INDIANAPOLIS — In the words of Michael Jordan in 1995, “I’m back.” That’s what the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said on Thursday when they announced that NASCAR would be back in 2024 on the 2.5-mile oval. Here are my thoughts from that announcement.

Fans Better Show Not Just Next Year

Here’s the thing. It didn’t say in the announcement whether this return to the oval in 2024 was a one-year experiment or multiple years, but what I do know is this – you better show up. You can’t cry and whine that you want the Brickyard 400 to come back but elect to skip coming.

Birthday? Retirement party? Vacation? Anniversary? Whatever excuse you can come up with, you better skip it.

Too hot? It doesn’t matter if there’s a heat advisory, you probably should go.

NASCAR and IMS listened. They’re giving you a chance. The platform is yours. Time to put your money where your mouth is. No more begging for something then turning the cold shoulder with an excuse on why you can’t come.

This is reality and the fact of the matter is, it’s time to show up and I’m not just talking about next year. Sure, I expect an uptick in attendance due to the return to the oval, but you can’t come once then skip the rest. Either you’re committed or not. You can’t expect someone else to do what you won’t do.

If you were among the voices wanting a return to the oval, here’s the link to the website to join a list to get tickets when they’re out to purchase- ims.com

If you come once or not at all, you have no voice to complain about moving away from the oval in the future. That’s what’s at stake here.

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Toronto Affected By This

The date is the last date before the Olympic break but it’s also could be a factor too on why it’s going head-to-head with Toronto. See, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES typically tries to avoid racing on the same weekend that NASCAR is here. Unless of course in the event that they’re sharing the track as they did on the shared weekend the last three years.

Since the Brickyard 400 began in 1994, just three times did INDYCAR race elsewhere that weekend. All three instances were north of the border. All three were in Edmonton.

2009 and 2010 was a direct head-to-head conflict. 2008 was the same weekend but the INDYCAR race was run on a Saturday and the Brickyard on a Sunday.

Now, Toronto is a head-to-head conflict in 2024. The problem is, Toronto is a Peacock only race and I fear it will almost become a race no one knows about.

You know there’s going to be a local push to want fans to come to the return of the Brickyard 400. The better the Brickyard does financially with attendance, concessions, parking, etc, the better INDYCAR does in a sense it’s operated by Penske Corp. However, it’s also a conflict because if INDYCAR doesn’t do well in Toronto in the sense of fans traveling to the race or fans watching on Peacock live, then it’s a problem too.

Could be why Toronto only signed a reported one-year extension. But, by being on Peacock, it does allow fans to go to the Brickyard and return home to watch INDYCAR later too.

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NASCAR Going Back To What Was Right

NASCAR doing 3-year deals is something that’s honestly working. 3 years on the Bristol Dirt. 3 years on the IMS road course. Both were experiments that while by some metrics worked, will go back to the way it was. Bristol’s spring race on concrete, IMS on the oval.

It’s a great way of doing things because it is innovative and gives multiple years to make something work. If it doesn’t, it’s not too long of a contract to where you can’t just go back to the way it was.

The Clash? Next year is the final year of a 3 year contract. Chicago street course. Next year is the 2nd year. North Wilkesboro is also back for a second year on the All-Star race next May too.

There’s rumors that the Charlotte ROVAL could potentially go back to the oval in 2024 which would be the close of a second 3-year contract. 2018, 2019, 2020 on Deal No. 1, 2021, 2022, 2023 on Deal No. 2.

NASCAR is doing a great job of this.