Kentucky Getting a Race

[muggle not]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-nascar-kentucky-2010&prov=ap&type=lgns
SMI willing to move one of its races to Kentucky

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer 2 hours, 22 minutes ago



CONCORD, N.C. (AP)—Speedway Motorsports Inc. officials said Monday they have asked NASCAR to add Kentucky to the 2010 Sprint Cup Series schedule.
Any chance SMI has is contingent on the former owners of Kentucky Motor Speedway dropping an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., its sister company.
SMI chairman Bruton Smith, who traveled to the Kentucky Derby last weekend to make a case for dropping the suit, has so far been unsuccessful in his efforts.
“We’re trying to persuade these people to try to drop that appeal, and then they are out of the way of NASCAR, and it would make it much simpler,” Smith said. “We haven’t been able to make that occur. There’s only two people holding it up.”


Smith is willing to give up a race date at one of his seven other facilities to get Kentucky on the schedule. He would not reveal which track he is considering, and SMI president Marcus Smith said no decision has been made on which track would lose a date if NASCAR adds Kentucky to its 36-race schedule.

[harvick#1]

as long as New Hampshire stays put with 2 dates, a different cookie cutter has to go for Kentucky to move in IMO

[muggle not]

as long as New Hampshire stays put with 2 dates, a different cookie cutter has to go for Kentucky to move in IMO
It really looks like 2 tracks will have to give up a race. If Kentucky gets a race and it also looks like smith wants another race at Vegas then he will have to decide which of his tracks to take a race from.

NHIS will probably give up a race and, maybe, Atlanta.

[RaceFanStan]

People may lament over losing a Cup race @ Loudon but look at the list ...
SMI owns 7 raceracks with 12 Cup races :
Atlanta - 2 races / great racing, won't likely lose a date

Bristol - 2 races / great racing, won't likely lose a date

Charlotte - 2 races / great racing, won't likely lose a date

Las Vegas - 1 race / big market, won't likely lose it's date
(in fact Bruton would like a 2nd Cup date @ Vegas)

Sonoma - 1 race / it is a road course, won't likely lose a date

Texas - 2 races / fought hard for 2nd date, won't likely lose a date

That only leaves Loudon with 2 Cup races ...
if Kentucky is added at the cost of SMI losing a date
I expect it will be 1 of the Cup races @ Loudon that is cut. :eek:

[Lee Roy]

It would be a shame for Loudon to lose a date. The fans in that area have really supported their races. Also, not a lot of other NASCAR races in the New England area; whereas there are a lot of races not all that far from Kentuky.

NASCAR should move the race at Indianapolis to Kentucky. They're never going to get the CUP cars to run right at Indy and pretty soon very few people will be going to the races there anyway.

[Wade91]

i would like to see a race at kentucky, it would be ashame for loudon to lose a race though :(

[harvick#1]

I believe the only way NHIS will keep its dates is because it sells out both races, Atlanta I'm sure will lose a date, and they were even talking about Charlotte losing one also.

or could atlanta's poor attendance cost them both races, but in the perfect world, Atlanta and California both should lose one race

[muggle not]

Kentucky will probably replace Atlanta for one race and if Vegas gets another date it will at the cost of NHIS, IMHO.

I agree with lee roy though, Iindy should be canned. I just hope they don't lose a road race.

[harvick#1]

I agree with lee roy though, Iindy should be canned. I just hope they don't lose a road race.


or, they make ORP into a 100,000 fan bull ring and have the Cup guys have another short track, and ORP is a great racetrack BTW

[oldhippie]

i would close loudon
- bulldoze the track and build public assisted housing :p
- move the dates to Kentucky and Vegas :)

[Wade91]

Kentucky will probably replace Atlanta for one race and if Vegas gets another date it will at the cost of NHIS, IMHO.

I agree with lee roy though, Iindy should be canned. I just hope they don't lose a road race.
but the the race at indy is aguably the 2nd most presteagas race on the schedual, i dont see any reason to do away with it

[Lee Roy]

but the the race at indy is aguably the 2nd most presteagas race on the schedual, i dont see any reason to do away with it

The NASCAR races at Indy are not doing too well these days. Last year's race was a disaster. I doubt that NASCAR races there will draw much of a crowd if the races there continue like they are, and given the recent tire tests, I'm not sure they will ever get better.

The NASCAR race at Indy will cease to be the 2nd most prestigious race on the schedule if no one is showing up to watch it.

The Kentucky Speedway is essentially in the same market as Indy, so that area will still be covered.

Plus, I'd love to see what happens to the IRL when it no longer has the NASCAR race at Indy to supplement it's financial losses.

[Sparky1329]

I don't think Bruton bought NHIS for nothing. I'll be surprised if the track doesn't lose a race.

If this year's race at Indy is anything like last years race - i.e. big bad joke - it will be the stick-a-fork-in-it moment.

[RaceFanStan]

I never cared for the racing @ Loudon, too boring IMO ...
when Adam Petty died in a crash there, I disliked Loudon even more. :s

[harvick#1]

tracks have fatalities, its unfortunent, but it happens, the greatest tracks in the world all have deaths from racing.

I love NHIS, why, cause its different. not a boring ass 1.5 cookie cutter where when one guy hits the set-up 10 cars are on the lead lap by 50 laps.

plus New Hampshire still sellouts there races at well over 100K. one of the few tracks that still sellout every race

[BobbyC]

Remember, Texas sued its way for the Chase. I wonder if Kentucky learned its lesson -- sue to get its way.

[Lee Roy]

Remember, Texas sued its way for the Chase. I wonder if Kentucky learned its lesson -- sue to get its way.

Kentuky's suit hasn't had much success so far. Doubt it will.

[tstran17_88]

NASCAR should move the race at Indianapolis to Kentucky. They're never going to get the CUP cars to run right at Indy and pretty soon very few people will be going to the races there anyway.Nice idea...but the networks and sponsors dictate Nascar's decisions. They place would have to look like a Nationwide race at AutoClub Speedway before they'd pull the plug on Indy.

[jeffconn]

Either Atlanta or New Hampshire will lose a race. Since Dover, Indy and Pocono aren't owned by one of the big 2 track owners, those races are safe. And Hell will freeze over before ISC gives one of its Cup race dates to SMI.