NASCAR: Four More Tracks That Need To Add Lights

Night racing is truly unique and adds an added level of excitement about heading to the race track. With attendance on the decline, tracks should explore the option of adding lights to improve the anticipation for racing, attendance, and the on track product, or even capitalize on growing attendance.

There is just something special about racing under the lights. It adds an element of excitement, danger, and the vibe of a Saturday night shootout. Oftentimes the most exciting races are run at night, such as the Coke Zero 400, with the post-race 4th of July weekend fireworks celebration, or the short track shootouts at Bristol and Richmond (the Chase cutoff race). The last race of the season starts in the daytime and runs into the night, which is one of the coolest elements of the final weekend in Homestead.

There are thirteen Cup Series tracks that have light fixtures surrounding the racetrack to allow racing at night. The added element and stigma of racing at night adds to the thrill of attending a NASCAR race, or any Motorsports event for that matter. There are a lot of factors that tracks must consider when installing lights, most importantly cost, weather, and feasibility. There are a number of tracks where attendance would most likely improve if lights were added. Attendance has been a significant problem for NASCAR over the last several years, so perhaps investing in lights could improve the seats filled by fans and maybe even the product on the track.

There are some tracks that fans would absolutely love to see install lights, to add to the racing product, and others where night racing could improve attendance and have lasting impacts on the success of the track over time. I have compiled a list of the five tracks that would benefit the most from installing lights, which would hopefully please and bring more fans to the racetrack.

May 1, 2016; Talladega, AL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Trevor Bayne (6) and Kyle Larson (42) race ahead of the pack during the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Talladega Superspeedway

As if 2016’s races at Talladega were not wild enough, could you imagine what it would have been like if the race were run under the lights? The shootout vibe of the last five laps would have been greatly enhanced. Lights at Talladega is not a new idea, but it would be a welcome addition to the 2.66 mile facility.

If you look closely at that photo, it appears that at least half of the seats in the picture are empty. This is an unfortunate trend in NASCAR, especially seeing as how the racing product in 2016 has been superb in comparison to recent years. Many fans missed out on one of the wildest races we have seen in many years, and ranks right up there with the craziness of last year’s Coke Zero 400 (which was run under the lights, coincidentally because of rain).

If you recall in 2013, the race was pushed back several hours because of rain, and then there was a delay after the green flag as well. When the race was restarted, it was close to sunset, and the final laps pushed the limits of darkness effects. This would have been cured by the addition of lights to the facility, as would races at other tracks where lights have not been present and rain has affected the race.

Why it would work: Talladega racing is already intense and wild, so imagine it under the lights. Racing would be amplified similar to what we saw in last year’s Coke Zero 400. Weather would not be a factor, as temperatures are often in the 70s in the night time in Alabama this time of year. This seems like a no-brainer, because of the excitement that Talladega and night racing bring respectively, what a relationship those two could have.

Why it wouldn’t work: Cost. The price of adding light fixtures around the massive property would cost several tens of millions of dollars. This is not a simple undertaking, especially for a track that has been beginning to suffer the attendance curse plaguing NASCAR lately.

Installing lights would be a long-lasting investment for the track which would add an exciting element to the races in Talladega, so the track executives should explore the option. A Chase race under the lights at Talladega, for all the marbles of elimination, would be quite a spectacle. Fans would be excited and many more would hopefully flock to the wild superseedway action under the lights.

Aug 9, 2015; Watkins Glen, NY, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) passes driver Kevin Harvick (4) on the final turn of the final lap to win the the Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Watkins Glen International

Road course racing under the lights? It could not get much better than that. It is common in auto racing, such as in the 24 Hours of Daytona, and of Le Mans. The attendance at Watkins Glen has been trending upwards, unlike most other tracks in the sport, because of the rise of popularity in road racing in NASCAR. The track was named the most popular track in NASCAR in 2015, so adding lights would only add to the excitement of racing around the twists and turns of WGI.

Road racing has grown significantly in popularity in just the last five years, because of the intensity that has risen at the two races on the circuit, especially at Watkins Glen, where finishes have been among the best in NASCAR over the last five years. Drivers have become more accustomed to road racing and more skilled in the trade, which has improved the product on the track. Adding lights would only boost fan excitement to the weekend in the Finger Lakes.

Why it would work: Attendance at WGI has been superb in recent years, and has sold out since 2014, and has shown no signs of decreasing. Making the race under the lights would greatly improve fan excitement and would certainly challenge the drivers. It would not be easy coming through the esses in the dark, no matter the level of lighting. Weather would not play much of a factor, because of the scheduling of the race being in the heart of summer, when Central New York temperatures are warm and muggy (trust me, I live with it).

