I really don't think adding or removing races from different locations is the answer, or will change a thing. They brought back Darlington in an attempt to, "Return to NASCAR's roots, and the thrilling day's of yesteryear". And attendance is nowhere what is was before they took it off the schedule. The biggest drawing card for NASCAR is, and has always been Daytona. It's July Firecracker 400, (or whatever they've changed the name to), race attendance is down.... WAY DOWN. Now people make all kinds of lame excuses as to why. "It's too hot in Florida in July.", along with all the other nonsense. Same with the Brickyard 400 at Indy. Say what you will, but the fact of the matter is, they used to pack every seat at Daytona for every race. And NASCAR attendance at Indy was over twice what it is today. There were entire sections of stands there completely empty for the last race.
It's not because it's too hot. Or too expensive. Or because the cars are too heavy for the track. It's because they've changed the racing to the point people don't recognize or relate to it any longer. As far as cost, it was ALWAYS expensive to go to these events. Meals, gas, motels, ticket prices have all paralleled inflation. If you add it all up, it's most likely more affordable today, then it was 40 years ago, when you had to buy your tickets a year in advance. And make your motel reservations just as long into the future, or you couldn't get them. Look at how expensive Super Bowl tickets are. Along with travel and logistics. Do you see any empty seats there?
There is no stability in NASCAR racing anymore. It's much the same with Indy Car Racing. They both change like the weather at the tracks they race on. Every year there is a pack of new rules, new car designs and shapes. Along with some way to slow them down. Or some silly mechanical device like, "Push To Pass". All in some lame attempt to bring excitement to it, they managed to remove with all of their rule changes. Every year there is a different way they determine the champion. Years ago the guy who won the most became champion. Today you need a book an inch thick to figure it out. Then if that isn't enough, they are constantly messing with the way the drivers can race. They can bump, but they can't push. Then they started all of this silly "Restart Zone" nonsense. Then the whole "Green / White / Checkered" foolishness. It has gotten to the point people have to refresh themselves with the rule book before every race. And when it all over, you wind up getting a "Champion" who missed a total of 11 races! And they wonder why attendance is down? Whoever allowed that to happen should be taken out and shot. He probably got promoted instead.
Fans have become sick of all of it, and are staying home. NASCAR races are no longer races. They have turned them into "events". All in some lackluster attempt at trying to revive attendance. Rock concerts. 3-1/2 hours of pre race B.S. Drivers dragging around their wife and kids up and down pit lane. Yellow flags every 5 minutes. Everything except cars going around the track at 200+ MPH. Which is what people paid to come and see in the first place. None of it is working. It's only making matters worse. NASCAR still hasn't figured any of this out yet. They keep floundering every year, making it worse in the process. They way they're going, it won't be long before they kill off what little of it there is left. Bill France Sr. is most likely wearing out the suit he was buried in, from turning over in his grave.
