Your Future NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule

[slorydn1]

I want to hear your thoughts as to what the Sprint Cup schedule should look like going forward. Not what you think Brain France will do, I want to see what you, the fans think the schedule should look like. Put some thought into it. Actually sit down, take a calendar and put down where the races should be. No holds barred, no race date is sacred-it's your schedule. The rules I went by was that speedweeks stayed where they are, the Coke 600 stayed on Memorial Day weekend, the Coke Zero 400 July 4th weekend, the Southern 500 at Darlington Labor day weekend and the season ended in Homestead where it belongs-then I worked from there. That doesnt mean YOU have to. I guess the only hard and fast rule is that there must be 36 points races, and you should keep the exhibition races, but you don't have too, nor do they have to be where they are now. The Season runs from the opening of Shootout practice Friday Feb 4th 2011 and ends with the final cup race Sunday, November 20th, 2011....and don't forget to add the off weekends, too, or the teams will be really tired by the end of the season :

In my next post I will put my schedule up, complete with dates.

[slorydn1]

RP.....Restrictor Plate
RC.....Road Course
ST.....Short Track

EXH...Sat Nite.....2/05/11......Bud Shootout-Daytona.....RP
EXH....Thu.........2/10/11......Gatoraide Duels-Daytona....RP
001....Sun.........2/13/11......Daytona 500.......RP
OFF....Off.........2/20/11......Off Weekend
002....Sun.........2/27/11......California 500.......2.0 speedway
003....Sun.........3/06/11......Las Vegas 400.....1.5 speedway
004....Sun.........3/13/11......Atlanta 500..........1.5 speedway
005....Sun.........3/20/11......Martinsville 500....ST
006....Sun.........3/27/11......Talladega 500.......RP
007....Sun.........4/03/11......Bristol 500.....ST
008....Sun.........4/10/11......Rockingham 400....1.0 speedway
009....Sun.........4/17/11......Mid-Ohio 350k.....RC
OFF....Off.........4/24/11......Easter Weekend
010....Sun.........5/01/11......Barber 350k.....RC
011....Sat Nite....5/07/11......Richmond 400...ST
012....Sun.........5/15/11......St Louis 400.......1.25 speedway
EXH....Sat Nite....5/21/11......All-Star Race-Charlotte.....1.5 speedway
013....Sun Nite....5/29/11......Coke 600......1.5 speedway
014....Sun.........6/05/11......Kentucky 400.....1.5 speedway
015....Sun.........6/12/11......Pocono 500.........2.5 speedway
016....Sun.........6/19/11......Michigan 400.....2.0 speedway
017....Sun.........6/26/11......Infineon 350k.....RC
018....Sun Nite....7/03/11......Coke Zero 400-Daytona...RP
019....Sat Nite....7/10/11......Chicago 400....1.5 speedway
OFF....Off.........7/17/11......Off Weekend
020....Sun.........7/24/11......Nashville 400.....1.333 speedway
021....Sun.........7/31/11......Road America 350k....RC
022....Sun.........8/7/11.......Iowa 400.....ST
023....Sun.........8/14/11......Wathkins Glen 350k.....RC
OFF....Sun.........8/21/11......Off Weekend
024....Sat Nite....8/27/11......Bristol 500......ST
025....Sun Nite....9/04/11......Southern 500-Darlington...1.366 speedway
026....Sat Nite....9/10/11......Richmond 400......ST
027....Sun.........9/19/11......Loudon 300..........1.058 speedway
028....Sun.........9/25/11......Brickyard 400........2.5 speedway
029....Sun........10/02/11......Dover 400......1.0 speedway
030....Sun........10/09/11......Kansas 400.....1.5 speedway
031....Sun........10/16/11......Talladega 500....RP
032....Sun........10/23/11......Martinsville 500.....ST
033....Sat Nite...10/30/11......Texas 500.....1.5 speedway
034....Sat Nite...11/05/11......Phoenix 500k....1.0 speedway
035....Sun........11/13/11......Daytona Road Course....RC
036....Sun........11//20/11.....Homestead 400.....1.5 speedway

Sorry Mark...I tried real hard to find a place to squeeze Montreal in there somewhere, but I just culdn't get it done with the parameters I set for myself. I also had to give up on my pet "rotating European" road course idea....I really would have loved to see Cup cars at Spa and Monza.

