Photo: SpeedSport.com
When the highly anticipated Dirt Race at Bristol was postponed due to heavy rains and poor track conditions, many fans were rightfully annoyed with NASCAR’s execution. There were fans blasting NASCAR for not being prepared for a dirt race, while others were still mad that NASCAR didn’t go to an actual dirt track like Eldora. There were many fans, however, saying that Bristol should never run in Spring again.
The Bristol debate is interesting, because the schedule change of 2015 really helped to kickstart Bristol’s weather problems. Bristol had slated around race no. 4-6 for decades before; and the only major issues with weather were some qualifying rainouts, the race moving to Sunday night in 2014 and the infamous snow storm of 2006. Since the race moved back a little, rain has delayed in 2015, postponed 2017-2018 and postponed one of the most highly anticipated races in recent memory.
This whole issue got me thinking about what NASCAR could do to fix this issue. Rain is inevitable in the Spring; but we can try to avoid it at races that will attract a larger crowd. I decided to run with this idea, and created my own schedule for 2022. There are a lot of hypotheticals, what-ifs and probably a little bias in my selections, so don’t be surprised if my idea isn’t the same as yours.
There is one glaring issue to disclose before we get started: start times. NASCAR fans are clamoring for Noon start times again, while TV networks are steadfast on the 3 E.T. times of today. In my world, we split the middle: 2 E.T. starts for almost all races with some exceptions. Anyways, let’s get started by bringing an old tradition back.
Sat. 2/12- Busch Clash
I always loved the Saturday night Shootout/Unlimited/Clash on the oval, and I think they should bring it back. I know it may anger drivers and team owners alike; but Speedweeks is supposed to be the hype-up event for fans to get ready for the new season. The Saturday night race was something I looked forward to all offseason; and rarely disappointed. With that, I think the rest of the week will get back to pre-COVID normal, with qualifying on Sunday.
Sun. 2/13- Daytona 500 Qualifying
Thu. 2/17- Duels
Sun. 2/20- Daytona 500
Sun. 2/27- Homestead
Homestead was slated to be the second race of the year this year before the Auto Club race moved to the Daytona Road Course. While I miss Homestead as the finale, I think that the second race is a good spot for the track. The racing at Homestead is tremendous, and I think that having the race here is a good way to get the season started on the right foot. This also saves teams some money, as they stay in Florida for two weeks before a new-look west-coast-swing.
Sun. 3/6- Las Vegas
Sun. 3/13- Phoenix
Sun. 3/20- Sonoma
Sonoma in the west-coast-swing was an idea I first saw in YouTuber S1apSh0es 2021 proposal; and I love the idea. While I want less than seven road courses, I do like the idea of one early in the season. On top of that, Sonoma in the Spring is absolutely beautiful. The green grass makes an already nice-looking road course that much nicer. I say go for it.
Sun. 3/27- Atlanta
Here’s where I really get hypothetical. I love Atlanta; but the track needs a repave in the worst way. The last couple races haven’t been great, and the amount of tires that Goodyear needs to provide teams with is ridiculous. It’s time to bite the bullet and repave the track after this year’s July race in time for the Next-Gen car. We will kick things off with a 400 mile race in the Spring, and move the 500 miler later in the year.
Sat. 4/2- Martinsville
Martinsville will move up closer to its traditional spot, keeping their night race.
Sun. 4/10- Richmond
*Off Week*
NASCAR has never run on Easter, something that I never want to see change.
Sat. 4/23- Bristol Dirt
Hindsight 2020, I’m looking to fix two issues that Bristol had this past Monday. I hope that pushing it back may help prevent rain from being as important a factor. Even if it may play a part, I’m running this race Saturday night to not only help if the race is hit with rain, but also to help visibility for fans and drivers alike. Dust was a big issue Monday, and dirt races belong at night anyway.
Sun. 5/1- Talladega
Sat. 5/7- Darlington (400 miles)
I like Darlington coming back to Mother’s Day weekend; but I’ve always liked this weekend being a Saturday night race. I will still keep this race as the Throwback Weekend.
Sun. 5/15- Auto Club
This will be the last race on the two-mile oval. Once the track gets converted to a half-mile, I may look to move this race to Saturday night. I like this spot for Auto Club, since they used to race here in May and rarely did weather ever play a factor.
