First off, props to FOX Sports for televising the only NASCAR Truck Series race many fans tune into all season on the FOX Business channel Wednesday night.
I'm sure viewers loved flipping to FS1 for qualifying, then FS2 for the heat races, then hopefully finding FOX Business for the main event.
Truck races don't draw many fans to the grandstands or even to the TV, but the ones at Eldora Speedway do get fans to drive to a town of 200 in west-central Ohio. And fans who typically don't watch the truck series do tune in. FOX didn't get the memo.
Hopefully those who wanted to watch were able to find it on TV, and the ones who did once again saw entertaining racing on the half-mile dirt track.
Yes, it was somewhat slow going with 10 caution flags, but the quality of the 91 green-flag laps made up for having 59 yellow-flag laps.
The experiment that started in 2013 is a must-watch each year. For one Wednesday every year, all eyes are on the Truck Series. Even the lead-up to the Brickyard 400 was put on the back burner.
The success the Eldora race has had always brings up this question: Will the Cup Series add Eldora to the schedule?
Unfortunately, that is probably a no.
Eldora is a great fit for the trucks. It's a lower-level series that can fill up a lower-level track. The Truck Series is always in need of a boost and Eldora provided that and continues to provide that for one day every year. The Cup Series isn't in the same situation.
NASCAR isn't interested in limiting itself to selling 18,000 grandstand tickets plus grass seating for a Cup race. That's a great crowd for the Truck Series, quite low for Cup. That's the bottom line.
Here's what would happen: Tickets would sell out in a minute, it would get great TV ratings and it might be the best show of the NASCAR season as far as racing. All while NASCAR loses money.
In a recent interview with NBC Sports, Eldora general manager Roger Slack said a Cup race would work at the facility, but acknowledged all the manipulations that would need to take place.
Pit road would need to be expanded to accommodate 40 cars. Pit stops are split up during the truck races, and positions are not gained or lost.
The installation of SAFER barriers would also be on the list. Also, there must be enough space for the haulers and equipment.
"How to do that and not compromise nearly 65 years of the Eldora legacy?" Slack said.
And signs point to NASCAR not being interested in having the premier series make a stop at Eldora.
"They don't return my normal calls, let alone those ones," Slack said about NASCAR officials.
That statement says it all.
Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer had an exchange on Twitter about the topic.
Bowyer is on board, Hamlin is not.
"It's perfect for the truck series..Once a year," Hamlin tweeted.
We can all agree dirt track racing has been a good move for NASCAR, but let the Truck Series keep its day in the sun - or night under the Eldora lights. And make sure to televise it on a sports channel from now on.