The ongoing debate over race scheduling took a heated turn as Kevin Harvick criticized NASCAR’s decision to hold major events like the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday nights. Harvick’s objections center on the impact Saturday slots have on viewership, as he emphasized that TV ratings are consistently lower compared to traditional Sunday afternoon races, placing the spotlight on the ongoing issue of audience engagement at these events.
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway closes out the Round of 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, yet it marks the third Saturday night event in the last five races. Kevin Harvick, speaking on his Happy Hour podcast, voiced deep frustration over NASCAR‘s scheduling choices, questioning the rationale behind deviating from Sundays.
“Why do we ever race on a Saturday night? It makes no sense — zero sense,”
Harvick said. —Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Driver
Harvick expanded his criticism by pointing to industry awareness regarding the underperformance of Saturday night broadcasts.
“Just look at the TV ratings when you get done. I know it’s football season, but the TV ratings are historically, completely well-known by everybody in the industry that it does not score ever, ever, ever, ever on a Saturday night.”
—Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Driver
Comparing Viewership: Saturday vs. Sunday Races
Recent events reinforce Harvick’s frustrations. The Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway took place on a Saturday night, and attracted only 1.4 million viewers on USA Network. In comparison, the same event’s fall race in 2024 occurred on a Sunday and saw viewership rise significantly to 2.2 million. This gap in audience numbers adds weight to concerns expressed by both Harvick and those in the industry about the drawbacks of competing with the established rhythm and wider appeal of Sunday racing.
Traditions and Changing Dynamics
The Bristol Night Race has traditionally been held on Saturday evenings since 1978, but the tradition’s effectiveness is now being questioned. Harvick addressed this shift and urged NASCAR to reconsider the significance of television ratings over attendance.
“We went from Saturday to Sunday at Richmond, TV numbers go up. We go from Sunday to Saturday, crowd goes up. I’m more concerned about the TV ratings than I am how many people are sitting in the grandstands, because that’s what makes it go around,”
Harvick said. —Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Driver
He asserted his belief that the entire Cup Series schedule should be set for Sundays, regardless of longstanding customs or crowd preferences. Harvick argued that holding playoff races on Saturdays no longer fits the new racing calendar or aligns with optimal broadcast performance, as evident from the switch of the Bristol event from August to September, now in the middle of football season.
Harvick’s Frustration with Stubborn Scheduling
Harvick did not hold back his disappointment with the persistent reliance on Saturday races for key events, struggling to comprehend NASCAR’s reasoning.
“The Bristol Night Race is forever not there. It’s not in August; we’re in the middle of September now. It’s a playoff race that got moved to September; it’s not the Bristol Night Race anymore. As I go back and look at the Richmond TV ratings, they know it doesn’t score on a Saturday night — it’s a dumb move. … There’s no Saturday night racing in the history of NASCAR since the Bristol night races that have scored well in the last five years. … The numbers don’t lie. Why do we keep going back and doing dumb sh*t?”
—Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Driver
Industry observers note that Sunday races have consistently drawn both larger crowds and better ratings. While tradition holds importance, priorities are shifting toward maximizing broadcast reach and sustaining sponsorships amid an evolving sports landscape.
Kevin Harvick’s criticisms raise renewed questions for NASCAR executives as the sport faces decisions on how to balance longstanding customs, such as nighttime events at iconic tracks, with the need to attract more viewers in a competitive television market. The coming seasons may determine whether these longstanding traditions persist or give way to changes designed to boost the sport’s mainstream appeal.
