This weekend is NASCAR’s annual foray on dirt. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Cup Series drivers will challenge the high dirt banks of Bristol instead of concrete.
Kyle Larson, one of the most talented dirt racers in the country, spoke out about NASCAR racing on dirt. Many would assume that Larson would be all about the dirt, but he felt quite the opposite.
Frontstretch’s Dalton Hopkins talked to the pole sitter before Sunday night’s race. Larson first talked about how NASCAR should return to having two races on Bristol’s concrete surface. Larson said, “It’s up to” NASCAR and track promoter Speedway Motorsports, but if he had the choice, he would do two races on concrete.
That’s a shocking stance, but when asked where NASCAR should have a dirt race, Larson went one step further, saying, “We don’t need to be racing on dirt.”
"We don't need to be racing on dirt."
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It might be a surprise to hear Larson say that, but it makes some sense. Not only for the reasons Larson stated, but when he races on dirt in a sprint car or a dirt late model, Larson does that in his spare time. NASCAR is Larson’s job, dirt racing is his hobby. To blend the two together, the hobby might start to feel like work after a while.
Also, while NASCAR races on dirt, it’s not exactly dirt racing in a conventional sense. It’s a concrete track with tons of dirt slapped on top. There aren’t too many dirt tracks banked as high as Bristol’s 24 degrees, and NASCAR cars and trucks are so heavy that it’s very difficult to whip around the back end, as you would see with cars equipped to run on dirt. So in that sense, Larson would have a reason to dispute the concept of NASCAR on dirt.
That being said, the Bristol Dirt Race is one of the most watched races of the season, with particular growth in the 18-49 age bracket. That makes it more appealing for Fox as the TV partner. Maybe more people attend the fall race, but that’s also considered a “crown jewel” race in the playoffs and held in September. Meanwhile, it’s typically cold and rainy during the Bristol spring race weekend, even when it was on concrete. Comparing the two race weekends is like comparing apples and oranges.
It remains to be seen if NASCAR and Bristol will continue racing on dirt. Even though Kyle Larson might be the pole sitter, and one of the favorites to win Sunday night, he would much rather be racing on what’s underneath the dirt.