The Sprint Cup schedule appears to be about to undergo a significant change. Among the proposals floated in recent days is a switch of the Labor Day weekend races from Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has had that weekend since 2009, back to Darlington Raceway, which was the longtime site of the Labor Day weekend races. There is talk that Atlanta’s race date would change to the first week in March, which many in the sport feel is too cold and too soon after the Daytona 500 in late February to draw large crowds.
As part of the deal, Bristol Motor Speedway would see its first race moved from the middle of March to the middle of April, an apparent move to get that track a warmer weather date for its first race.
AMS president Ed Clark said Wednesday night that changes are being discussed.
“There’s a lot of speculation out there, a lot of stuff being knocked around,” he said, adding that he doesn’t believe a final decision has been reached.
Clark did say that the Labor Day weekend date isn’t as attractive to his track as it once was.
“When we first decided to run Labor Day, there was very little going on in Atlanta,” he said. “Now it’s college football’s opening weekend, and in 2015 it’s also going to be opening day for the NFL. and people have to make choices with their entertainment dollars.”
Clark said he’ll do his best to make things work no matter where his track lands on the schedule, which is set by NASCAR with input from the various track owners.
“There are potential scenarios that could put us in a better place,” he said. “But we have a lot invested in Labor Day. There are opportunities in everything being discussed, and opportunities in staying on Labor Day.”
New crew chief for Elliott: Veteran Ernie Cope was named crew chief for Nationwide Series rookie Chase Elliott beginning next season. Elliott's current crew chief, Greg Ives, will move from his current position at JR Motorsports to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Sprint Cup team at Hendrick Motorsports. He replaces Steve Letarte, who will become a TV analyst for NBC next year.
“It became clear rather quickly that the absolute best option for Chase and the NAPA team next year is already in this building,” Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports, said in a team release.
“Ernie builds fast cars, has a good rapport with Chase, and is familiar with the inner-workings of our company. Hopefully that will create a seamless transition at the end of the year, and the No. 9 team will continue its championship form right into 2015.”
Cope, from Spanaway, Wash., has been a crew chief for 12 years and now leads the No. 5 team at JR Motorsports. That car is driven by Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., among others. The team has three wins this season, as does Elliott in the No. 9.
“Kevin and I have enjoyed a lot of success, and we’re not done yet,” Cope said. “There is a lot of racing left this year, but in putting the pieces together for 2015, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to compete the full race schedule. I’ve been able to do that only once, and that was in 2011 with Elliott Sadler, when we finished second in the championship. I’d like another shot at it, and Chase Elliott is an extremely talented race-car driver.”
There’s no word on who will take Cope’s current job as crew chief of the No. 5.
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