With the 2010 season only about a month away, a couple of race tracks recently announced changes to Sprint Cup race lengths -- one race will be shorter and one longer.
The October 10 race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., will have 100 miles shaved from its length. The race, which is the fourth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, will go from being a 500-mile event to 400 miles.
"As fans well know, conversations with NASCAR in regard to making Auto Club Speedway the most competitive track possible for NASCAR racing have been ongoing," Auto Club Speedway President Gillian Zucker said. "This additional rules change to 400 miles is further evidence of NASCAR's commitment to racing excitement to Southern California race fans.
Auto Club Speedway also hosts a Sprint Cup race on February 21, the second points event of the year, but no changes have been announced regarding a length change for that event.
While NASCAR thinks shorter races are better at Auto Club Speedway, apparently longer is better at Phoenix International Raceway, at least as far as the track's spring race is concerned. With NASCAR going to more standardized start times for 2010, the spring race at Phoenix wouldn't end under the lights at the former length, which is something the racetrack and fans, alike, desire.
For that reason, the first race at Phoenix, scheduled for April 10, will be lengthened to 375 laps/miles from the former 312 laps/miles. The fall Chase race at Phoenix, the next to last race of the season on Nov. 14, will remain the same length.
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