Tuesday NASCAR officially released the newly realigned 2009 Cup Series schedule. Three tracks were involved in a swap of dates in an attempt to put more fans in the stands. However, despite the adjustment, NASCAR missed a great opportunity to not only bring back one of the most popular races, but to honor a major piece of NASCAR history.

In the realignment announced Tuesday, Talladega Superspeedway's mid-October race would move to the slot currently held by Atlanta Motor Speedway as the seventh race in the Chase to the Cup. The Auto Club Speedway (California Speedway) will move into the Chase, taking Talladega's October date. While Atlanta's second race of the year will be held on Labor Day weekend, the date the Auto Club Speedway will leave vacant.

For years Atlanta has lobbied to move one of its Cup dates to a better spot on the schedule. Poor weather in both March - remember the snow earlier this year? I do! - and November have led to poor attendance at the gate. Empty seats have been a common occurrence at Atlanta the last few times around and NASCAR has agreed to try something new. By moving the race to early September, the hope is, the better the weather and a better turn out in the grandstands.

By moving Talladega to a later date in the Chase, the intensity of that event will be immense. Already a Wild Card event in the Chase, drivers and teams vying for the championship will have to do everything they can to avoid trouble. While a stumble early in the Chase is often recoverable, leaving Talladega with only three races remaining before the champion is crowned, a poor finish might have dire consequences.

The Auto Club Speedway seems to be the winner in this recently announced deal. The 2-mile D-shaped oval speedway moves from one of the best dates on the schedule - Labor Day weekend - to a prime Chase spot. The fourth race of the Chase, the field will head to California for the fans out West. A track that has not exactly lived up to expectations in both racing and attendance, it should be interesting to see if hosting a Chase race helps.

So where's the missed opportunity? It seems that each of these tracks benefited from these changes. It's entirely possible this will lead to improved attendance, but that is yet to be seen. The missed opportunity comes when you consider the story of the Southern 500.

The first 500-mile race NASCAR ever ran occurred on Labor Day weekend 1950 in a small South Carolina town named Darlington. Not only a race, that Labor Day weekend event had tradition about it.

Darlington lost that coveted spot to the Auto Club Speedway in 2004. Over the years the track was not the only thing too tough to tame, apparently so where low ticket sales. The lone date was moved -perhaps to honor of NASCAR's oldest and most respected "Lady" - to Mothers' Day weekend.

Since then however, track officials have invested a serious effort to resurrect this tradition. Lights were added, the race was moved to Saturday night and filling the seats became less of a concern. The racing Darlington has always been known for is still there - especially with the new car - just under the lights.

Last Wednesday, track president Chris Browning announced 2009's race will once again be called the Southern 500. Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of racing at Darlington, and this is a tribute to that milestone. Drivers responded with respect and excitement - and you can bet there will be a heck of a show.

"Winning the 50th Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in 1998 was one of the highlights of my NASCAR career," driver Jeff Burton said of the race. "With so much history that surrounds Darlington Raceway, bringing the Southern 500 back on Mother's Day weekend in 2009 is going to make winning even more prestigious."

Always a threat at Darlington, four-time winner Jeff Gordon explained, "When I think of Darlington and the history of the track, the Southern 500 is what comes to mind. I think it's great the Southern 500 is coming back to Darlington."

Gordon confidently added, "I look forward to the opportunity of possibly winning a sixth Southern 500 during Darlington's 60th season of competition."

While track personnel have taken the step to honor this tradition, fill the grandstands and put on a good show, NASCAR appears content to keep Darlington limited to only one date a year. Despite not having a race on Labor Day weekend any longer, NASCAR Legends and Hardcore Race Fans alike still show up to carry on that tradition.

On Saturday, August 30th, Darlington Raceway will play host to the Inaugural Darlington Historic Racing Festival.  Some of NASCAR's biggest legends will be available for questions and some autograph sessions are planned. NASCAR Legends participating in the event include Darrell Waltrip and Junior Johnson, David Pearson and Leonard Wood, Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Rex White, Buddy Baker, Raymond Parks and others.

The fans and those that helped put NASCAR on the map feel so passionately about this tradition, they have taken it upon themselves to carry it on despite not hosting a race - although there will be exhibition laps by some historic race cars.

With the realignment of the schedule for next season, it seems NASCAR missed a chance to bring back the true Southern 500 and honor one of its most historic tracks.

Regardless, track president Chris Browning expects this will build a new tradition, "The Southern 500 is synonymous with Darlington Raceway," Browning explained. "Combining the tradition of the Southern 500 and Mother's Day weekend under the lights at Darlington is a real treat for NASCAR fans everywhere."