February 20th, 2009 
Journo Bruton Smith amped up his Kentucky Speedway rhetoric this week, with the help of Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, as they announced plans for a $75 million expansion (with help from the state) to aid them in their quest for a Sprint Cup Series date.
And why not? Kentucky is a great facility. The mile and a half, 68,000 seat tri-oval was built in 2000 and has consistently had great attendance numbers. The IRL and NASCAR Nationwide races are usually a sell out and the Truck Series always performs well. Not to mention it is just 45 minutes from Cincinnati, Ohio and about an hour from Louisville, Ky.
Even so I can honestly say I am not excited about the prospect of another mile and a half, cookie cutter track on the schedule. I don’t think our friends at NASCAR are either. It doesn’t hurt that they’re embroiled in a continuing legal saga with former track owner Jerry Carroll. They have said they won’t even consider a date for the track until that matter is resolved.
Beyond the lawsuit, NASCAR has said they are not interested in giving the track a Cup date because of the close proximity the track has to Indianapolis (just about 150 miles away). Bristol isn’t that far either (about 300 miles away).
As a side note the infrastructure around the track isn’t great either.
When Smith announced the purchase of the track last summer, the dynamic certainly changed. Smith had been lobbying NASCAR for a date for 2009, but was unsuccessful. He now says he wants a date for next season.
Now NASCAR won’t be supplying the track a date, obviously, so Smith has two options. First, he can buy another track that currently has a Cup Series date and move it to Kentucky. What are his options? Pocono and Indianapolis. Since Tony George is not about to be sell his family’s crown jewel (I think there is a better chance I win the lottery), that leaves Pocono. Pocono though, like Indy, is family owned, and is not likely to change hands soon. If and when Pocono is sold, my bet is Bruton is not the one that gets it.
Likewise given the weak reception shareholders gave him after he announced the purchase of Kentucky just months after buying New Hampshire, I doubt they would be too thrilled if he bought another, piling more debt on the company.
His second option is taking a date from a track he already owns. Right off the bat, take out Bristol, Las Vegas, Infineon and Texas. That leaves us with Lowes, Atlanta, and New Hampshire. From there, I doubt Atlanta is a contender; if it is SMI isn’t letting on. So we’re down to two. While I can’t say the racing is always great at Lowes, it makes me sick to my stomach to think about the track only having one date. Lowes has had at least two dates since 1960. It is part of Charlotte. As for New Hampshire, I can’t say I am a fan of getting rid of a date there either. Smith has said he won’t take its second date away (you’ll remember it got its second date after Bob Bahre and Smith bought North Wilkesboro Speedway), whether or not he sticks to that though is really up to him.
In the end I think whatever means Smith pursues for getting Kentucky a date will be bad for the sport. I may be wrong, and frankly hope I am.
Early last year David Carviello at NASCAR.com wrote an article about the Kentucky debacle. His point was, just because you build it does not mean a date will or should come to the track. I couldn’t agree more.
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I say leave it up to a fan vote of what tracks get a date, or two! I live in Atl w/ it’s two dates. While it may be convenient to have the opportunity to attend the Spring and/or Fall races, the stands are never ever full. Atl is, unfortuntaley a “fair weather” sports town. I understand Rockingham out lost due to poor attendance and little infrastructure. Flip side is Atl has nice ammenities yet still poor attendance.
Each fan should vote once via the purchase of a reasonably priced ticket!
“As a side note the infrastructure around the track isn’t great either.”
You can say that again. The track itself is nice but there is absolutely nothing around it.
“In the end I think whatever means Smith pursues for getting Kentucky a date will be bad for the sport.”
Bruton Smith in general is bad for the sport.
I think Bruton Smith as a whole is bad for the sport. He is a bully who’s money leads him to go after anything he chooses with no consideration for anyone or anything else. The underhanded way he took over North Wilksboro was disgusting. His posturing over the drag strip at Lowe’s was like a child threatening to take his toys and go home. As much as I’d love to see Pocono taken off the schedule completely it’s not worth it to have to see Bruton’s toad like face on TV more. There is plenty of room to remake the schedule. We only need one race at Michigan, NO races at Pocono, NO races at California it is the most pathetic track on the schedule, get rid of Vegas, Chicago and Kansas.
Now it’s open to race at Iowa, Rockingham, Montreal, North Wilksboro, and the Southern 500 can be back at Darlington where it belongs. Problem solved. Brian France feel free to call me to solve any other problems with the sport I have loved and which you are destroying.
Taking a date away from Charlotte is a great way to save teams money! (Note: that was sarcasm.)
