Memphis race track bought

[MDS]

Memphis Motorsport Park has been sold for a song to a new owner who might want to keep it as a race track. They're probably going to go for the NHRA, but the oval is .75 and could be a successful little Richmond for the ICS.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to get on the ICS 2012 schedule because the most they can get from NASCAR would be a Nationwide race, and honestly good luck with that.

Here's the link:
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=54902

[Dr. Krogshöj]

If IndyCar is going to Tennessee, I'd rather see a return to Nashville. It's got a better infrastructure than Memphis, it hosted sold-out IndyCar races only a couple of years ago, and it is the home track of Firestone and Dario Franchitti. Although the racing itself would be probably better at a short oval like Memphis.

[DBell]

Memphis Motorsport Park has been sold for a song to a new owner who might want to keep it as a race track. They're probably going to go for the NHRA, but the oval is .75 and could be a successful little Richmond for the ICS.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to get on the ICS 2012 schedule because the most they can get from NASCAR would be a Nationwide race, and honestly good luck with that.

Here's the link:
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=54902

Personally, I've never found IndyCars on ovals less than a mile to be very exciting. It starts to take on a look of guys riding motorcycles in a barrel.

[MDS]

If IndyCar is going to Tennessee, I'd rather see a return to Nashville. It's got a better infrastructure than Memphis, it hosted sold-out IndyCar races only a couple of years ago, and it is the home track of Firestone and Dario Franchitti. Although the racing itself would be probably better at a short oval like Memphis.

I'd rather see Nashville as well, but the idea that it held sold-out races isn't exactly accurate. Firestone underwrote the cost of the tickets for their employees. I went up there after the merger and talked to a bunch of Firestone employees who paid $20 for their tickets. It was basically a Firestone company picnic from my experience.

If you want to see how much support in Nashville there is for Indycar check out pictures of the stands from the 2007 race. Here it was the year after the merger and people had tickets, but they overwhelmingly decided to stay home and watch the Chicago NASCAR race on television instead of attend the race they already had tickets to.

Memphis isn't a perfect market, but if they want to make a go of it and Nashville doesn't I'd like to see if they could make it work.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Nashville or Memphis? Marketwise, you would want Nashville. Richer city, country music capital, nicer facility. HOWEVER....you really didn't win the game there so you have to think outside the box. Memphis is an underdog's town and this is now the underdog's series. Gotta go where you are wanted....

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I'd rather see Nashville as well, but the idea that it held sold-out races isn't exactly accurate. Firestone underwrote the cost of the tickets for their employees. I went up there after the merger and talked to a bunch of Firestone employees who paid $20 for their tickets. It was basically a Firestone company picnic from my experience.

If you want to see how much support in Nashville there is for Indycar check out pictures of the stands from the 2007 race. Here it was the year after the merger and people had tickets, but they overwhelmingly decided to stay home and watch the Chicago NASCAR race on television instead of attend the race they already had tickets to.

Memphis isn't a perfect market, but if they want to make a go of it and Nashville doesn't I'd like to see if they could make it work.

Well, I'd be all for it. A short oval, anytime.

[nigelred5]

It might be an interesting track for Indycars. Fairly flat, slightly asymmetric. Smallish grandstands so the crowd would at least LOOK large. Not so sure about the market itself for Indycars, but locals would probably welcome shopping cart races back tho the track. If you are Randy, do you accept that the series has fallen that far and race there? I think he's thinking much larger than Memphis. Kinda reminds me of all the time Memphis pursued the NFL. They had chances with the USFL, CFL, even a while with the Oilers before they finally made it to Nashville. Even if it is technically the largest city in TN, it's a classic 2nd/3rd tier market IMHO.

[call_me_andrew]

I've been all in favor of IndyCars at Memphis for years now.

Last May, ESPN had an online survey that asked if you would be watching the Indy 500. 43% of Indiana said yes giving it the highest percentage. But the next two most interested states were Mississippi and South Carolina. Memphis is right on the border of Mississippi. The eyeballs are in NASCAR country, let's go!

[nigelred5]

I've been all in favor of IndyCars at Memphis for years now.