Why it wouldn’t work: Cost/Feasibility. The track setup of a road course adds a unique twist to adding lights, and Watkins Glen is no different. The elevation changes and twists of the course would provide difficulty in providing sufficient lighting for the entire facility. The track is a lengthy 2.45 miles, so the undertaking would be costly.

With attendance and profits booming at the facility, now may be the right time for officials to add lights to Watkins Glen and test NASCAR road racing under the lights. Much testing would have to go into the feasibility of adding lights to the track filled with elevation changes. Being the most popular track in NASCAR is an enviable position for WGI, so the addition of lights could only benefit the track and the excitement surrounding road racing if it were done right.

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Dover International Speedway

Racing at Dover is among the most physically demanding one will see in NASCAR, with the significant elevation changes throwing drivers into a roller-coaster type atmosphere around the track. Adding lights would only increase the driver demands required the track appropriately named the “Monster Mile.” ‘

Dover is a track that is succumbing to the attendance problem swarming across the sport, partly because of the lack of excitement the track brings. While the track is physically taxing, Dover races often turn into boring parades. This could be attributed to the Gen-6 car setup, the difficulty of the race, and many other factors. The track needs a boost, and adding lights may be just the trick to improve diminishing crowds and lackluster finishes.

Why it would work: Dover is a one-mile oval that has plenty of capability for adding lights around the facility. The cost would not be as outrageous as somewhere of the size of a superspeedway. The track certainly could use a new element to spice things up, because you rarely see races at Dover among the best of the season. Weather would be conductive for a night race, as May and September race dates equate to warm temperatures in Delaware. The track recently reduced seat capacity because of declining attendance, so adding lights couldn’t hurt the one-mile oval.

Why it wouldn’t work: There is not one overwhelming factor that jumps out at you as to why Dover could not add lights. Cost would certainly be a factor, and the track may not be willing to spend much more on facility moderation, especially having recently removed seats and installed new catch fencing around the track.

Dover may be the most compelling case for adding lights that have been mentioned thus far, because of the benefits in Dover far outweighing the costs. The track has been ailing in recent years both on and off of the racing surface, so a revitalization such as through making the races under the lights would add an intriguing element that may bring exciting racing back to Dover International Speedway.

Jul 26, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Car driver Danica Patrick drives into turn one during the Crown Royal 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Talk about a track that could use a spark. The Brickyard 400 has been declining in nearly every regard over the past decade. While stepping foot in the hallowed grounds of Indianapolis is always special, the Brickyard has not been kind to NASCAR lately. Attendance has been significantly declining in the event over the past several years, and the 2015 event may have been the bottom of the barrel for the prestigious race.

Much of the blame for Indy’s NASCAR struggle has been the poor on track product, evident since at least the infamous 2008 tire debacle. Last year’s event was stricken with little to no racing action because of the inability to pass. As evident with the spoiler in the photo above, this race was one of the four NASCAR utilized to test its 2016 rules package, and this particular high downforce package failed to impress for sure. While it was a successful test in leading to the crafting of the 2016 package that has improved on track product, the 2015 race was quite forgettable.

Why it would work: Like Dover, Indianapolis needs a spark, at least on the stock car side. While the Indianapolis 500 is the premier event on the premises, the Brickyard 400 isn’t far behind, and track officials certainly realize the poor attendance that has plagued the race for years, which pales in comparison to the 1990s, when the track sold beyond capacity. Weather would be beneficial for a night race, with the Brickyard 400 being run in the dog days of summer, so most ingredients point to success in this case. A move to add lights may be what the doctor ordered to improve the prestige and the attractiveness of attending the Brickyard 400.

Why it wouldn’t work: Cost. There have been hints of the track exploring options such as adding lights, but most of them include the high costs of such an endeavor. Installing lights around the 2.5 mile quad oval would cost tens of millions of dollars, similar to Talladega, so the track officials would have to be on board to spend to improve attendance at the Brickyard.

The prestige of the Brickyard 400 will never leave, but it certainly has taken a hit in recent years, and that has been reflected in the low fan turnout, an unsightly trend plaguing the entire sport. Adding lights may add intrigue to the race once more, and hopefully the on track product will improve in 2016 and beyond, with the new rules package that the 2015 Brickyard 400 helped to shape. The spectacle of racing at Indianapolis will never lose its muster, and hopefully NASCAR and IMS officials can collaborate to restore the excitement surrounding stock car racing at the birthplace of auto racing.

The ingredients are there at each of these facilities to utilize night racing, which could once again spark interest in NASCAR and improve attendance across the sport, so tracks will no longer be having to remove seats, but once again adding them. The element of racing under the lights is instinctive to drivers, fans, and crews, so hopefully more tracks will explore the option of adding lights to improve excitement, attendance, and racing.