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Bristol Motor Speedway has confirmed Nascar’s Bristol Dirt race will switch to concrete for 2024.
Confirmed:
- Bristol moves to concrete from dirt after three years on the surface
- No dirt race is expected to replace the event in 2024
Context:
The three Bristol Dirt races received mixed reviews from fans, while there was some consternation that Nascar was losing one of its traditional events at Bristol. Caldwell told BlackBook Motorsport in April that the event had been a success “so far”, but the move back to concrete suggests this experiment has not boosted attendance and viewership in the way it was originally hoped.
Comment:
Jerry Caldwell, track president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, told SiriusXM: “I think Nascar has done a great job the past several years of trying new things. I think as a sport, we’ve really embraced that. People love our sport, they love tradition, but they also love trying some new things, and they love returning to some some old ways, whether that’s North Wilkesboro, whether that’s dirt, maybe it’s the road course in Chicago, all those things are great things.
“You know, sometimes you do that for a little while, and then you change things up and go back to the way it was, and that’s what we’re doing here. So, thrilled to be able to do that. I think dirt was great. I love dirt, but I think it’s time for us to go back to the concrete in the spring and see what these drivers can do on concrete twice a year.”
Coming next:
Specific race dates and times will be announced at a later date, but Caldwell indicated the springtime Cup Series event will return as the Food City 500. That move, Caldwell said, will include a vintage feel and logos that date back to the early 1990s.