Should NASCAR Continue Racing at Bristol Dirt?

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway dirt marked the series’ third time competing at the temporary dirt track.

Following Christopher Bell‘s victory lane, it remained uncertain if NASCAR will continue racing at Bristol dirt. Speedway Motorsports President Marcus Smith told FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass that no decision has been made on whether the event will continue in 2024.

Additionally, the ratings for the 2023 event were lower than the 2022 event, both held on Easter Sunday.

The Racetrack Isn’t the Problem

The Cup Series has its most diverse schedule in anyone’s lifetime.

It consists of superspeedways, intermediates, road courses, short tracks, a street course and a dirt track. So NASCAR shouldn’t abandon the Bristol dirt track. It should abandon competing on Easter.

Yes, Bristol isn’t inherently a dirt track. However, of all the dirt tracks in the country, how many could host the Cup Series? The two dirt tracks on the ARCA Menards Series schedule lack the infrastructure, including parking for the haulers, that Cup teams need. Eldora Speedway and Knoxville Raceway previously hosted the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, but neither track is on the schedule.

If the Trucks didn’t return to those tracks, why should the Cup Series go to either?

In addition to having the infrastructure, Bristol also has name-brand recognition.

“It’s Bristol baby” has been said many times. Yes, the excitement of those events came from its 0.533-mile paved oval surface. However, the Bristol dirt track still has the capabilities to produce great racing.

Bristol dirt already produced a great race — the 2022 edition with the famous Tyler Reddick–Chase Briscoe last lap spin, sending Kyle Busch to victory lane.

Admittedly, Cup regulars have won two of three Truck races there, but that doesn’t diminish Carson Hocevar’s outstanding runner-up performance in 2022 or when Martin Truex Jr. earned his first Truck…