Earlier, when Kevin Harvick said that one great race is better than two mediocre races, he was not kidding, because we all know if there is one debate that has gone on longer than NASCAR’s format debate, it’s the sport’s schedule. The race calendar, which has been largely fixed for two decades, is still a hot topic. The old guard prefers a longer season, but modern-era drivers like Dale Jr. believe less is more. Now, a veteran is here to explain why his perspective is totally different from today’s generation.

“I was driving for no salary and getting a percentage of what I won. I wanted to go to a Cup race on an off weekend. I wanted 36 or 38 Cup weekends. I didn’t want 28. I didn’t want to go run my dirt car for $500 to win when I could be running the Cup car for $30,000 to win. So I wanted more. Everyone’s in a different boat.” Said Ken Schrader.

Schrader wanted a longer schedule because, for him, more Cup races meant more opportunities to earn money, which is different for today’s generation because Dale Earnhardt Jr. believed NASCAR’s season was too long and that less could be more, arguing that a shorter schedule would leave fans wanting more instead of giving them NASCAR every weekend.

“Our season is too long in NASCAR. This is not just Kyle Larson. Dale Jr. said this years ago, he said, look at the NFL. It leaves you wanting more, so I remember that. And I’m like, Ooh, that’s really good”. Said Ken.

But why is there such a gap in ideology? The answer lies in the economics of that era. At the time, drivers relied more on race prize money, so more weekends simply meant more chances to earn. That is not the case today, as drivers make much more than just prize money.

The top Cup drivers earn guaranteed salaries in millions. Add the bonuses and endorsement incentives to that, too. Which is why Schrader’s next point explained why Cup drivers today prefer the time off.

“If the upper-tier drivers now that make a lot of money… their base salary… do you think, ‘Okay, it’s 38 weekends. Yeah, I’d get rid of some weekends. Let’s have 34 weekends. Hell, I’m still making the same salary. It’s not per race. I’ll take four more weekends off.’”

So Schrader’s point is simple that it’s the pay structure that has changed, and hence the contradicting preferences. Today’s generation is driven by fixed contracts and a good base salary, while Schrader’s generation had to race as often as they could to maximize their earnings, and hence, still prefers more race weekends.

But Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not alone in believing that less can be more when it comes to NASCAR’s schedule from today’s generation.

Chase Elliott has also pushed for a more compact Cup calendar, saying he is a firm believer that “less is more” when it comes to the timing of the season. He believes NASCAR should avoid competing with the NFL and finish its season earlier to help maximize TV ratings and fan interest. Denny Hamlin has also argued that NASCAR can become oversaturated, while Bubba Wallace has said the season is too long and needs to be condensed.

But aside from the schedule, their debate also touched upon the current race-length discussion going on in the garage, and Schrader knows what the sport will do.

Schrader’s message on race-length changes

The conversation stirred when six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon said that he finds the modern NASCAR races difficult to watch and that it “allows for a nap.” NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson also doubled down on it, saying three hours for a race is too long.

But Schrader explained how the sporting body sees such things. He used an example from the history books when NASCAR shortened a lot of races in 1974, when there was a fuel crisis going on in the country.

To set an example of fuel conservation, NASCAR chose to reduce the length of many races by 10 percent or more. But Schrader feels that the sport will only make a change when they feel it’s justified, and not when the drivers demand it.

“Like the Daytona race started on lap 21 or something. They took 10% off all the races just to show the world they were doing their part as far as conserving fuel. But, you know, they are what they are.

“Luckily for NASCAR, whatever Larson thinks, or we think, or everybody else thinks, they’ll listen to it, but they’ll make the decision.”

The example of 1974 backs Schrader’s point. It’s the same way the sport introduced stage racing on its own in 2017 along with broadcast partners without any driver demands. The Next Gen’s introduction in 2022 is another NASCAR-only decision, which proves Schrader’s point that while it has its ears open, the final call will always stay with them.