- For news on the Kentucky Speedway/ISC lawsuit, see my Kentucky Speedway vs. ISC Lawsuit Page.
Kentucky Speedway season tix on sale Oct 5th: Race fans can lock in their place in Kentucky Speedway’s big future with Speedway Motorsports, Inc., when four affordable 2010 season ticket plans are placed on sale Monday, Oct. 5. Plans start at $139 and feature fan-friendly benefits such as the right to renew the most sought after seat locations nearest the flagstand and finish line for future seasons, VIP parking, cold pit access vouchers, a discount on the purchase of additional race tickets and more. The speedway has made it easier than ever to become a season ticket member with the introduction of an optional payment plan which will allow members to extend payments to February 2010. Kentucky Speedway will bundle competitive NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights action into a two-weekend schedule filled with speedway firsts. Kentucky Speedway season ticket plans can be reserved or renewed by calling 859-578-2300 or visiting the season tickets page of www.kentuckyspeedway.com.(10-2-2009)
Kentucky not on 2010 schedule: The 2010 Sprint Cup Series schedule has not been officially released, but Speedway Motorsports Incorporated boss Bruton Smith knew the chances of getting the newly acquired Kentucky speedway a date next season were slim and none. Speaking Tuesday at the Zmax Dragway, where it was announced the state of the art drag strip would be getting a second NHRA race weekend in 2010, Smith said a Kentucky date next year was now out of the question because the former owner won't drop a lawsuit they brought against NASCAR and a court ruling will come too late. Smith said, "I think it's a dead issue. The lawsuit did not get resolved at the appellate division and we ran out of time. NASCAR now has the schedule, and if it happened tomorrow I don't see NASCAR changing the schedule to accommodate Kentucky." How disappointed is Smith? "I'd say I expected it, but, yes disappointed because it's a great speedway…it's a beautiful speedway and we're anxious to get it on." Smith assured Kentucky Speedway will be a part of the Sprint Cup schedule in the future. "Absolutely, yes, absolutely we'll be there in 2011."(PRN's Garage Pass)(8-26-2009)
Kentucky to get Cup race in 2011?: Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith was hoping to get Kentucky on the schedule, likely taking a date away from Atlanta, but the former owners of the speedway refuse to drop their lawsuit against NASCAR.
Until that happens, NASCAR won't consider Kentucky for a date. But otherwise, expect next year's schedule will be like this year's schedule -- except for two exceptions. If you were paying attention to Sunday's press conference in which Michigan International Speedway officials announced a reduction in ticket prices, you may have noticed a change in date for the track's first 2010 race. The date was June 13, a week earlier than normal. And there's another shift: The Dover race will move from the weekend after Memorial Day weekend to early May. These changes come because there is an extra weekend in between the Mother's Day race date at Darlington and the Memorial Day race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, and one less weekend between then and the Fourth of July weekend.