Sun. 5/22- Circuit of the Americas
Sun. 5/29- Coke 600
Sat. 6/4- Kansas
I’ve enjoyed the Kansas night races the past couple years, and I will let them keep it while moving it to June. This could draw more fans to the track too, as heat won’t be an issue.
Sat. 6/11- Texas (All-Star race)
Honestly, the All-Star race doesn’t make too much of a difference. Texas hasn’t had great racing since the repave, so this deal is fine with me. The only change is that the race gets moved to Saturday night.
Sun. 6/19- Nashville Superspeedway
I’m glad Nashville is finally back in NASCAR. As many of you may expect, this race will get moved to the Nashville Fairgrounds when they’re able to; and the race will move to Saturday night. With the tracks being a 30 minute drive apart from one-another, I doubt many fans will be too upset by this.
Sat. 6/25-Sun. 6/26- Pocono Doubleheader
NASCAR tried something unique here, and I love it. They wanted to keep the 36 races while shortening the schedule, mission accomplished. This weekend is solidified as far as I’m concerned.
Sat. 7/2- Daytona
No disrespect to Road America, but we need a more exciting Independence Day weekend race. I miss the 4th of July at Daytona. The one-off paint schemes and great racing were a staple of my childhood. With how good the superspeedway racing has been lately, I want this back in a big way. Oh, you liked Daytona at the end of the regular season? Don’t worry, I have a solution you should like.
Sun. 7/10- New Hampshire
*Off Week*
Sun. 7/24- Watkins Glen
Sat. 7/30- Lucas Oil Raceway Park
Farewell Brickyard. The track just is not suited for NASCAR, plain and simple. I like the move to the road course this year; but I would rather add another short track instead. Fans and drivers miss IRP, so let’s give it to them.
Sun. 8/7- Dover
Sun. 8/14- Michigan
Sun. 8/21- World Wide Technology Raceway
Here’s where my bias may come into play. As a St. Louis resident, of course I want Gateway on the schedule. Where I think this actually works is in a double-header. IndyCar races at Gateway this weekend every year, so why not have a NASCAR-IndyCar double-header weekend? Trucks Friday, IndyCar Saturday and Cup Sunday. Fans nearly sell out for IndyCar races, just imagine what could happen with a Cup race.
Sun. 8/28- Talladega
That’s right, Talladega ends the regular season. I loved the Daytona race last year; but that’s going back to Independence Day weekend. I know Talladega is the big wild-card in the playoffs; but it’s become such a crapshoot that it takes away some of the integrity. We don’t need the controversy that occurred last year to happen again. The best solution is to remove it from the playoffs entirely.
*Playoffs Begin*
Yes, the playoffs are still going to remain. I don’t like the current format that NASCAR has in place (but that's another story); but I don’t see them getting rid of it by 2022, so it remains.
Sun. 9/4- Southern 500
Sat. 9/10- Richmond
Sun. 9/18- Las Vegas
*Round Two*
Sat. 9/24- Bristol
Vegas and Bristol swap spots here. I don’t like having two of the biggest races in the same round of the playoffs for one; but this also allows for both rounds to have three completely different types of tracks in them.
Sun. 10/2- Kansas
Kansas is victim to a bigger schedule shake-up to be honest, as it gets moved back to a spot it held in 2015-16.
Sun 10/9- Charlotte Roval
*Round Three*
Sun. 10/16- Martinsville
Sun. 10/23- Texas
Sun. 10/30- Phoenix
Phoenix loses the Championship, a title that I didn’t think it deserved to begin with. The third round goes back to the way it was for six years, while setting up for a return to NASCAR’s glory days at the finale.
*Championship*
Sun. 11/6- Atlanta
Oh yes, Atlanta is back as the finale. When NASCAR announced that Atlanta was getting its second date back, I had a feeling that this would be their ultimate goal. The championship will now be determined after 500 miles around a freshly paved Atlanta Motor Speedway. I know that there are some fans that think that a 500 mile race is too long for 1.5 mile tracks; but I am of the belief that a better race and package will silence those critics.
With that, the 2022 schedule proposal comes to a close. As I stated earlier, this is one man’s opinion. If you disagree with me or have your own suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment down below or tweet me @HBLoomis. Let’s talk racing!
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