I did away with all the second dates at the the non restrictor plate tracks 1.0 miles and above....I felt that I had to keep the second dates at Daytona and Talladega because of the large expense teams have for the restrictor plate programs. I kept the second dates at the short tracks because to delete those would have left the series seriously short of short track races.

Ok. so what are your ideas?

[Mark in Oshawa]

H...Sat Nite.....2/05/11......Bud Shootout-Daytona.....RP
EXH....Thu.........2/10/11......Gatoraide Duels-Daytona....RP
001....Sun.........2/13/11......Daytona 500.......RP
OFF....Off.........2/20/11......Off Weekend
002....Sun.........2/27/11......California 500.......2.0 speedway
003....Sun.........3/06/11......Las Vegas 400.....1.5 speedway
004....Sun.........3/13/11......Atlanta 500..........1.5 speedway
005....Sun.........3/20/11......Martinsville 500....ST
006....Sun.........3/27/11......Talladega 500.......RP
007....Sun.........4/03/11......Bristol 500.....ST
008....Sun.........4/10/11.....Nashville 1.25? speedway
009....Sun.........4/17/11.....Phoenix 300 miles 1. 0 speedway.
OFF....Off.........4/24/11......Easter Weekend
010....Sun.........5/01/11.....Gateway 400 miles 1.25 Speedway
011....Sat Nite....5/07/11......Richmond 400...ST
012....Sun.........5/15/11......Dover 400......1.25 speedway
EXH....Sat Nite....5/21/11......All-Star Race-Charlotte.....1.5 speedway
013....Sun Nite....5/29/11......Coke 600......1.5 speedway
014....Sun.........6/05/11......Kentucky 400.....1.5 speedway
015....Sun.........6/12/11......Pocono 500.........2.5 speedway
016....Sun.........6/19/11......Michigan 400.....2.0 speedway
017....Sun.........6/26/11......Infineon 350k.....RC
018....Sun Nite....7/03/11......Coke Zero 400-Daytona...RP
019....Sat Nite....7/10/11......Chicago 400....1.5 speedway
OFF....Off.........7/17/11......Off Weekend
020....Sun.........7/24/11......Montreal 300k RC
021....Sun.........7/31/11.....Irwindale Cal .66 mi ST
022....Sun.........8/7/11.......Iowa 400.....ST
023....Sun.........8/14/11......Watkins Glen 350k.....RC
OFF....Sun.........8/21/11......Off Weekend
024....Sat Nite....8/27/11......Bristol 500......ST
025....Sun Nite....9/04/11......Southern 500-Darlington...1.366 speedway
026....Sat Nite....9/10/11......Richmond 400......ST
027....Sun.........9/19/11......Loudon 300..........1.058 speedway
028....Sun.........9/25/11......Brickyard 400........2.5 speedway
029....Sun........10/02/11.....Charlotte 500......1.5 speedway
030....Sun........10/09/11......Kansas 400.....1.5 speedway
031....Sun........10/16/11......Talladega 500....RP
032....Sun........10/23/11......Martinsville 500.....ST
033....Sat Nite...10/30/11......Texas 500.....1.5 speedway
034....Sat Nite...11/05/11......Phoenix 500k....1.0 speedway
035....Sun........11/13/11......Homestead 400.....1.5 speedway
036....Sun........11//20/11.....Las Vegas 600 1.5 Speedway.

I took your sched Slorydn and tailored it a little tighter to what I would think was doable if not for the ISC/SMI politics but even they might buy into it. Pocono loses a date, and I cut back on the road courses. As much as I know you like them and I like them, this is NASCAR and they haven't shown much interest in going past 2 in a season in Cup before.

I added Montreal, yes, but I would happy with any races in Canada to be honest. If the 1 mile oval is ever built in Fort Erie Ontario, I would happily slide it in there.

I used your dates and kept a lot of the schedule, because to sit there from scratch would maybe take more time than I have, but I read your dates and flow and didn't disagree with a lot of it, but as I said, just moved some back to ovals.

I did put Vegas last though. They are going there for the banquet. Give the teams a last race, a BIG race with a BIG VEGAS style purse ( Bruton would love this) and then have the party continue on in Vegas all week. Homestead is a nice track, but I think there is something almost forced in how they put that race in there to try to have a grand ending, and then they wait a week or two and go to Vegas to really party all over. Let the party start when the flag drops and let them keep the adrenaline flowing in the most fun city in the nation!