(ESPN Insider)(8-22-2009)
- Bruton says 2010 Cup race at Kentucky 'doubtful': UPDATE: Hours before the NASCAR Nationwide Series Meijer 300 was to go green at Kentucky Speedway, the big question to track owner Bruton Smith was whether there would be a Sprint Cup race at the track next year. Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., sounded as pessimistic that it would happen, and Smith is not known for being pessimistic. "I would like to say, 'Yes,' but I don't know," Smith said. "It's doubtful that we get it done. It would take a tremendous cooperation from NASCAR." NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston would not totally close the door on Kentucky's Cup chances for 2010, but indicated that it is doubtful. "As we've said, there can be no consideration of a Cup date for Kentucky while the litigation is pending," Poston said. "Having said that, the sanctioning process is currently under way." Once he gets a commitment to a Cup race, Smith said he would add about 50,000 seats to the track, which currently seats 69,000, as well as add additional roads to and from the facility. He would also move pit road closer to the grandstands - "You saw what I did in Vegas," Smith said.(Scene Daily)(6-14-2009)
UPDATE: Jerry Carroll, one of the five founders and former co-owners of Kentucky Speedway, expects the group’s antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR will continue at least through the appeal scheduled to be heard next month. “Absolutely,” he said Saturday as he stood about 25 feet away from current track owner Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc. Smith and Carroll consider themselves friends, but Smith cannot convince Carroll and his partners to drop the lawsuit filed in 2005 against NASCAR and sister company International Speedway Corp. If the founders win their appeal, the case would go back to U.S. District Court for trial and, with appeals, could drag on for years.(Louisville Business Journal)(6-16-2009)
- Appeal keeping Kentucky from date: The chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., Bruton Smith, said Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway that the former track owners of Kentucky Speedway, won't drop an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The governing body has said that has to happen before it will move a Sprint Cup race there. "I've tried every way in the world, talking to them, talking to them, to get them to drop that appeal," Smith said. "NASCAR doesn't want to sanction an event there until that appeal has gone away. I have tried everything in order to get that done. I tried to actually shame them into it. "They have a moral obligation, I believe, because the state of Kentucky spent $96 million on putting that speedway there." If NASCAR waits Smith said he would move one of his existing dates from another track to Kentucky. It has been speculated that date will be Atlanta, which has struggled to sell out its two Cup dates for several years.(ESPN)(5-24-2009)
- Former Kentucky Speedway owners not giving up lawsuit: One of the former owners of Kentucky Motor Speedway says he won't be bullied into dropping an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR by new track owner Bruton Smith. Richard Duchossios said Thursday he's not sure why Smith has decided to go public with claims that the former owners have a "moral obligation" to race fans in Kentucky to drop the four-year-old lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. Duchossios and his fellow owners sold the track to Smith last year and gave Smith the option of purchasing the lawsuit. Smith declined and the case remains on appeal. Smith has asked NASCAR to give the 1.5-mile tri-oval in northern Kentucky a date on the 2010 Sprint Cup schedule, but believes the track will not receive a Cup race as long as the antitrust case remains active.(Associated Press)(5-19-2009)
- First Phase of Kentucky Speedway Enhamcements underway: Speedway Motorsports, Inc., continues to progress through an opening wave of approximately $13.5 million in Kentucky Speedway facility enhancements which will expand parking, establish infield camping, augment track access roads and enhance the overall guest experience with new entrance areas along with a new restroom/ bathhouse facility. Renovations are scheduled to be complete by the speedway’s June 13 Nationwide Series Meijer 300 Presented by Ritz.
Phase I highlights follow:
Parking
· The creation of level, expanded parking areas which will accommodate as many as 14,000 vehicles. The process will displace approximately 900,000 cubic yards of rock and 1.5 million cubic yards of earth.
Exterior Enhancements
· New ticket canopies housing 34 total entrance gates.
· Creation of new outer loop roads.
· Construction of a restroom/bathhouse facility near the main entrance.
· Creation of a boulevard entrance way to the grandstand.
· New ticket buildings, entrance gates and fencing.
Interior Enhancements
· Establishment of two infield camping areas made up of more than 200 sites.
· An inner loop road to help transport fans throughout the grounds.