I’m all for having races where the drivers have to really race instead of the cookie-cutters which are getting more boring every year. If it were’nt for a little side bet or so, I can think of quite a few races not really worth watching. I would start with Pocono,California, and Michigan.
No more version 1.5 cookies! I’m looking forward to attending Atl which is about 4 hours drive for me. I go more for the RV outing and total racing experience vs. the on track racing and this shouldn’t be the case. Atl is a great facility and the staff I have dealt with are 1st class, but the cars can get so spread out that a nap is almost called for while in the stands. In comparision I go to Dega for the racing and everything else is just bonus…as it should be. My vote would be for short track or restrictor plate track even if I have to give up going to Atl 1 race. Just my opinion as a race fan that spends time and $$ at a couple of tracks.
If the developers of Kentucky Speedway had sold to ISC it would have a Cup date before the ink on the sale contract could dry.
Are you kidding me? No infrastructure? 35 minutes to Cincinnati, 2 exits built off the interstate for this track by KY, and a track that has sold 45000 NCTS tickets? I love Bristol, but to be fair choosing between driving from Noxiousville for 2 hours or sleeping in your car in a church parking lot is some serious fun, but not exactly amenities! as for Indy, it sucks, I watch that one on TV, I’ve sat in front penthouse, back stretch, turn 2 and turn 4 and you sit and watch the fans, you can’t see!
NASCAR needs to think about fans and not about the good old days of Wilkesboro. are you kidding me, that was like driving in the chuch parking lot….potholes and all.
IMHO.
While I understand your points I hope that you will at least understand mine. We live in Kentucky & would love for a Cup Race to come to this track. I agree there is nothing around track but if a Cup Race were to come, the area would grow. That being said, we travel to Talladega every year in fall and have never once left the campground in search of something to do or to purchase anything. We prepared for our trip ahead of time. I know that does not address every fan but I am just giving you my opinion from an out of town fan. We also go to the Nationwide & Truck races at Kentucky & take what we need & have never been dissatisfied at Kentucky. I will not attend a race at Indy for lack of being able to “view” the race except when the pass right in front of you. I would rather watch at home & save my money & after the tire episode last year I wouldn’t want to take the chance. As far as Bristol, you really have to wait until someone dies to get a set of tickets or sell your soul to the price they want for their tickets. If your lucky enough to get tickets to Bristol the room prices are inflated so high and booked a year in advance that it’s not worth it. So you see, you have your reasons & I have mine. Why can’t Kentucky be given a chance? It just might turn out a good race, after the ones we’ve been seeing lately we could use a good one.
Why don’t we just take away one of the california speedway dates and shift over to Kentucky? Autoclub never sells out anyway.
When is NASCAR going to realize that figure-8 tracks are the future?
Bobby- I definitely see what you’re saying, and honestly I believe it is a great facility. Likewise there is more than enough fans in the area to support the race. That is evident during any event at the track. Ultimately my issue is with Bruton Smith taking a date away from a track that in my opinion deserves two dates. Would I be in favor of it if they wanted to take the date away from lets say California? Absolutely. Unfortunately the France family is not going to give up any of their dates.
First, SMI buying Kentucky Speedway was a waste of money, wrong area, wrong size track, you might of had some luck with getting a Cup date if it was a halfmile, 1 mile or some unique like Darlington, not the standard 1.5 mile track, too many of them as is.
Second, NASCAR will NOT give them a Cup Series date period.
Third, Atlanta will loss there second Cup Series date to Kentucky if NASCAR were to consider it. NASCAR will not give them or transfer one of SMI’s date from another track right now and even if teh suit is over, I don’t think so.
Smith said in New Hampshire in the media center, he would not take a date from New Hampshire Motor Speedway period, that is my home track by the way, I go either on Friday, Saturday or Sunday at least once a year.
Bottom line, love the quote above, “just because you build it does not mean a date will or should come to the track.” I agree completely too.
I don’t understand why NASCAR does not put race dates up for bid. Tracks can bid the year before for the first 26 and then they can bid for the chase dates. The highest bidder wins. This would allow Nascar to go to different tracks every year. This would also remove the domination from the france family and bruton smith, allowing other rack to win a race date.
Racedriven, No disrespect intended but you stated that New Hampshire was your home track. Yet you only go once a year? Here in Kentucky the tickets are season ticket holders and we don’t even have a cup race & the place is sold out at every event. There is a group of 26 that travel to Talladega Ala. from Kentucky, a 6 hour drive pulling travel trailers every Oct. for the past 7 years for 4 days. Stating Kentucky is the wrong area, I have to disagree this track would be a sell out. Wrong size track? Well there are quite a few similar to this one on the schedule I have to agree, but there are never 2 tracks the same. This track was used on a regular basis for testing so I would assume the drivers & owners see something in this track or it wouldn’t be so popular for testing. The interstate is connected directly to this track & after the race we were out of the lot & home in 2 1/2 hours, I was quite surprised since we live an 1 1/2 hours away. In Talladega the roads in front of the speedway are normally shut down for the remainder of the night after the race.
