AS EXPECTED, RICHMOND LOSING NASCAR RACE

 Once NASCAR announces the 2025 Cup schedule (any day now) it becomes official … Richmond is losing one of its two traditional dates on the sanctioning body’s top circuit. The spring race will be replaced by a new event outside the country – in either Mexico or Canada – although Homestead, Fla., is considered a possibility … for one year only.

Nobody should be surprised that NASCAR is pulling a 

race from Richmond Raceway … which was among 

the original tracks when BILL FRANCE SR., started 

building his stock car racing empire more than 75 

years ago. Once International Speedway Corporation, 

which acquired the 3/4-mile asphalt track in 1999 for 

$217 million then, in turn, sold it to NASCAR for a 

reported $2 billion 14 years ago, the loss was 

inevitable.

Originally a local labor of love by promoter PAUL 

SAWYER, the man who turned a half-mile dirt course 

into a one-of-a-kind speedway that, in its heyday, 

attracted crowds of 100,000 (even more), the track at 

Strawberry Hill lost its featured place on the Grand 

National (now Cup) scene for a number of reasons … 

all of which were the result of the France Family’s 

desire to expand from its southern roots and grow not 

just nationally but globally as well.

In fact, there has been every reason to believe France-

owned ISC, which continues to operate the track once-

known as Fairgrounds Raceway and, more recently, 

Richmond International Raceway, deliberately 

sabotaged its own product in order to justify the 

decision. Otherwise … how to explain moving events 

here from night to day time … as well as the once-firm 

dates themselves … subjecting them to the summer 

heat and guaranteeing a big drop-off in attendance. 

Know what? It worked. Big-time.

While it has been a long, LONG time since 

Richmond’s only facility devoted to a major-league 

attraction has announced crowd figures (NASCAR 

never has) … estimates of recent Cup races have been 

less than half of the capacity now said (officially) to be 

in the neighborhood of 60,000. 

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The fact that competition at what the late Sawyer 

referred to (with some justification) as “The Action 

Track” developed a follow-the-leader/lack of passing 

malaise … again for obvious reasons (that we’ll save 

for another time) … also made the decision to cut back 

here likewise as easy as it was inevitable.

The rumors began a couple of years ago. When general 

manager DENNIS BICKMIER left to become 

director of Henrico County’s new sports authority, they 

only grew louder when his replacement, a former 

editor of Style Weekly, had no previous racing 

experience.

Then, after this year’s spring race held on Easter 

Sunday … a no-no in the Bible Belt … drew (we were 

told) fewer than 25,000 … a hatchet piece in The 

Athletic left no doubt. Surely inspired by ISC … and 

by association NASCAR and the France Family … 

staff writer/motorsports reporter JORDAN BIANCHI

 pointed to “struggles with attendance” and “lack of 

competitiveness” as primary if general reasons why 

they should move the spring race elsewhere … 

immediately. Anything less, he wrote, “and NASCAR 

would be doing a disservice to itself, its television 

partners, drivers, teams and fans.”

Bianchi noted that Dover, Fontana, Michigan, Pocono, 

New Hampshire and Texas had lost second dates. “It’s 

time for Richmond to join the list … Once a year is 

fine. Anything more is too much,” he wrote.

That appeared April 1, 2024 … and most certainly was 

cheered by the folks in Daytona Beach … who 

rewarded Bianchi by providing most of the details of 

the 2025 lineup before its release. Without attribution, 

naturally, in a piece that appeared a few days ago.

Mostly, it dealt with a major revamping of the schedule 

… which this year attests (if there was any doubt) to 

whatever television wants, television gets. NBC ...ahh, 

requested a two-week hiatus from racing by NASCAR 

in July while it covers the Summer Olympics. 

And, of course, NASCAR agreed ... jamming 38 races 

into 41 weeks. Richmond's "fall" date is the August 11 

Cook Out 400 ... when NBC returns from Paris. 

Next year, Bianchi wrote, Hometead, heretofore a 

popular place for the last playoff race, probably will be 

switched to March so the track can begin major 

scheduled renovations that will allow a return to the 

championship finale starting in 2026.

As for taking a Cup race out of this country for the first 

time since 1958 when LEE PETTY, father of Richard, 

won in Canada … that apparently is still to be 

determined. Bianchi wrote Mexico City was a near-

miss for 2024.

Until next time ...