When it was announced that the inaugural race at Kentucky Speedway was sold out, it was obviously a very encouraging sign. Despite the fact that yet another cookie cutter was added to the Sprint Cup schedule, strong attendance is the most important thing and Kentucky’s long-awaited date appeared to be well deserved. That is, until the day of the race. Unless the only NASCAR-related articles you read are mine, then you know by now the opening event at Kentucky was a complete failure.
It’s not the first time a facility has had problems with traffic; however, everyone involved in preparing for this race had plenty of time to get ready and deliver a warm welcome to the hard-working NASCAR fans. The fact that some of these fans, some of whom traveled hundreds of miles and many hours to attend, got turned away due to lack of parking makes me sick (at the same time I now feel so much better for not making the seven-hour drive to go).
Obviously, Kentucky will keep their race for next year, and many years to follow. In fact, don’t be surprised to see them steal Atlanta’s second date in the near future. If I had it my way, though, they would lose their one race and go back to the end of the line of tracks hoping for a Cup date. The facility has been hosting Nationwide events for over 10 years now, but there are some other standalone tracks in NASCAR’s second-tier league that would be a much better replacement.
Iowa Speedway
It is very possible Iowa will be the next track added to the Sprint Cup tour. It’s not located in a major market, but what makes this place so great is it has its own personality. The 0.875-mile speedway is similar in size to Richmond International Raceway, but it’s progressive banking, which has produced exciting racing, makes it feel similar to Homestead. Most importantly, attendance has been strong for every race out there. If they are already getting the seats full, imagine what the turnout would be like for a Cup race.
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
While this would make for a great slot on the schedule, the odds of it happening are starting to dwindle. Recently it was announced that the Quebec government would not put up a good chunk of change to help fund the racetrack, leaving it in NASCAR’s hands to support it. In other words, unless someone ponies up one million dollars or so, you can forget about a Cup race north of the border because it won’t even have a Nationwide race anymore.
That’s too bad, because it would really be a great visit for the Cup Series. In the four races the Nationwide Series has run there, not one was uneventful. Whether it was three different drivers doing burnouts at the opening event in ’08, racing in the rain in ’09, or thrilling last-lap passes the last two seasons, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has quickly proven it would make for an excellent visit on Sundays. Even the Formula 1 race they hosted earlier in the year was good!
Road America
Yes, another road course. What can I say? They are different and that is definitely a good thing when it comes to NASCAR racing. As far as road courses go, Road America certainly has its own, unique characteristics. For starters, how many 4-mile racetracks have you heard of? It also provides a high number of straightaways for a road course with three, along with plenty of passing zones.
The biggest problem with Road America is the caution laps – if you have caught any of the Nationwide races there, you know they are brutal. If only NASCAR could learn the meaning of local yellows, it would minimize the agonizingly-long pace laps we have had to endure.
Nashville Superspeedway
Some may label this 1.33-mile speedway as just another cookie cutter, but I have always enjoyed the racing there. More than the racing itself, Nashville’s two dates on the calendar have been enjoyable. As the Nationwide Series goes there when the Cup guys are off for Easter, it is a pleasant event to watch to get your racing fix. I’m not saying that’s the week Nashville should race if they are ever included in the Cup schedule, but I would not be opposed to a Cup race there the day before Easter, or maybe even make it a Friday night race so the teams could still enjoy their holiday weekend.
Some of you may be asking why no Indianapolis Raceway Park (ORP, Lucas Oil Raceway, whatever you want to call it). Considering they just lost their lone Nationwide race to its prestigious neighbor, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it’s obvious a move up isn’t going to happen. IRP is a fine track and if not for the history at IMS, I would say put that on the schedule instead. Either way, two tracks within 15 miles of each both hosting a Cup race doesn’t seem fair to fans across the country.
I look forward to when the Nationwide Series visits these venues, which is why they made the list. After thinking about what other tracks they visit along with the Camping World Truck Series, I did some quick research. In an odd coincidence, it turns out that all the tracks mentioned above are the ONLY ones that these series visit that don’t have a Cup race.
That is a different topic for a different day, but that is quite an alarming trend, considering how they raced at many different places just a few years ago. Don’t expect any new tracks to pop up for them in the near future, but be ready for the standalone tracks to be no more in the future. That means I will either get my wish – they will be added to the Cup schedule – or these sites will no longer have a spot anywhere. With the exception of Iowa, the latter seems most likely.
About the author
The Frontstretch Staff is made up of a group of talented men and women spread out all over the United States and Canada. Residing in 15 states throughout the country, plus Ontario, and widely ranging in age, the staff showcases a wide variety of diverse opinions that will keep you coming back for more week in and week out.
A daily email update (Monday through Friday) providing racing news, commentary, features, and information from Frontstretch.com
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.