NASCAR didn’t have asphalt or concrete race tracks when they first started racing in 1949. The inaugural strictly stock car event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, held on June 19, was on the dirt surface. This trend continued until 1970, and by that time, a total of 489 NASCAR Cup Series races had been completed on the dirt tracks spread across the country. The only pavement surfaces were the Daytona Beach and the road course. Before Richard Petty was crowned as the King of NASCAR, his father, Lee Petty, reigned supreme on the dirt, snagging a total of 49 wins, which is still the NASCAR record.
The National Series took a break from the loose surface and opted to race on asphalt or the concrete tracks. It wasn’t until they turned back to their roots in 2013 when the Craftsman Truck Series hosted a dirt race, the Eldora Dirt Derby. This wasn’t a one-time thing, as the event continued to run until 2019 before the premier racing series took the onus and turned the half-mile Bristol into a dirt-racing Colosseum in 2021.
This was a huge experiment by NASCAR with the hopes of attracting more eyeballs through TV, but in reality, this event has mixed reviews. The likes of Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell were crowned Bristol dirt winners, but this experiment hit a pause in 2023. Something felt off, and NASCAR was quick to right their wrong in bringing the concrete race back in the mix last year. This left the racing community with many questions on whether Bristol needed to be converted into a dirt track in the first place. And why exactly did their experiment backfire?
Why the NASCAR dirt race failed miserably
First and foremost, one of the biggest reasons for stopping the experiment was logistics. With Bristol getting two dates, the spring race was on dirt and the fall race on asphalt. Naturally, it is a massive headache to constantly switch from dirt to asphalt and back to dirt again. Secondly, there was the issue of dust being kicked up which could obscure the view for fans and drivers. Even if you solved that by adding moisture, there was the issue of mud which could hinder the cars.
While the first event in 2021 was like a stroll down memory lane, with the next two events, it felt as if the novelty of the dirt racing had worn off. The weather didn’t help the cause, and dwindling attendance in the grandstands was another major reason why NASCAR had to rethink the big gamble. Even TV viewership was on the decline; Four million people tuned into the 2022 race, while 3.5 million watched the race in 2023.
Christoper Bell winning the race in 2023 was the best dirt racing fans and drivers had witnessed. But despite the solid on-track product, Speedway Motorsports CEO and president Marcus Smith was aware that this dirt racing experiment had run its last laps. “We’ll see,” Smith said. Whereas, NASCAR’s COO, Steve O’Donnell, simply put it, “We’ll work with the racetrack, we’ll hear back from the fan base as well, our broadcast partners, and really take a holistic look at the event.”
BRISTOL, TN – APRIL 09: NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series driver Joey Logano 22, NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin 11, and NASCAR Cup Series driver Noah Gragson 42 race three wide off of turn two during the Food City Dirt Race on April 9, 2023 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN. Photo by Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire AUTO: APR 09 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City Dirt Race Icon2304090010039
Now, we have traditional events like the Darlington week throwback and the crown jewel races like the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. So, was there a need for a dirt event every single year? Well, Kevin Harvick felt that it should’ve been a one-time thing. “They’ve done a good job with the event; there’s nothing wrong with the event, but something like this at the same spot just isn’t as popular as it usually is the first time.”
It’s not that dirt racing can never return to NASCAR. We have seen NASCAR bring back North Wilkesboro Speedway to life, and this year, they even raced at the Bowman Gray Stadium. But, as far as points paying race is concerned, it will be a hard sell considering the trajectory on which NASCAR is on right now.
Does dirt racing still have a future in NASCAR?
Although it’s just been a year since NASCAR has moved on from dirt racing, it feels as if they are headed in an entirely new direction. 2025 is the year when the new $7.7 billion media rights deal kicks off, and with the new streaming partners on board, NASCAR made the ambitious leap, which was an international race. The premier NASCAR racing series will be headed south of the border in Mexico City, making it the first points-paying international race since 1958.
And just to fit this event into the calendar, the governing body had to make major changes. Richmond Raceway, a traditional short oval, lost one of its dates, meanwhile, all the road course races retained their spot. Not to forget, NASCAR might still explore options to race on the streets after their stint with the city of Chicago comes to an end this year. Not just in Mexico, NASCAR is planning to race in Canada and Brazil, which makes you question – will this leave the room for dirt event?
Perhaps the one way to bring dirt racing back is during the All-Star race or the Clash. Both special events are typically run on short-ovals, and NASCAR can mix and match a couple of years of dirt and then return to pavement. The option of returning to Eldora Speedway is also on the cards, along with converting Iowa Speedway into a dirt haven. Again these are ambitious ideas, and NASCAR, for the time being, has too much on their plate.
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