JAPAN TRACK/RACE NEWS/RUMORS
Websites:
none(english) I know of
- NO JAPAN! been getting questions concerning the former Winston Cup Japan race the was held in late Nov from 1996-1998. Late in 1998 NASCAR decided no to run the exhibition for the Cup series in Japan any longer when the three year contract was up. Winston West ran a points event there in Nov 1999 but it was decided not to return there as attendence was poor for the race and the cost was excessive(11-28-1999/11-22-2000)
- Japan in 1999: Next year the Japan race will be a Winston West event and will count for championship points. Winston West is a regional touring series patterned after the Winston Cup Series. Mike Helton, NASCAR vice president of competition, broke the news during a Friday press conference. The date of the Winston West Japan stop wasn't announced.(Speed Magazine)(11-23-98)
- Teams prepare to meet schedule for Japan.(NASCAR Online)(9-16-98)
- NASCAR Has announced 28 drivers who will go to Japan: See the list and the story at NASCAR teams set for Coca-Cola 500K.(NASCAR Online)(9-2-98)
- In a CBS SportsLine Website story: Winston Cup circuit expected to motor into South Florida, it mentions the Japan exhibition race: "The addition of a Homestead race would bring the Winston Cup calendar up to 35(including The Winston) races, but not necessarily lengthen the season. This year's schedule includes an exhibition in Japan not likely to be renewed."(9-2-98)
- Rumors are starting to swirl that when NASCAR concludes its exhibition races this year at the Motegi Twin Ring that NASCAR will test the waters of Europe. The most probable stopping spot is the Lasitz Ring Speedway in Germany. This is a new facility being built at this time and when completed will support all types of racing. The portion of the track that NASCAR would favor would have to be the 2.0 mile oval.(GoRacing Notes)(6-19-98)
- NASCAR and officials from Twin Ring Motegi will announce later today that this year's NASCAR Winston Cup event at Twin Ring Motegi will be known as the "98 NASCAR Thunder Special Motegi Coca-Cola 500." The newly-opened, 1.5-mile oval will host NASCAR competitors on Nov. 22 for the first ever stock car race on an oval track in Japan.(GoRacing)(5-24-98)
- The 1998 NASCAR Thunder Special Suzuka road race scheduled for 11/15/98 has been cancelled. The inaugural NASCAR oval race scheduled at the Motegi Japan 1.5 mile track will still take place as planned on 11/21/98, Race planners figured that it would be too hard for race teams to prepare for both races with different cars in less than a month.(People's Quiktrack)(1-6-98)
- "NASCAR teams might run the new Motegi track in 1998 instead of a third run at Suzuka, according to NASCAR sources"(JournalNow), makes sense, it's an oval track and would give Japanese fans a real taste of NASCAR racing"(JournalNow)(8-16-97)
- I hear that Bill France is trying to fit the new Motegi, Japan, track into the 1998 schedule(6-26-97)