NASCAR needs a better marketing plan for SpeedWeeks

   By Mike Mulhern
   mikemulhern.net

   DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
  Now that SpeedWeeks is well into yet another day, it's time to discuss one major issue: This thing is too darned long.
  So NASCAR executives and International Speedway Corp. officials need to figure out how to shorten this thing into something more manageable – and more marketable.
   In this day and age, what family is going to pack in for a two-week vacation here, after all?
  Plus there is simply too much dead time.
  And Daytona 500 pole runs? Well, let's just see how many fans are in these stands Sunday afternoon for that exercise.
  Here's one simple proposal for change – cut it all down to a five-day show, with some prime-time racing under the lights, for Fox to showcase.
  -- Open Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday, with Shootout practice in the morning and afternoon, and the Shootout that night.
  -- Thursday would be Media Frenzy Day, with the Cup drivers actually having something to talk about, while ARCA and Trucks take over the track itself, with the ARCA 200 that night.
  -- Friday would be for the Truck tour opener and Nationwide practice and qualifying, with Daytona 500 teams qualifying via the Twin 150s that night. Forget those single-lap runs for the pole.
  -- Saturday afternoon would feature the Nationwide 300.
  -- Sunday afternoon would be the Daytona 500.
  Or what would you suggest?
  Hey, it's your money.

 


 
Not a very large crowd for Friday night's Shootout practice. Maybe a better marketing plan would fill these seats (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)