INDIANAPOLIS – One weekend earlier than returned to for the Brickyard 400, IndyCar legend Scott Dixon criticized the size of NASCAR Cup Sequence races.
The six-time IndyCar champion was requested in regards to the authentic distance of IndyCar’s Music Metropolis Grand Prix, which was set to be 300 laps and practically 400 miles earlier than it was postponed and shortened. Dixon mentioned he didn’t know if he’d like extra IndyCar races of an identical distance, citing his downside with the size of Cup races.
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“I do not know,” Dixon mentioned in an interview with . “I discover it actually onerous to observe Cup races. It permits for a nap. Perhaps that is good. I do not know.”
, who disagreed with Dixon’s evaluation. This yr, the shortest Cup race on an oval is 267 miles and the longest is 600. The shortest oval races sometimes take round three hours whereas longer races can exceed 4 hours. Final yr’s Brickyard 400 took three hours and 22 minutes.
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
Jeff Gordon, six days shy of his 18th birthday, was contemporary out of Tri-West Excessive College in Lizton and racing his dash automotive at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Ind. 1989
(JIM YOUNG)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
Jeff Gordon, six days shy of his 18th birthday, was contemporary out of Tri-West Excessive College in Lizton and racing his dash automotive at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Ind. 1989
(JIM YOUNG)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
Jeff Gordon indicators autographs throughout Wednesday’s apply session for the Brickyard 400 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Pittsboro native is main the Winston Cup factors standings. Workers picture by Jeremy Hogan
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
SPEEDWAY, IN – AUGUST 6: Driver Jeff Gordon celebrates in Victory Lane after successful the Brickyard 400 race on August 6, 1994 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. (Picture by Dozier Mobley/Getty Photographs)
(Dozier Mobley, Getty Photographs)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
Jeff Gordon celebrates his victory on the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994.
(John R. Gentry, Indianapolis Star)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
Jeff Gordon celebrates successful the 1998 Brickyard 400.
(Paul Sancya/IndyStar)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
5 Aug 2001: Jeff Gordon celebrates successful the NASCAR Winston Cup Brickyard 400 on the Indianapolis Motorspeedway in Indianapolis,Indiana.
(Robert Laberge, Getty Photographs)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson compete within the NASCAR Nextel Cup Sequence Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond Worldwide Raceway Might 14, 2004. (Picture by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Photographs)
(Al Messerschmidt, WireImage)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
INDIANAPOLIS – AUGUST 8: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Dupont Chevrolet and workforce proprietor Rick Hendrick, have a good time by kissing the bricks after successful the NASCAR Nextel Cup collection Brickyard 400 on August 8, 2004 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Picture By Rusty Jarrett/Getty Photographs)
(Rusty Jarrett, Getty Photographs)
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Jeff Gordon: Indiana racing roots to NASCAR legend
Jeff Gordon celebrates his fifth Brickyard 400 win on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday, July 27, 2014.
(Mike Fender)
Whereas many felt Dixon’s feedback have been out of line, 2024 Brickyard 400 winner Kyle Larson understood Dixon’s level.
“Sure, I agree that quite a lot of our Cup races are too lengthy,” mentioned Larson, who raced within the 2024 and 2025 Indy 500s at IMS. “I simply assume the best way that the world has sort of gone, how individuals eat sports activities, I positively assume our races are too lengthy. I believe three hours is just too lengthy. So far as a nap, I don’t know. So it does not actually trouble me, however I agree with what he was saying.”
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In addition to the race distance, levels in NASCAR races can prolong how lengthy they take. NASCAR races are divided into three levels (the Coca-Cola 600 has 4), with every stage being a unique lap depend relying on the observe and race distance. On the finish of the primary two levels, races have stage cautions to award factors based mostly on the place vehicles end after every stage and supply a window for NASCAR’s tv companions to chop to a set business break.
The stage breaks, together with additional time in races to not finish on a warning, result in races being prolonged in actual time to an extent that feels unnatural to observers like Dixon, who lately said he desires to drive within the Daytona 500 earlier than he retires. Whereas all followers and drivers might not agree with him, Dixon has one supporter in Larson, who’s a two-time Cup Sequence champion.
