Does Dale Earnhardt Jr. Have It Right?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently commented that shortening the schedule  and starting the race at noon local time would be better for the sport. His comments started a discussion among the fans both at the track and online.

But is he correct?

His comparison to NFL with there 16 game schedule and how each game keeps the fans hooked, at the end of the season the fan leaves wanting more. With a 36 race season, the year becomes too long, not leaving fans with the same feeling of wanting more.

As a quick reminder the NFL recently began talks of adding two additional games to there schedule and removing two preseason games.Nothing has been decided yet.

So the schedule would look something like this:

30 races in the season. You would take a race away from Loudon, Pocono, Michigan, Fontana, Martinsville, and Atlanta. The regular season would be the first 20 races of the year. The Chase would still be the final 10 races.

Speaking of the chase, only the 12 drivers make it to New York, but it's how they get there that counts. You get points for top 10's, top fives in the regular season, continue the bonus for wins.You get points for finishing in the top five, top 10, and even the 15 each week during the chase. Finishing out side the top 20, you lose points.

The  change I might make if I ran the sport was make the Chase elimination style, like an actual playoff. A driver can get eliminated based on finishes throughout the year not just in the final 10 races.  I think when you make the cut off the top 12, you eliminate the rest of the field.

Including them in this format, would give more drivers a chance at winning it all; instead of the perennial 12.  I would think you would have to include every style of track in the chase, not just the cookie cutter tracks.

Sound good?

Well no, actually in a money driven business like NASCAR this isn't so practical. Everyone of the sponsors on those cars use these 36 weeks to market there product, whether it be in pre-race, during the race and post race, every race is like 334 commercials for every sponsor.

You also have to look at the economic impact of removing a race from the schedule. Tracks that have two races every year can put millions back into the community, from tickets sales, concessions, parking and camping, and even souvenirs.

While attendance might be down, removing races from the schedule might have a bigger impact on the cities and states than we even realize.Vendors will lose out also. They line the outside of the track and along the grandstands. Those vendors would lose a full day of business and lose pay.

Jr. commented on keeping the fan wanting more. I agree with him on that, but there are other ways to do that within the sport than eliminating races. Ideas include retooling the Chase, race formats which can include changing qualifying rules, shortening races ,or even racing more saturday night races.

I think Junior made some valid points in his comments. NASCAR needs to find ways to keep fans engaged at home as well as the track.

In tough economic times for America's car manufacturers.As price of gas rises and cost of races and t-shirts rise too, NASCAR needs to find a more economically responsible way to keep the fans engaged and wanting more even at the track, as well as at home.

The only question that remains will NASCAR listen to the fans, as well as the drivers? That remains to be seen.