Fixing NASCAR: Insider's plan to make the sport great again

Fixing NASCAR - it is the favorite offseason topic of choice for so many analysts, insiders and fans. Just over a week out from Phoenix, here we are again.

As that court battle with Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing team and Front Row Motorsports looms next month, the very future of the sport is up in the air right now.

So what better time to look at how to change things for the better, and this week it was The Athletic insider Jordan Bianchi effectively becoming NASCAR Tsar for a day.

He and colleague Jeff Gluck attacked the topic on The Teardown podcast this week, and Bianchi produced a detailed plan to shake things up. It is absolutely fascinating and here are the best bits - this is not the exhaustive take, just the ‘crown jewels’.

Cutting the NASCAR schedule

Bianchi started with the schedule, and to put it simply he wants fewer races but bigger buzz. Oh, and the end of The Roval (cue wild cheers…).

Jordan explained: “This is pie in the sky and there’s economic issues and everything like that and we’ll have to figure that out. But one thing I’m going to do is, I’m going to reduce the schedule. Thirty-eight races - 36 points races plus two exhibitions is a lot. It’s a very long season that goes from February to mid-November.

“I am going to reduce the schedule by reducing second dates at Las Vegas, Kansas, Phoenix, Darlington, Darlington and Martinsville. That puts us down to 29 races. And so I would then have a floating 30th date that will be something different, whether that’s a Montreal or Mexico City or whatever else if we want to do something.

“So we’re going to reduce the schedule to 30 points races. We’re also going to move the Clash back to Daytona and make that part of the midweek build-up to the race - like a Wednesday night. Thursday night’s the Duels, let’s do Tuesday night, Wednesday night Clash.

“We talk a lot about how we want to give races a big feel and a big buildup and everything. Having the Clash at Daytona I think will do that and will get people excited for the Daytona 500. Also it gives us another week in the offseason, which I think is important.

“And so I don't want to lose the feel for Bowman Gray in going to places like that or the Coliseum. I think that's invaluable and I think it's really important. But that is what the All-Star race is going to be about. The All-Star race is going to be about going to Bowman Grey or a South Boston or the Coliseum or things like that.

“Imagine the All-Star race at a venue like that. I think that's electric and exciting and it's going to get people talking.

"The San Diego date is going to be floater. Like some days it'll be in San Diego, but that's going to be moved around the country into bigger markets trying to get that feel, if you will, that pop. Um, get people talking.

“And then this is the last thing, and I think we're all universally gonna agree on this. Get rid of the damn Roval. That Charlotte playoff race man is going back to the Oval.

"So, that is what I want to do with the schedule. Fewer races, less tracks, have fewer dates. That way, when you go to Vegas or Kansas or Phoenix or Darlington or Bristol, it feels like a big deal. It's like, man, this is our one stop there. Let's push people there and get that excited.

“And honestly, if a track shows that, hey, they're they're selling tickets and people in this market are excited and it deserves two dates, then I'm all for having that conversation about bringing a second date there. But one most tracks deserve just one date.”

Team strategy, creating parity

Another big driver for Bianchi (pun intended) is parity. Heck the NFL appears to have managed it and it's working for them. So how do we get there in NASCAR?

“I want to limit teams to three cars and three teams only - no four-car teams. Ideally, I would love to go even further and go to two car teams. But I just don't know that that might be a bridge too far.

“So, I want to go to three-car teams and I also want to limit severely limit technical alliances. I want to make sure I want to stand these teams alone. I want to create parity in this sport. I want to create excitement. I want to make it where the teams are more level.

“If you look at, you know, the sport right now, we've talked about it so much. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports dominate to an excessive degree. Throw Team Penske in there obviously with the championships and the playoff success, but on a week-to-week basis, it's a lot about Hendrick. It's a lot about Joe Gibbs Racing.

“Trackhouse and Ross Chastain almost won the championship. That was a cool moment. So that is one thing I want to do is reduce the number of teams that they have. and then also reduce the technical alliances that come from that because I think that will help to create parity.”

Time for a spending cap

Again, with the search for the Holy Grail that is parity in mind, Bianchi also wants to start talking about the introduction of a spending cap. Something F1 (a sport which has TV rights deals and team values going stratospheric) has already put in place.

“The other thing I'm going to do, I'm creating a spending cap. It's been long talked about in this sport. Formula 1 has done something of that nature there. It's not easy to do.

“There's a lot of things you kind of have to work around, but let's figure this out. Let's sit down and figure out a team spending cap. There is a huge disparity between the big teams and the small teams in terms of personnel and money and resources. Let's try to narrow that down a little bit.

“I understand the big teams are always going to be the big teams and they're going to dominate. You can see that even in Formula 1, right? But I want to try to create an avenue where a midsize team hits on something or they've got smart people and are great drivers and they're able to contend for a championship.

“You don't need it every year, but I want to at least have the opportunity for these teams to have their moment where if they hit on it, they can have that moment in the sun, if you will. where the big teams just aren't dominating.

Charter system stays, but more money to the teams

The charter system will be the biggest topic when it comes to that court date with MJ and Co next month, and Bianchi believes it needs to stay, with a tweak.

“The other thing, a part of this, and this is team, is the charter system remains intact. I would give more money to the teams - they deserve more money. I understand that it's complicated, the charter system remains, the guaranteed entry into every race is important.

“They need to know that, they need the financial assurances along with that, and so that is what I want to do on the team side of things.