of Victory Junction, this is where the Firestorm begins. The fear, the controversy, and the transformation of NASCAR safety all trace back to that Friday in Loudon.
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The O’Reilly series race at Daytona turned into a breaking point. One crash, one late reaction, and suddenly the conversation wasn’t just about race results, it was about standards, accountability, and who truly belongs at this level of NASCAR competition.
The Decker incident reignited long-standing perception issues, especially when outside commentary from figures like Mike Davis amplified the embarrassment factor. At the same time, NASCAR has stepped in before, blocking Wallace, sidelining others like Jennifer Jo Cobb, yet those interventions feel inconsistent. Wright’s pit road mistake added fuel to the argument that funding can outweigh readiness. McFarland, meanwhile, represents a different case, raw but potentially coachable, with time to develop if he chooses that route seriously. Money has always shaped racing careers, but when sponsorship outweighs preparation, the sport risks its credibility. Should NASCAR tighten its standards, or is this simply the cost of doing business in modern motorsports?
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