Future plans for the facility include the expansion of the existing concourse-level grandstands into Turns 1 and 4 and adding features such as folding seats and drink trays. Plans also include the construction of new restrooms and concession buildings; the expansion of camping options as well as the renovation of the existing infield layout. Tickets, new infield camping and special offers for all 2009 Kentucky Speedway events can be reserved online at kentuckyspeedway.com or by phone at 888-652-RACE (7223)(Kentucky Speedway PR)(5-15-2009)
- Smith calls on former track owners to drop lawsuit: The owner of Kentucky Motor Speedway called on the track's founding group to drop the antitrust lawsuit that's preventing him from adding the facility to next year's Sprint Cup Series schedule. "They have a moral obligation to their state to get out of the way," Bruton Smith said Friday. "NASCAR understands that I will bring them an event from another speedway, but these people need to get out of the way. They have an obligation to Kentucky to do that." Speedway Motorsports Inc. recently asked NASCAR to consider Kentucky for the 2010 Cup schedule, but the sanctioning body will not consider any proposals until the former owners drop their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., its sister company. The 2005 suit stemmed from the group's unsuccessful bid to bring a coveted Cup race to Kentucky. The suit was dismissed in early 2008, but the case is on appeal. Smith traveled to the Kentucky Derby last weekend to urge the group to drop the appeal, but said "nothing much was accomplished" because there are two staunch holdouts. Smith identified the two holdouts as Richard Duchossios and Richard Farmer, two of the five listed principals in the original ownership group. Duchossios is the chairman at Arlington Park, a horse racing track near Chicago, while Farmer is the chairman of Cintas Corp. Because the original ownership group sold the Sparta track to Smith last year for $78.3 million, it stands to gain nothing if the track finally does get on the Cup schedule. The group spent $152 million to build the facility, which opened in 2000 and hosts an annual second-tier NASCAR Nationwide Series event. At seating for 68,000 fans, it's currently the largest venue that hosts a Nationwide race but doesn't have a Cup date. Smith said he has roughly two to three weeks to resolve the lawsuit conflict and give NASCAR a 2010 proposal for Kentucky. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said earlier this week the sanctioning body has an approaching deadline in mind for beginning next year's scheduling process.(Associated Press)(5-9-2009)
- SMI willing to move one of its races to Kentucky: Speedway Motorsports Inc. officials say they have made an official request with NASCAR to add Kentucky to the 2010 Sprint Cup Series schedule. SMI is willing to give up a date at one of its seven other race tracks to get Kentucky on the schedule. SMI chairman Bruton Smith agreed to pay $78.3 million last year for the Sparta track. Kentucky's former ownership group filed a 2005 antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. over Kentucky's failure to land a Sprint Cup date. The suit was dismissed in early 2008, but the case is on appeal. NASCAR has said it will not consider Kentucky for a race until the suit is dropped. Smith says he has so far been unsuccessful in trying to persuade the group to drop the appeal.(Associated Press)(5-4-2009)
- NASCAR, no request from Kentucky for 2010 date: NASCAR has not received an official request to realign a Sprint Cup race to Kentucky Speedway, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said today. Speedway Motosports Inc., in its annual report filed Friday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, indicated that it had asked for NASCAR to realign a Cup date to the track at the earliest possible time, and it also said it would consider “all options” if NASCAR denied a request. Poston, however, said in an email that no formal request has been received. NASCAR Chairman Brian France has said NASCAR would not consider a realignment request for the track until a federal antitrust lawsuit filed by Kentucky Speedway’s founders is resolved. SMI bought the track in December and a condition of the sale allowed the founders to continue with the case, where SMI is still considered a co-conspirator. NASCAR traditionally begins its sanctioning process for the upcoming year in April or May. Without a settlement, which is not expected, the case won’t be resolved until May at the earliest and possibly much later into the year.(SceneDaily)(3-19-2009)
- Ky. House Approves Speedway Tax Incentive Bill: Lawmakers in Kentucky's House have approved legislation in an attempt to bring a NASCAR sprint cup race to Kentucky Speedway. Lawmakers voted 98-0 in favor of legislation that would offer tax incentives to Speedway Motorsports, Inc. The owner says he's planning to spend more than $70 million in upgrades to the track. The bill is now headed to Kentucky's Senate.(Kentucky Post)(3-7-2009)
