Uniform start times for 2010

[NickFalzone]

I'm glad NASCAR has worked on improving this issue, particularly for fans at the track. I would also like to see them trim it down to 2 networks from 3, but that's not happening anytime soon.

http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/official/10/07/standard.start.times/index.html

[Lee Roy]

I'm glad NASCAR has worked on improving this issue, particularly for fans at the track.

I agree totally. I used to go to Dover every year. Not interested in going these days (for many reasons) but one of the main ones is the late starting time. It takes a long time to get out of that track with a crowd of over 100,000 people. Not interested in getting home way so late and then up at 4:00 AM to head to work.

The later starting dates are one of the main reasons for the lower attendance, in my opinion; along with high ticket prices and the current economic difficulties.

[Wade91]

i dont see where the starting time really matters,

i go to the fall race weekend at talladega every year, and would perfer the race start a little later so i dont have to get outta bed as early that morning

but like i said the starting time doesn't really matter

yeah, it takes a long ime to get out of the track, but i dont care how late i get back to the hotel room

[BobbyC]

I do see two flaws with the "uniform start time":

1. Some events (such as the Daytona 500) could be better off being started as a "West Coast" race instead of an East Coast race. Thus, Daytona, Fontana, and Vegas could all start at 4 PM ET to ensure three consecutive races at 4 before we go on the "Eastern Swing" of 1 PM races. Atlanta could also move to 4 PM in order to assure the races before the first break of the season are all 4 PM start times before we go to 1 PM races.

2. The start times should be 1 PM and 4 PM and not 3 PM, as to ensure West Coast races get a 1 PM local start time too, with eastern and central tracks having the choice of 4 PM start times being able to use the option. However, if a track chooses a 4 PM start time with the option, then there must be three consecutive races that start at 4 PM.

Here's what I mean:

4 PM: Daytona (Option), Fontana, Las Vegas, Atlanta (Option)
Break
1 PM: Bristol, Martinsville
Break
7:30 PM: Phoenix
1 PM: Texas, Talladega
7:30 PM: Richmond, Darlington
5:30 PM: Charlotte
1 PM: Dover, Pocono, Michigan
4 PM: Infineon
1 PM: New Hampshire
7:30 PM: Daytona, Joliet
Break
1 PM: Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Michigan
7:30 PM: Bristol
Break
7:30 PM: Atlanta, Richmond
1 PM: New Hampshire, Dover, Kansas
4 PM: Fontana
7:30 PM: Charlotte
1 PM: Martinsville, Talladega, Texas (Option)
4 PM: Phoenix
1 PM: Homestead (Option)

I've put "option" in the Daytona 500, Kobalt 500, Dickies 500, and Ford 400 to note they could go 1 PM or 4 PM to ensure consistent start times. If the first four races are at 4 PM, that would create consistent start times to start the season before going into the brunt of the season.

[willracefan]

boy is nascar blind when it comes to why their ratings are declining. they really dont want to know the truth. maybe if all the talented and popular drivers had the best equipment that would bring the ratings back up. people just dont want to see poor me martin and the other mediocre bunch. no wonder johnson is dominating.

[Mark in Oshawa]

boy is nascar blind when it comes to why their ratings are declining. they really dont want to know the truth. maybe if all the talented and popular drivers had the best equipment that would bring the ratings back up. people just dont want to see poor me martin and the other mediocre bunch. no wonder johnson is dominating.

Like you would know what is wrong with NASCAR? Your statement proves just how ignorant you are of the realities of this sport.

NASCAR's ratings may just be in the decline due to start times. People find other things to do if they have to wait til almost 3 pm to watch a race. Especially if they get watching a good NFL game that starts at 1.

The biggest winner in this (yes Bobby I am going to disagree with you ) is the Daytona 500. We have had more problems with rain when the races have been started later in Daytona. Rain comes more often than not there in the late afternoon from what natives of the area of have told me. Therefore, starting at 3pm almost ensures a rain out about once every 3 years.

Seeing the biggest race of the year rain shortened is dumb. People on the west coast have gotten used to getting up to watch their sports, or getting them earlier in the day. They have adjusted to this reality far better than the networks or us people in the east have ever picked up on. I know that my relatives living out west prefer their sports on eastern time so they can do more afterwards than just going to bed. The fallacy that the networks have admitted to is all this time shifting was helping them deliver audiences to their evening programming and it was going to attract the same ratings no matter what time they started. I think they will find people will appeciate the consitency of what is coming, and I know the people going to the tracks will love getting out of the facilities at much more family friendly times.

[Sparky1329]

Anybody who knows anything about Florida knows that it typically rains on a lot of late afternoons throughout the year. During the summer months it's almost like clockwork.

I tend to agree with Mark's observations about start times and ratings. By 2 or 3PM most of the people I know have already made their entertainment choices for the day. While late start times may not be the sole reason for declining ratings I think they are a significant factor.