Boogity, Boogity, Boogity

As sports leagues around the world try to figure out when and how they can resume their seasons, NASCAR is about to enjoy the highest ratings in its history.  That's because, after two months away, NASCAR is getting set to drop the green flag again, giving a sports-starved population exactly what it needs.

And it's gonna be a heavy dose of racing.  Two races at Darlington, followed by two races at Charlotte, including the first mid-week NASCAR races in I don't even know how long.  Other tracks in other states have offered to host races, as well, but they're wisely sticking within driving distance of the sport's home base in Charlotte.  What they end up doing after this crazy stretch of four races in 11 days is anybody's guess.  I can see them continuing this twice-a-week at the same track schedule for a little while, though.

The races will, of course, be held without fans in the stands.  So what?!  Everyone knew that was going to happen, and frankly, in NASCAR, that's not a big deal.  They hold ticketed practice sessions at empty tracks all the time.  More importantly, though, most of their money comes from broadcast and sponsorship dollars, making it even more vital to get as many races in as they can.

Memorial Day Weekend is always a significant date on the auto racing calendar, too.  Ordinarily, that Sunday will start with the Monaco Grand Prix, followed by the Indy 500, with the Coca-Cola 600 rounding out a full day of racing.  Monaco was cancelled and Indy has been postponed until late August, leaving the Coca-Cola 600 as the only question mark.

You can bet NASCAR had plenty of incentive to be back in time for the Coca-Cola 600, though.  Especially knowing the other two races won't be taking place as scheduled, this represented a great opportunity for them to be center stage.  And, again, in a country that's so desperate for any type of live sporting event, they were right to wait as long as they did.  Because if they were able to return to racing by then, why not?

Then, once North Carolina reopened its economy and allowed race teams back into their shops, it became even more obvious that the Coca-Cola 600 would go ahead as scheduled.  It wasn't going to be with fans, which mattered far less than the ability to simply hold the race.

I'm in no position to say whether North Carolina's governor made the right decision or not.  Just like I'm no position to say whether NASCAR's decision to return is smart.  Only time will tell.  But, if any sport was capable of coming back this early, it's NASCAR.  And that alone makes it worthwhile to try.

Unlike most sports, NASCAR already takes all of the necessary safety precautions.  They're part of the sport, so they don't need to do anything differently to implement them.  The drivers are all in their individual cars.  The guys on the pit crew all wear helmets and fire suits.  It's really only the spotters and everyone else in the tower that will need to keep their distance from each other, which will be made easier by the significantly smaller number of people around.

Will some other adjustments have to be made?  Certainly!  Like everything else, they'll probably require temperature checks and/or tests before entering the track.  And I'm sure the broadcasters and crew chiefs and everyone else who isn't wearing a helmet will be required to wear a mask.  The drivers may even need to wear masks when they aren't in the car.  These all seem like things they'd all be willing to do in order to get back to racing, too.

Regardless of whether it's a good idea or not, getting back to racing is something we're all desperate for.  Even if NASCAR isn't your favorite sport, you just want to know something is happening.  After nearly two months in quarantine, anything that resembles normal sounds pretty good.  For both fans and non-fans alike.  And NASCAR knows that.  So why not come back earlier than everybody else?

No, it won't be the same without the fans.  But NASCAR is the sport where performing in front of fans isn't much different than performing without them there.  You're still alone in the car, talking to everybody by radio.  They're going so fast that, when they pass the grandstand, the fans are only a blur anyway.  Sure, it's nice to celebrate in front of the screaming crowd after taking the checkered flag and being surrounded by your crew in victory lane.  But, again, that's a small sacrifice I think everyone is willing to make in this situation.

There isn't a single thing in anybody's life that's normal right now.  NASCAR races on empty tracks aren't going to feel normal, either.  But they're going to feel a lot more normal than working from home and watching classic sporting events or the same news or government press conferences or sitcom reruns or shows from the host's attic.

So, like I said, maybe this is exactly what America needs right now.  NASCAR is the lowest-risk sport out there and the one that makes the most sense to come back.  If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.  But I have a feeling it'll be just like the virtual WNBA and NFL Drafts and go off without a hitch.

This is much different than a virtual draft.  I get that.  But it's also much different than a head-to-head contact sport.  And, frankly, after weeks of hearing about nothing but cancellations and postponements and contingency plans, wasn't it nice to have a sport say they're actually going to have an event for a change?  So, as Darrell Waltrip said on so many FOX broadcasts over the years, "Boogity, boogity, boogity!  Let's go racin' boys!"