The previous NASCAR Cup Series event at Martinsville Speedway, a night race, was panned by fans. Will the change from a night race to an afternoon race improve the racing quality?
Amy Henderson: Given the weather forecast, I’m not sure the time will make a big difference. I hope the race will be better than the spring event, and what should make a difference is the sense of urgency. It’s the final championship elimination race and probably the last realistic chance for a winless driver to prove themselves. That may make the field a bit more willing to take chances than the spring.
Luken Glover: The factors in the spring race were the car, how cold it was and the amount of rubber being laid down. It will likely be warmer this weekend, but the Next Gen car was arguably the biggest issue. The drop gear used did not help matters, nor did having to shift every corner. Between a Goodyear tire test and data test this summer, it was decided no major changes would take place. Given the playoff dynamic and only two races left, Sunday (Oct. 30) should feature more drama, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the product wasn’t much better.
Jared Haas: 100%. Martinsville in the spring did not take rubber. The temperature in the spring was hovering between 30 and 40 degrees, while this weekend is expected to be warmer. When tires did not heat up and wear, the surface was not able to produce racing similar to previous Martinsville races. The Next Gen car is the other variable as the racing product has been less than ideal on short tracks. It’s a wait-and-see type of weekend.
Andrew Stoddard: Yes, the racing should be much better this time around. NASCAR has held tests and made tweaks to the Next Gen car to help cultivate better racing at short tracks. The cold weather was another factor that led to the poor racing in April. With a forecast of a high temperature of 63, it will be by no means warm at Martinsville on Sunday, but it will be about 15 degrees warmer than the April race, which should make it easier to pass. It will not be the best Martinsville race, but it will be made a better Martinsville race by moving to the afternoon.
Mike Neff: Could it possibly hurt it? Daytime racing is always better than nighttime racing. This car hasn’t shown a propensity for good racing on short tracks but teams have learned a lot about it over the last six months. Look for the race to be better, although it probably won’t be great.
Martin Truex Jr., Brad…
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