Last May, ESPN had an online survey that asked if you would be watching the Indy 500. 43% of Indiana said yes giving it the highest percentage. But the next two most interested states were Mississippi and South Carolina. Memphis is right on the border of Mississippi. The eyeballs are in NASCAR country, let's go!

Yeah, but Memorial Day in Mississippi is about setting a personal record of not seperating one's back side from a couch or eyes from a television watching car races on TV. I've actually watched the 500 and 600 from my father in law's couch several times. If he either installed a commode in the couch or a TV in the bathroom, I wouldn't have had to move at all since their dog can fetch my beer from a cooler. ;)

I'm sure the place would be packed, but that's like saying there's room for more than a dozen or so sardines in a can.

[MDS]

Slightly off topic but its near the Memphis market.

A guy I know socially mentioned that he was part of a group of investors who were considering building an oval south of Branson Mo. They know it would be three to five years away from getting cup date but said they would be looking at getting two major weekends established one nationwide/trucks weekend that could morph into a Cup weekend and OWR weekend.

I didn't get any details on the track, other than it would be a NASCAR friendly oval, so maybe a 1 -1.5 mile mid-banked oval.

[nigelred5]

200 miles from Kansas Speedway, owned by the France Family company. They would NEVER get a cup date

[call_me_andrew]

Slightly off topic but its near the Memphis market.

A guy I know socially mentioned that he was part of a group of investors who were considering building an oval south of Branson Mo. They know it would be three to five years away from getting cup date but said they would be looking at getting two major weekends established one nationwide/trucks weekend that could morph into a Cup weekend and OWR weekend.

I didn't get any details on the track, other than it would be a NASCAR friendly oval, so maybe a 1 -1.5 mile mid-banked oval.

NASCAR established a terrible precedent in the 80's: whoever owns the track owns the race. The only way to get a Cup date is to buy a track from someone else.

[MDS]

Yeah, I didn't think it was that great of an idea either, but I saw something about it on Jayski today so they must be some truth to it.

I'm kind of the mind that if it wouldn't work in Memphis it won't work in Branson either. It's pretty far of the interstate, small market that's already served by other tracks. Fools and money and all that.

[nigelred5]

At some point, which in many measures we have already reached, NASCAR fans are going to be less willing to drive Class A motorhomes, school busses and pick up trucks(all sucking down $3-4.00/gallon gas and diesel) hundreds of miles for a race, even if it's in an entertainment area like Branson. I believe the days of the kind of disposeable income many folks enjoyed throughout the past 10-15 years tha NASCAR flourished are long gone. The folks that are long time NASCAR supporters are also some of the same folks that have seen their disposeable income hit the hardest by global recession. It may be a good time to buy the property for investors, but I wouldn't spend a dime on something like a new race track that far out in the middle of nowhere.

[Lee Roy]

NASCAR established a terrible precedent in the 80's: whoever owns the track owns the race. The only way to get a Cup date is to buy a track from someone else.

I'm sure that the track owners don't feel this precendent is so terrible.

[call_me_andrew]

I'm sure that the track owners don't feel this precendent is so terrible.

Depends on which track owners you are refering to. Those who arealdy have two races think it's fantastic, those who don't, disagree.

[MDS]

Depends on which track owners you are refering to. Those who arealdy have two races think it's fantastic, those who don't, disagree.

There are only four track owners who host NASCAR races, Dover Entertainment, ISC, SMI and the Mattiolli family, all of whom have at least one facility with two Cup dates, and even in this economy those are like printing presses.

[call_me_andrew]

I should clarify: by "those who don't" I refer to track owners who have zero Cup dates.

Also, you forgot IMS.

[Lee Roy]

Depends on which track owners you are refering to. Those who arealdy have two races think it's fantastic, those who don't, disagree.

The thing is that it is nearly impossible, financially, to operate a major oval track in this country without a Cup date.

[Mark in Oshawa]

The thing is that it is nearly impossible, financially, to operate a major oval track in this country without a Cup date.

