Why NASCAR should keep moving for its Championship weekend

NASCAR is always on the lookout to generate more interest amongst its fanbase while also drawing in new fans. However, the sport has seen a steady decline in viewership numbers over the past few years.

Although stock car racing has outscored other sporting events in the United States of America and has been rising in popularity, it has not been able to reach the benchmark it set for itself.

Major names in the game, such as Rick Hendrick and Denny Hamlin, amongst many others, have publicly spoken about how a fresh new approach is needed to make NASCAR appealing to the newer generation, while staying true to its roots.

The governing body has slowly been warming up to these ideas. Their latest announcement, however, paints a different picture.

Phoenix Raceway has been confirmed as the track where the Cup Series Championship Weekend will take place until 2023. The announcement on Tuesday cemented the fact that the drivers and teams will visit the Avondale, Arizona track once again this year, along with its regular two appearances for 2023.

Many have advocated for the fact that the Championship Weekend should move venues every year. Drivers such as Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick spoke on the topic recently. The reasoning behind the change is multi-layered.

For starters, fans will be kept on their toes as no one track is set for the finale weekend, thus generating excitement.

Drivers will also need to be more focused coming into the weekend as no one track will play to the strengths of a particular driver, thus stacking the odds against one another.

With the new media rights deal set to take place in 2025, it would not be surprising to see Pheonix Raceway reappear on the 2024 calendar. The new deal, however, does open up new opportunities for the future. Maybe even a return to Miami-Homestead?

Quality of racing in this year's NASCAR Cup Series Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway

Phoenix Raceway has always been criticized for the sub-par racing action the 1-mile-long track has produced over the years.

The amount of criticism has only increased since NASCAR decided to go to the Avondale, Arizona track for its Championship Weekend in 2020, ditching Miami-Homestead, which has hosted the finale since 1999.

This year's Ruoff Mortgage 500 was a similar affair as drivers complained about dirty air and not being able to pass each other. This created a race where there was less door-to-door and bumper-to-bumper action, ultimately diluting the fans' experience.

Chase Briscoe managed to edge Ross Chastain to grab his first victory of the 2022 season at Pheonix earlier this year.