Commentary

Time for NASCAR to move July race

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The one item you cannot bring into the Daytona International Speedway is the one item you need the most: An umbrella.

Umbrellas are prohibited at the track.

They are confiscated at the entrances and thrown into piles that form umbrella graveyards, their drenched owners told they can pick them up on their way out of the stock-car water park.

If you haven't guessed already, the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night had the wet look.

It rained and rained some more, a frequent occurrence in the summer ever since Ponce de Leon discovered the state of Florida, but even he had an umbrella. July night racing is the dumbest idea since jean shorts.

The crowd heard this chilling announcement as thunderstorms let loose: WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CLEAR THE GRANDSTANDS AREA AND FIND APPROPRIATE COVER.

This a meteorological phenomenon that NASCAR refuses to accept, although it has the power to -- oh, I don't know -- come in from out of the rain.

Stock-car racing can move the race to the fall, perhaps in October.

Now that it has all the bugs worked out of The Chase, imagine if NASCAR plopped the White Rain 400 at Daytona into the run-up for the championship?

Back in the day, before the track got lights and TV held sway, the 400 started at 10 a.m. and usually avoided the liquid sunshine. Sure, it was too hot for scorpions and Gila monsters, but sweaty fans weren't always subjected to being held hostage at the track through excruciating delays, speaking of Saturday night.

The Coke Zero was postponed until Sunday -- starting at 11 a.m. Eastern. (Sunday's race was called after 112 laps, with Aric Almirola earning his first career Sprint Cup Series victory.)

What an idea. I think NASCAR is onto something!

Sure, not every race here is weather-plagued and there's some degree of difficulty rearranging the schedule.

But as long as NASCAR has its wrench out, attempting to fix other things, it can take a look at shuffling the calendar at its most-revered race track.

NASCAR chief executive Brian France, acknowledging declining television ratings, said racing's governing body is evaluating everything to up its game: race-car technology, the costs of the sport, some struggling markets, etc.

Why not find a drier month?

Speedway President Joie Chitwood says the track's schedule suits their work flow -- the 500 in February and the 400 in July. He eschewed the possibility of another Daytona race being held closer to the 500 and its season-opening festivities.

And the same goes for moving the season-finale in November from Homestead, where the Chase champ is crowned.

Critics have long suggested that the title race should be held at a major motor speedway.

While France did say, "There's nothing to preclude a directional change down the road," he indicated the race would stay in South Florida "for the foreseeable future."

One of the reasons?

"Historically," France said, "we've liked the fact that to do it in South Florida, the weather is great that time of year, obviously."

The speedway is undergoing a $400 million front-stretch facelift to enhance the fan experience. The most popular feature next summer here likely will be the rain shields built to protect the paying customers through the expected weather delays.

NASCAR had enough weather problems at the Daytona 500, what with a tornado warning forcing the grandstands to be evacuated. The red flag lasted six hours and 22 minutes, making it the longest rain delay in the history of the race, re-starting just before 9 p.m.

Now comes the double-whammy.

Saturday night at the 400, the star vehicle of the show was moseying around the 2.5-mile oval at a snail's pace -- the track-drying contraption called the Air Titan.

Sports on 07/07/2014

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