NASCAR: Will the summer break become annual?
By Randy Smith
Though the NASCAR Cup Series has been off for two weekends due to NBC’s coverage of the Olympics, certain drivers don’t seem to mind it.
With NBC hosting coverage of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, the NASCAR Cup Series has been off for the last two weekends, leaving fans and drivers with a free Sunday twice in a row — a first since 1991 as far as a scheduled in-season break.
The Xfinity Series has been off for the last two weekends as well, and the Truck Series has been off for even longer, having not run a race since Friday, July 9.
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While NASCAR did experience a “bye week” earlier this season during Easter weekend, the Cup Series drivers have also effectively been given a summer break by having these past two weekends off.
Some drivers wouldn’t mind seeing a summer break become a regular staple on the schedule.
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Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick noted that he’d “have a summer break and not have all the breaks at the beginning of the year”.
In addition to the 2014 champion, two-time champion Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing said that he “thinks it’s about time” and that it would be nice to be able to have the opportunity for drivers to do traditional summer break activities rather than having to wait to the offseason to make plans. The offseason, of course, does not include the summer months.
Though some of the drivers prefer the summer break to relax from racing, others have found the time to pursue other racing opportunities. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson have spent their summer break on the dirt.
Bowman recently competed in some sprint car races, while Larson added another dirt race trophy to his collection, this time in a late model car.
So some drivers seem to be enjoying the summer break for vacation, while others seem to be enjoying the opportunity to compete in other forms of racing. While NASCAR may not have to face this TV coverage issue every year, especially if some of their coverage from NBC moves to a streaming service, it could benefit the drivers and teams to have an annual summer break.
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The current summer break is scheduled to end this afternoon with the Go Bowling at The Glen, which is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network from Watkins Glen International beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET.