A big name is in contention for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship. That is none other than Denny Hamlin. While battling with NASCAR in the courtroom, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran is reigning supreme with 5 wins and counting. This season seems prime for a golden shot at the championship in two decades for Hamlin. However, even as he inches towards his long-awaited trophy, NASCAR stole the sparkle from Hamlin’s potential award stage.
With the Bristol night race concluded, we now head into the Round of 12 in the playoffs. Already, NASCAR is cooking up changes for the 2026 season, from new tracks to a new playoff system. But while we are in the season, the sport just unfurled a massive update, to the disappointment of fans.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The NASCAR glitz hits a new venue
For 76 years, NASCAR has evolved as a sport, and so has its fame. But it probably reached the peak of its glamor between 1981 and 2008. Before that time period, the sport held its awards banquet for champions at the Plaza Hotel in Daytona Beach, in core NASCAR country. Then, Bill France Jr. shifted that venue to the Waldorf Astoria in New York City to get NASCAR the attention it coveted. Conducting the ceremony at the most prestigious hotel at the time worked wonders for the sport’s fame. From Junior Johnson to Jimmie Johnson, legends earned their titles at that venue. However, we have come a long way since then.
NASCAR recently announced that the annual NASCAR Awards will take place in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Nov. 4. Bob Pockrass updated the news on X. He wrote, “NASCAR will do its postseason awards for its three national series on the Tuesday after Phoenix (Nov. 4) in Scottsdale. Will be televised on the NASCAR Channel (which is on Tubi and other platforms). My understanding is it’s Champ 4 drivers, not all playoff drivers, attending.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Tim Clark, executive vice president and chief brand officer for NASCAR, said that “Scottsdale offers the perfect backdrop.” Indeed, the city is renowned for its hospitality, culture, and scenic desert landscapes. Yet yesteryears are bound to play at the back of our minds. For 30 years, New York became NASCAR’s home away from home before administrative and financial concerns led the sport to Las Vegas. After a decade in Sin City, NASCAR again packed its bags and went to Nashville, where it remained until 2024, when the awards ceremony was held in Charlotte and Joey Logano won. Charlotte is where the ARCA Menards, Regional, and International Series will hold their ceremonies this year.
After this wild reshuffling of venues for NASCAR’s national series, fans are tired. They are not particularly in favor of NASCAR’s latest venue change.
Longing for the past glamor
Although NASCAR originated from rural southeast Carolina, its goals are sky-high. And fans want the sport to aim for the most glamorous venues to award its champion drivers. That is why New York left a permanent mark on the diehard fans. When the Waldorf Astoria used to be the NASCAR Awards venue, the sport snuggled with baseball’s New York Yankees, the NBA’s New York Knicks, the NHL’s New York Rangers, and other sports. So one fan longed for the past: “I miss the top ten getting their moment in New York. Those were fun times.” What is more, going to Scottsdale hardly holds a candle to NASCAR’s Manhattan moments. That is what another fan pointed out: “In the 80s NASCAR was going to the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan and in 2025 they’re going to a Quality Inn in Scottsdale. Some progress.”
Another reason why fans did not enjoy the announcement involved a Cup Series driver. Denny Hamlin, who fetched his 59th career win in Gateway, is embroiled in a lawsuit against NASCAR. So, as the veteran moves towards breaking his 2-decade-old championship curse, a fan implied that NASCAR wants to rob the sparkle from his pursuit. “Considering one of the drivers who owns two of the teams that could realistically win it are suing them, why spend the money.” According to Bob Pockrass’ post, only the final four drivers will attend the banquet. This is another sign of NASCAR’s animosity toward Hamlin. Another fan wrote, “Guess they’ve got to make sure if Denny wins he won’t have much of an audience 😆”
Somebody else said that they could not care less about NASCAR’s venue change. With a rapid shuffle of places and options for viewing, fans have grown tired of the sport’s unstable decisions. Somebody viewed the change from the Waldorf Astoria to Scottsdale as a downgrade. They wrote, “The Awards Ceremony location keeps getting worse year by year.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Clearly, NASCAR is not whipping up big enthusiasm for its 2025 award plans. Let’s see how Scottsdale fares among drivers, and who gets to visit the venue.