Las Vegas Motor Speedway Looking To Finish NASCAR Races Under Lights in Sept. 2019
By ALAN SNEL
LVSportsBiz.com
After staging its first South Point 400 race in the early afternoon in the heat of the day eight days ago, Las Vegas Motor Speedway is asking NASCAR and NBC to start the three September races at the Speedway later in the day so that the NASCAR races finish under the lights in cooler conditions.
Speedway officials knew the triple-digit-degree heat would make for toasty conditions at their sprawling NASCAR venue site north of Las Vegas, so a pool plus water misters were installed for the NASCAR weekend Sept. 14-16 that was highlighted by the debut of the South Point 400 Sept. 16.
But a LVSportsBiz.com photographer witnessed fans feeling the stress of the heat, including a woman who had to be treated at the South Point 400.
Chris Powell, Las Vegas Motor Speedway president and GM, confirmed Monday that the Speedway is looking to shift the races later in the day so that they finish under the lights.
“We have begun the process of requesting an alteration to the 2019 schedule that would allow us to run all three September races later in the day. This request has been made to NASCAR and NBC. We believe providing a much more comfortable fan experience by having later start times would be beneficial to everyone – especially the fans who attend the event in person,” Powell told LVSportsBiz.com
“Our preference would be to run the Truck race on Thursday night, followed by the Xfinity race on Friday and the South Point 400 Cup event on Saturday with all races concluding close to 8 p.m., or 11 p.m. Eastern time. This would put all fans in the main grandstand in the shade at the beginning of the races, with the events concluding under the lights,” he said.
The Speedway tried to bring in as many water misters as it could for the weekend. And the track even had a pool for fans.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway is aware of the heat’s impact on fans. But with TV paying millions of dollars for the race broadcast rights, the media rights holder works with the sanctioning body to set the race times.
In fact, a fan named “William” wrote the Speedway on its website to ask why the races in September don’t start later to beat the heat.
Powell offered this response: “As you know, NASCAR makes the schedule in conjunction with the television partners, as well as with the speedway. Understandably, the TV people want to have their programming viewed by as many people as possible. While we would love nothing better than to have our fall race begin at 7 p.m., we’re well aware that 7 p.m. in the Pacific time zone is 10 p.m. in the east. So, there likely never will be a 7 p.m. start for a Cup race in Las Vegas.
“Keep in mind that NBC, the TV partner for the second half of the NASCAR Cup season, also televises the NFL’s Sunday Night Football. So, I’m guessing they don’t want to broadcast the Cup race up against their football programming,” Powell told the fan.
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