That is SO true if you want the oval to be a first class all bells and whistles facility; but I would argue Nashville is surviving, and Kentucky DID survive..and is Iowa...it is a Cup or NW date that you need...although before Tony George got creative and tried to run and finance his own series in 95, I would wager IMS might have survived with only that one date..but of course, they didn't do that.

Ovals are NASCAR country...and to build a multimillion dollar oval and not have a cup date means a really thin balance sheet. Nashville in my mind is the one track that NASCAR should have put a cup date in, just based on the history of the sport in that city.

oh well...fair is a place where you get funnel cakes, not how the world works.

As for Indycar, well no one is building ovals for them any more..so they better get used to that...

[Alexamateo]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/feb/01/no-headline---2011-01-31-231851399204/

Deal has closed as of yesterday. Moroso Partners bought it. They also own Palm Beach International Raceway. As a Memphian, I am glad racing people bought it.

[nigelred5]

The good thing is, they stole that property. They have a pretty nice little facility to run races on that won't break the bank so to speak. I'm sure they can probably land things like an ARCA race, maybe something like USAC asphalt racing and such.

[Alexamateo]

I went to the very first race they held there on the oval (an ARCA/USAC Silver Crown show) so it would be great if they could get something scheduled. I will note that it says they have a road course, but it's in no condtion to hold a race IMO. I remember Scott Pruett won a Trans-AM race there and Bobby Rahal testing an Indycar there, but there's been nothing major on the road course for at least 15-20 years. The drag strip and oval are probably race ready now, or at least with minimal refurbishing.

[anthonyvop]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/feb/01/no-headline---2011-01-31-231851399204/

Deal has closed as of yesterday. Moroso Partners bought it. They also own Palm Beach International Raceway. As a Memphian, I am glad racing people bought it.

I wonder if they will pay their bills there?

[Alexamateo]

I wonder if they will pay their bills there?

So you're saying terms should be COD? :p What's the scoop?, I'm just repeating what I read in the article. You're from their neck of the woods, aren't ya?

[BobbyC]

I went to the very first race they held there on the oval (an ARCA/USAC Silver Crown show) so it would be great if they could get something scheduled. I will note that it says they have a road course, but it's in no condtion to hold a race IMO. I remember Scott Pruett won a Trans-AM race there and Bobby Rahal testing an Indycar there, but there's been nothing major on the road course for at least 15-20 years. The drag strip and oval are probably race ready now, or at least with minimal refurbishing.

Memphis has dumped the NHRA and agreed to be sanctioned by Feld Entertainment's Nitro Jam (and the format is a joke; one round of eliminations, fastest two winners of the four winners race for the title). Palm Beach did the same. Also the road course at Palm Beach was refurbished, and I wouldn't be surprised to see upgrades to that road course and an attempt to make it 2-2.5 miles to bring IndyCar or at least testing there. ARCA races at PBIR's road course.

[nigelred5]

The key to running a race facility in this country is creating a facility that generates regular income, not blowing the wad and going into debt for one really big expensive show with overpriced tickets and mediocre attendance. That would lend itself to doing as you suggest and repaving the road course for trackdays, club racing and local/regional SCCA type stuff, possibly som two wheeled action as well.

My understanding was Memphis was going to be an IHRA sanctioned track instead of NHRA, so I guess that implies the NitroJam tour would be part of that. NHRA sanctioning isn't cheap.

[call_me_andrew]

The thing is that it is nearly impossible, financially, to operate a major oval track in this country without a Cup date.

That depends on the oval. If you have a big oval with an infield roval, then you can make money off club racing. A short track can survive with large number of local and regional races. Or you can follow the Heartland Park and IRP models and build road course/drag strips adjacent to short tracks.

[Lee Roy]

That depends on the oval. If you have a big oval with an infield roval, then you can make money off club racing. A short track can survive with large number of local and regional races. Or you can follow the Heartland Park and IRP models and build road course/drag strips adjacent to short tracks.

That's why I used the term "major oval". Your right, without a Cup race an oval has to survive as a club track, a local track or diversify to other forms of motorsports such as drag racing.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Isn't Scott Dixon's father involved with Moroso Partners? It would mean that IndyCar is at least not completely off their radar. On the other hand, Palm Beach International Raceway hasn't pursued a date so far.