NASCAR is in "deep discussion about major revisions to the Cup Series’ marathon 36-race, February-to-November schedule once the sanctioning body’s existing five-year contracts with its host racetracks expires" after the '20 season, with one idea being to "start before the Daytona 500," according to Michael Knight of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. NASCAR President Steve Phelps said, "If a decision was made to run before the Daytona 500, obviously weather plays a huge factor in that. Our options would be limited." He said there will be "some meaningful changes our fans will like." April 1 is NASCAR’s target date to reveal its '20 schedule. Phelps: "What it looks like in 2021 and beyond, everything’s on the table. Do I think we potentially could end our season earlier? I do." Driver Jimmie Johnson said, “It’s foolish for us to go up against the NFL. In my own heart, I also believe there is such a thing as oversaturation for any sport. I think the shorter season is helpful and would be welcomed by teams" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/11).
SERIOUS ISSUES: VIBE's Jay Scott Smith noted while other leagues and organizations have "effectively banned the Confederate flag from its grounds, it endures in NASCAR." The sport's "connection to the deep South has made it one of the last refuges for the racist imagery." While "not as prevalent as days gone by, it was not hard to spot" the flag at last month's Daytona 500. The flag's prevalence "makes it difficult for any potential new black fans to take NASCAR’s various diversity initiatives seriously when they are greeted by racism at the entrances." Phelps said, "The Confederate Flag thing bothers me personally. I think the difficult part for us is trying to figure out how do you tell someone that symbol is offensive to people and to take it down. It’s not an easy situation for us. It’s not where we want to be" (VIBE.com, 3/8).
HEATIN' UP: The AP's Dave Skretta noted NASCAR, 704Games and the Race Team Alliance conducted the inaugural eNASCAR Heat Pro League Draft in "victory lane at ISM Raceway" yesterday. The online league "features 14 teams and 28 drivers, each owned and operated by prominent NASCAR teams, and will begin this spring on Xbox and PlayStation with a season stretching into the fall." It is "serious enough that the Race Team Alliance flew in the top draft picks of both the Xbox and PlayStation rounds, and that teams are selling sponsorships for their drivers in the league" (AP, 3/10).
