Elliott Pushes for Saturday Night Return
Chase Elliott used a recent appearance on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast to advocate for more Saturday night Cup Series races, pushing back against the current trend of Sunday night summer events. The 2020 champion told hosts Taylor Lewan and Will Compton that networks have pivoted toward Sunday nights in pursuit of higher ratings, but that shift places a real burden on fans attending in person. Elliott pointed to the fall Saturday night race at Bristol as the kind of atmosphere the sport is missing, saying the energy and vibe around those events was something special that both competitors and spectators have lost.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver highlighted the practical problems Sunday night races create, especially when weather intervenes. He referenced the Atlanta race where a rain delay pushed the finish to 2:00 a.m., leaving attendees facing a brutal Monday morning. Elliott said those comments came directly from people he knows personally — fans who either attended Atlanta and weren’t thrilled about their Monday, or chose not to go at all because of work obligations the next day.
Balancing Television and Attendance
During a press conference at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Elliott expanded on the sentiment, acknowledging that television drives scheduling decisions but arguing there’s room for middle ground. He noted that fans often travel significant distances for races, and the further they travel, the harder a Sunday night finish becomes. Elliott believes the sport has a unique opportunity with its current broadcast partners to leverage Saturday night windows, especially when competing sports like baseball are in playoff mode or dealing with regional broadcast restrictions.
Elliott framed Saturday night races as healthy for both audiences — giving television viewers a prime-time showcase while allowing in-person attendees Sunday to recover and prepare for the work week. He recalled growing up watching Saturday night races and feeling the buildup and excitement was elite, even if it meant nothing to watch on Sunday afternoon. The only downside then was missing racing on Sunday, but the lead-in energy for a Saturday night show made it worth the trade-off.