The brainchild of Tony Stewart has unexpectedly pulled the plug on its 2024 season, despite a successful run in 2023. The latest update on the series and an official tweet from SRX have confirmed that the series won’t be hitting the short tracks this season, “postponing” it. The official word is “market factors” have thrown a spanner in the works, making it tough to go ahead as planned. Interestingly, this update came three days after legendary NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham announced that he purchased the rights to the IROC brand with Rob Kauffman.

The short track series debuted in 2021 and featured an all-star cast of drivers across the motorsports spectrum competing against each other. Tony Stewart won the series’ inaugural championship. Marco Andretti won the 2022 championship, with Ryan Newman taking the title in 2023. Surprisingly, the decision to postpone the series comes after the addition of new sponsors in 2o23 and speculation that it would host a race overseas.

SRX hopes to return with “long-term potential” after disappointing update

The SRX Series, which saw the television screen on ESPN’s Thursday Night Thunder in 2023 after two successful seasons on CBS, had its sights set on bigger horizons. There were talks of Tony Stewart’s series expanding to the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia or Qatar as potential hosts.

Announcing the decision to postpone what would have been the fourth season of the series, SRX posted on X, “It is with deep disappointment that we announce the postponement of SRX’s fourth season. We entered the next phase of our racing series with great anticipation and excitement for what was ahead. Our expectations, however, have been tempered by market factors that have proven too much to overcome.” While it appears this means there will be no SRX racing during 2024, the series still hopes to return in the future.

The statement further read, “The racing industry continues to evolve and we are actively exploring strategic options for the series’ long-term potential. We made this announcement now to allow our partners the time and flexibility to best serve their interests.”  Despite the shift to cable from network television, SRX still managed to draw an average of 436,000 viewers in the 2023 season, which was a major dip from the 1 million viewers last year.

But let’s not forget, a move to cable often means a dip in the audience for any show. Even so, Stewart’s venture remained one of ESPN’s top draws on race days. Plus, they saw an uptick in key demographics, with an average of 148,000 viewers in the 18–49 age bracket. The series was on a roll, selling out four races, with three setting new attendance records at the tracks. From the get-go at Stafford Motor Speedway, the crowds were bumper-to-bumper. Looking forward, SRX didn’t waste time glancing back. They already had their dates set for 2024’s six-week run in July and August. Series CEO Don Hawk and owner Tony Stewart were buzzing with excitement, with drivers and venues already showing interest.

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SRX 2024 races were scheduled at Stafford Speedway, Thunder Road International Speedbowl, Slinger Speedway, Berlin Raceway, and Cedar Lake Speedway. However, just days after the news broke about Ray Evernham buying IROC, SRX hit the brakes, announcing an indefinite postponement. 

IROC announces return after 18-year hiatus

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IROC was a series of races held annually from 1973 to 2006 but went on a hiatus after failing to find sponsors. Everham, who was a key figure in the formation of the SRX series, joined former NASCAR Cup team owner Rob Kauffman to announce the formation of IROC Holdings LLC and gain the rights to the IROC brand.

In a media statement, it was revealed that the group “plans to bring the historic brand back to life,” including at least one race in 2024. Rather than utilize new racecars, like SRX, the return of IROC will utilize older IROC cars.

With SRX shelved, for the time being, IROC could prove to be popular among race fans and regain its glory of the past. Do you think SRX will make a return in the immediate future? Did the IROC return announcement play a role in SRX postponing its next season?

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