Bobby, No disrespect intended to you too, but first, why would you travel 5 hours to Talladega? Indianapolis is closer, and what about Bristol, Atlanta, and maybe even Martinsville, why not go to those racetracks?
Second, money is tight, just like in most house holds, we use to go to New Hampshire three times a year for the May Busch race, and both Cup dates, now it would normally be just both Cup dates, now money is even tighter, so once a year is better than nothing. We can’t afford a giant trip, the day trip is 5-6 hours long, I have attended only two cup dates (however not in the grandstands, instead in the infield – long story, got really lucky), personally I like the Friday and Saturday’s up there, practice, qualifying and a race all in one day, of course the Cup date would be better if it was affordable.
Third, 5 hours one way is I think Watkins Glen and Dover for me, too long of distance in one and hotels are expensive and don’t want to anyway.
Bobby, excluding Indianapolis and Bristol as I read your comments again above and I see your point, first, 6 hours from Kentucky…Chicago, Kansas, Charlotte (that’s might be 6 hours), Atlanta (if they can get the dates right), did I miss any? I mean 4 tracks, all basically 1.5 mile tracks and while I understand Kentucky’s position and yours, I still don’t see it, but that’s my opinion and I really don’t mean to come down on you as you are fighting for what you believe in.
New Hampshire is what I believe in, of course One cup date would be fine for me every year, of course New Hampshire normally either just about or sellout both races.
Pocono should have one race, Atlanta one date if they can’t sell better, of course date is everything, California Speedway stinks, Las Vegas is a keeper, 2 Cup dates would work, Iowa needs a Cup date, great track, Martinsville might be better with one cup date, Bristol and Richmond two each and so on…by the way, Charlotte is home for teams, give them that.
Since another Bobby has joined the conversations I altered my name a bit, welcome other Bobby!! Steve C, the reason Nascar will never take bids on the race dates is exactly what you said, it would remove the domination of the France family. Not to mention they own alot of the tracks so they would in effect be paying themselves.
Nascar is not a democracy and Brian France seems hell bent on taking it straight down the toilet. He’s doing a great job of it so far.
Thanks for the Welcome. Racedriven I can understand the money situation, been dealing with lay-offs for over 2 years now. That’s all the more reason we would like to see Kentucky get a cup race. Like I stated before I wouldn’t pay to go to Indy. You only see the race when they pass directly in front of you regardless of your seats. We pull a trailer to Dega for the race, we spend 4 days in the campground outside the track & sit in the grandstand and split the cost with others. Most of the time we have 2 trailers on the same lot max. of people in trailer, split the food & enjoy ourselves. Bristol is about the same distance but with Dega being mostly flat ground round trip, Bristol is mainly steep grades. Basically we all decided with Dega being almost a straight shot down I-65 & being able to convince the wife it’s an anniversary trip (she’s NASCAR crazy) I get off cheap with it all balled up together.
You do make good points and we have thought about the tracks but Dega has the 50-50 plan when paying for your tickets so it works out for us.
After reading the comments about the franchising, I wanted to ask if anyone read the article in Forbes about NASCAR. The article referenced the France family strong-hold on the sport. It highlighted how the tracks owned by the France family are guaranteed a spot on the schedule. It even had a quote from the former president of Lowe’s Speedway. Anyway, it bought up many of the same topics in the posts above. I don’t want to take anything away from the Insiders, but it did offer a good perspective.
New Hampshire Motor Speedwayay is my home track as well. I hope He doesn’t take a date away. However,We all know what happen to North Wilkesboro!
Take a date from Atlanta, they can’t sell out either of the two races they have. Leave Charlotte with 2, the truck and nationwide teams need to be able to save some money where possible.
[...] Deserve A Cup Date Since we are sort of in a “talking about tracks” mood (see Kentucky, Really? http://www.thenascarinsiders.com/2009/02/20/kentucky-really/), I figured I’d continue the conversation with a little bit on the Auto Club Speedway. [...]
Bruton has implied recently that he’d take a race from Charlotte. Why not? He’s got 3 there now!
Also, if Bruton is a bully, what is Brian France’s sister? She’s no saint in this! Her tracks ALWAYS have dates!