[slorydn1]

The reason why I did it the way I did was balance, and to try to give a little something to every one, at the same time attempting to respect tradition.
Yes, I love the road courses, but I didn't add more just because I love them. I added more to make them more relevant to the championship, and to thin out some of the 1.5/2.0 mile races.

With my schedule there are 39 races with the 3 exibitions added in..

The break down is:
7 short tracks
6 Road Courses
7 Less than 1.5 miles-1.0-1.4999 ovals
9 1.5 milers (8 points races + 1 Exibition race)
4 Larger than 1.5 mile oval (Unrestricted)
6 Restrictor plate races (4 points races + 2 Exhibitions)

And the Chase break down is more representative of the whole
1 short track
1 road course
3 Less than 1.5 mile
3 1.5 mile
1 larger than 1.5 mile (unrestricted)
1 Restrictor Plate race

Your schedule is cool, too. Irwindale, huh? Wow. The alternative would be to stay at 2 road courses and bring back North Wilkesboro, and add South Boston, and Pikes Peak...But then the balance goes out the window

[Mark in Oshawa]

The reason why I did it the way I did was balance, and to try to give a little something to every one, at the same time attempting to respect tradition.
Yes, I love the road courses, but I didn't add more just because I love them. I added more to make them more relevant to the championship, and to thin out some of the 1.5/2.0 mile races.

With my schedule there are 39 races with the 3 exibitions added in..

The break down is:
7 short tracks
6 Road Courses
7 Less than 1.5 miles-1.0-1.4999 ovals
9 1.5 milers (8 points races + 1 Exibition race)
4 Larger than 1.5 mile oval (Unrestricted)
6 Restrictor plate races (4 points races + 2 Exhibitions)

And the Chase break down is more representative of the whole
1 short track
1 road course
3 Less than 1.5 mile
3 1.5 mile
1 larger than 1.5 mile (unrestricted)
1 Restrictor Plate race

Your schedule is cool, too. Irwindale, huh? Wow. The alternative would be to stay at 2 road courses and bring back North Wilkesboro, and add South Boston, and Pikes Peak...But then the balance goes out the window

I like you wanted less cookie cutters. I also think one Pocono and one Fontana and one Michigan is enough too.

I put Irwindale in there because it still puts 2 races in the second largest market in the nation. It is a great track, if you watch in January the Toyota all star deal, you understand that. It has about 20000 stands now but you know temp seating would put it up into a larger class easily.

I added but one road course. NASCAR is about ovals but put Montreal in to open up the Canadian market officially. Per capita, I think Ontario has more NASCAR fans than any place outside of the south, but we don't have the venue that NASCAR would find acceptable. So Montreal came from that.

I like Gateway, so I put that back in. Pikes Peak, South Boston, Rockingham and North Wilks don't work for various reasons. Pike's bombed when they had the Busch cars there. Colorado in my opinion had their chance and lost it. South Boston, the Rock and North Wilks are in saturated terrirtory for the series and with the exception of the Rock, just viable as venues anymore seating wise.

I like your pick of Iowa, I think it would be a hoot, but I do know that with its proximity to Chicagoland it likely wouldn't fly.

There is a number of ways you could massage things but all the changes to the existing sched mean you have to play politics with ISC or Bruton to make them happen. No one will give up revenue for the good of the series....and as much as I love many of the old time tracks like the Rock, they aint coming back for good reasons. I just thank god the people of SC pack Darlington now with one date....

[wbcobrar]

I love slorydn1's schedule, more road courses, esp. Road America, and you have me on board! Mark In Oshawa's list seems more realistic, and I love the end in Sin City deal, cool and would create a greater "Super Bowl effect" that the series needs. Irwindale and Iowa would both be cool add ons. A break at mid June would be cool to allow some drivers to compete in the 24 at Le Sarth would be my unreasonable wish number one wish, along with one world traveling points race. Add Motegi , Surfers Paradise , Bahrain, etc....to the list. pinhead: pin:

[Mark in Oshawa]

I love slorydn1's schedule, more road courses, esp. Road America, and you have me on board! Mark In Oshawa's list seems more realistic, and I love the end in Sin City deal, cool and would create a greater "Super Bowl effect" that the series needs. Irwindale and Iowa would both be cool add ons. A break at mid June would be cool to allow some drivers to compete in the 24 at Le Sarth would be my unreasonable wish number one wish, along with one world traveling points race. Add Motegi , Surfers Paradise , Bahrain, etc....to the list. pinhead: pin:

I live in the land of possible, not the land of if.....but that's ok.

