In many ways, Homestead-Miami Speedway was the perfect stage for a Championship 4 race. High tire wear, overtaking opportunities, and a picturesque sunset make every season finale look nothing less than a cinematic experience. As Christopher Bell put it thinking of the upcoming race, “It is the most unique mile-and-a-half on the calendar because the straightaway is, it’s the only mile and a half that is a true oval and it is very, very slippery.” However, despite the many things going for it, NASCAR opted to make a controversial switch to Phoenix Raceway, which left fans scratching their heads. After all, why change something that isn’t broken to begin with, right?
Well, the sanctioning body certainly felt differently about the matter. There must be strong underlying reasons for the Bill France Cup being packed and shipped to the ‘World Center of Racing’ in the 2020 season. But, was the decision motivated by money and market size? Or was the shift influenced by other factors? Let’s explore.
Homestead-Miami Speedway didn’t match NASCAR’s vision
Homestead-Miami has always lived up to the reputation of being one of the more challenging tracks in the NASCAR calendar. The venue became an important part of the stock car racing world ever since it hosted the first Cup Series race in 1999. Just three years later, the 1.5-mile oval became the season-finale venue, a status that it enjoyed for nearly two decades. It soon became a favorite for both drivers and fans, because of the track’s unique layout combined with all the thrilling action made for intense finishes.
Denny Hamlin has his reasons to love the track too. “It’s got a lot of characteristics that make it difficult, and makes it challenging and I always feel like, the more challenging the racetrack, the more I can let my talent shine,” he said. This also keeps fans on the edge of their seats!
However, everything changed when the championship format was overhauled in 2014. The playoff format meant that four drivers competed for the championship in the final race of the season, and even though the season-finale was held at Homestead-Miami Speedway until 2019, NASCAR was making alternate plans in the background. The underlying reasons for a switch to Phoenix Raceway weren’t because of any sort of controversy but were motivated by commercial reasons.
With NASCAR aiming to grow its West Coast fanbase, switching to Phoenix Raceway made strategic sense. The venue also underwent a $178 million renovation, which was completed in November 2018, and the modern amenities are exactly what the sanctioning body needed for an event of such a magnitude. Accessibility was also a key factor, as the sports hierarchy wanted to expand to untapped markets, and the ‘World Center of Racing’ was a better option in that regard as compared to Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Feb 27, 2021; Miami, FL, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series driver AJ Allmendinger (16) leads the field during the Contender Boats 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Unlike Homestead’s 1.5-mile oval, Phoenix Raceway is a shorter track which results in more drama. NASCAR wanted a memorable season finale where drivers weren’t dependent on clean air to secure a triumph. Instead, the sport hoped that competitors would have to fight it out at ‘The Desert Oddball’ to lift the Bill France Cup, making for more interesting races. Homestead-Miami Speedway’s old pavement also caused high tire wear resulting in long green flag runs, the type of races NASCAR wanted to avoid.
The weather didn’t help Homestead-Miami’s cause either. Frequent showers and the occasional hurricane scare made it an unreliable venue for a Championship 4 race. Moreover, Phoenix Raceway is closer to TV-heavy markets such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which means better ratings and prime-time schedule. NASCAR wanted more fans to watch the season finale, and the time zone in Phoenix allowed it to happen. As a result, the sanctioning body was forced to make the difficult decision of changing their season-finale home, with ‘The Desert Oddball’ hosting the Championship 4 race for the last five years.
NASCAR debates rotating Championship 4 race
There’s no doubt that Phoenix Raceway has served NASCAR well. Just like Homestead-Miami before it. However, NASCAR is considering a new policy of rotating the season-finale to different tracks every year, with fans also calling for a shake-up of the Championship 4 event. Even though NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell has said that Phoenix has been an “incredible host city for the championship”, the stock car racing series is keen to expand its market both within the continental United States and even beyond.
Could this mean that the sport may switch from Phoenix Raceway soon? It certainly seems like it. Revealing his thoughts about the prospect of rotating the Championship 4 race, Steve O’Donnell said, “It’s going to be hard to replicate if we were to move. I would not limit something just to Miami if we were to rotate it. I think you’d have a broader look at venues that could host a championship but short term we’re in Phoenix, we’re extremely happy there and we want to make sure that whatever we do, we continue to grow the sport when it relates to the playoffs.”
Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been touted as the next season-finale destination. Owned by Speedway Motorsports, the 1.5-mile tri-oval could prove to be the perfect venue for the biggest race of the year. The glitz and glamour of ‘Sin City’ will only add to the appeal and the weather in November would also be favorable to avoid any unpleasant surprises by Mother Nature. However, there is also a slight possibility that NASCAR could look beyond the Speedway Motorsports and legacy ISC tracks ecosystem and do something truly unpredictable.
The post Why Was Homestead-Miami Stripped Off Its NASCAR Championship Crown? appeared first on EssentiallySports.