That said, the day NASCAR gives up a perfectly good weekend in June to let guys unlikely to do sportscar racing anyhow fly to Europe, that is when the land of if has taken on a new life...

[wbcobrar]

Total agreement, the June off date is unrealistic, as is a globe trotting points race, but to dream big.....

[Old Eyes]

I'm sure it would never happen, but a race in Europe would be amazing. Especially at one of the more traditional tracks - Silverstone, Spa or Monza.

Failing that I'd like to see Road America added to the schedule somewhere.

[Alexamateo]

Here's mine. I basically added the tracks you did slo, except for Gateway and the Daytona Road Course. I gave those dates to Phoenix and to Charlotte. I would cut the Chase to 8 races and give an off weekend before kicking it off in Indy. I also would end the season in Vegas and have the awards banquet within the week of the final race. Homestead moves to the second week of the season. Cali, Atlanta, Dover, Michigan, Pocono & Loudon lose a date, while Vegas picks up a second. Rockingham, Kentucky, Nashville, Road America, and Iowa are added.

EXH...Sat Nite.....2/05/11......Bud Shootout-Daytona.....RP
EXH....Thu.........2/10/11......Gatorade Duels-Daytona....RP
001....Sun.........2/13/11......Daytona 500.......RP
002....Sun..........2/20/11......Homestead 400……..1.5 Speedway
003....Sun.........2/27/11......California 500.......2.0 speedway
004....Sun.........3/06/11......Las Vegas 400.....1.5 speedway
005....Sun.........3/13/11......Atlanta 500..........1.5 speedway
006....Sun.........3/20/11......Martinsville 500....ST
007....Sun.........3/27/11......Talladega 500.......RP
008....Sun.........4/03/11......Bristol 500.....ST
009....Sun.........4/10/11......Rockingham 400....1.0 speedway
010....Sun.........4/17/11......Texas 500……….1.5 speedway
OFF....Off.........4/24/11......Easter Weekend
011....Sun.........5/01/11......Dover 400……….1.0 speedway
012....Sat Nite....5/07/11......Richmond 400...ST
013....Sun.........5/15/11......Kentucky 400.......1.5 speedway
EXH....Sat Nite....5/21/11......All-Star Race-Charlotte.....1.5 speedway
014....Sun Nite....5/29/11......Coke 600......1.5 speedway
015....Sun.........6/05/11......Sonoma 350k.....RC
016....Sat Nite.....6/11/11......Phoenix 550k.........1.0 speedway
017....Sun.........6/19/11......Michigan 400.....2.0 speedway
018....Sun.........6/26/11......Pocono 400………2.5 Speedway
019....Sun Nite....7/03/11......Coke Zero 400-Daytona...RP
020....Sat Nite....7/10/11......Chicago 400....1.5 speedway
OFF....Off.........7/17/11......Off Weekend
021....Sun.........7/24/11......Nashville 400.....1.333 speedway
022....Sun.........7/31/11......Road America 350k....RC
023....Sun.........8/7/11.......Iowa 400.....ST
024....Sun.........8/14/11......Watkins Glen 350k.....RC
OFF....Sun.........8/21/11......Off Weekend
025....Sat Nite....8/27/11......Bristol 500......ST
026....Sun Nite....9/04/11......Southern 500-Darlington...1.366 speedway
027....Sat Nite....9/10/11......Richmond 400......ST
028....Sun.........9/19/11......Loudon 300..........1.058 speedway
OFF....Off.........9/25/11......Off Weekend
029....Sun........10/02/11......Brickyard 400......2.5 speedway
030....Sun........10/09/11......Kansas 400.....1.5 speedway
031....Sun........10/16/11......Talladega 500....RP
032....Sun........10/23/11......Martinsville 500.....ST
033....Sat Nite...10/30/11......Texas 500.....1.5 speedway
034....Sat Nite...11/05/11......Charlotte 500....1.5 speedway
035....Sun........11/13/11......Phoenix 550k…1.0 speedway
036....Sun........11//20/11.....Las Vegas 400.....1.5 speedway