- House committee approves Kentucky Speedway bill: The House budget committee voted overwhelmingly today to approve a sales tax rebate designed to lure a NASCAR Sprint Cup race to the Kentucky Speedway in Gallatin County. There was only one vote against House Bill 521, which was approved after a lengthy debate in which some legislators complained about a lack of transparency in economic- and tourism-development incentive packages. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Royce Adams, D-Dry Ridge, in whose district the speedway is located, could provide as much as $36.75 million in incentives over a 20-year period if Speedway owner Bruton Smith invests the amount he has discussed. It now goes to the full House. Smith’s Speedway Motorsports Inc. would be eligible to recoup 25 percent of his state-recognized investment if the Sprint Cup series brings a race to Kentucky. The money would come from sales tax revenues generated at the speedway. The bill requires an investment of at least $30 million. Smith previously has said he plans to invest an estimated $75 million to add 50,000 seats as well as more restrooms, parking, concession stands and souvenir shops. That investment could produce $18.75 million in incentives.(Courier-Journal)(3-4-2009)
- Cup race for Kentucky in 2010 remains in doubt: A court schedule released Monday appears to be another blow for Kentucky Speedway’s chances of obtaining a date on the 2010 Sprint Cup calendar because the antitrust lawsuit between the track founders and NASCAR most likely won’t be resolved until at least late May. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on Monday released its oral argument calendar for the week of March 9, and the case was not on the docket. The earliest the Kentucky-NASCAR case can now get on the calendar is the two-week session that begins April 20. It takes at least a month, and typically longer, for the appeals court to render a decision. NASCAR officials have repeatedly said that they would not consider a request from current Kentucky Speedway owner Speedway Motorsports Inc. to realign one of its Cup dates to Kentucky as long as the case is unresolved. That means that unless the speedway founders, who sold the track to SMI in December but retained the rights to the lawsuit, opt to drop the lawsuit, the case won’t be decided until late May at the earliest. NASCAR typically is well into its sanctioning process for the following year by that time. The appeals court could make a decision without a hearing, but it is not expected to do so. “I wouldn’t speculate as to when the court would hear the case, but I can say that a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series date will not be considered while the litigation against NASCAR, ISC, SMI and others remains,” NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said in a statement Monday.(SceneDaily)(2-24-2009)
- Kentucky Gov. Beshear Announces Pursuit of Sprint Cup Series Event: Gov. Steve Beshear today voiced his support for an amendment to the Kentucky Tourism Development Act to add a new eligible category of so-called “legacy expansion” projects. At a Capitol news conference, Gov. Beshear and bill sponsor House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins were joined by representatives of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. to discuss the positive impact this legislation would have on the future of motorsports in Kentucky. Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., owner of Kentucky Speedway, and Jerry Carroll, consultant to Speedway Motorsports, Inc. said today that passage of this legislation would put Kentucky in position to host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, that sanctioning body’s top racing series. “The impact of a NASCAR Sprint Series Cup race for Kentucky is undeniable,” Gov. Beshear said. “NASCAR is the number one spectator sport in the United States and is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages. I’m excited about the potential of Kentucky joining these ranks.”
Under the proposed legislation, legacy expansion projects must conduct events that are in the top league, series or sanctioned level of their type of event, provide permanent seating for 65,000 spectators and be broadcast nationally. The venue must have previously been approved for incentives and the expansion project must exceed $30 million and present one or more “premier events” not previously held in Kentucky. "I am hopeful that this legislation will receive favorable consideration in light of the significant impact landing a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Kentucky Speedway would have on our economy,” Rep. Adkins said. “The governor and his staff are to be commended for pursuing this exciting opportunity for Kentucky.” The legislation, which Rep. Adkins plans to file next Monday, would also expand the availability of time over which the tax credits can be taken for the original investments made and the significant expansion at the Kentucky Speedway.(Kentucky Speedway PR)(2-17-2009)
- the future of NASCAR in Kentucky announcement Tues: Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear will hold a news conference at 1pn on Tuesday, Feb 17th in Frankfort with Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith and others. An advisory distributed this morning indicated only that the news conference would address, “the future of NASCAR in Kentucky.” Also scheduled to attend are former Kentucky Speedway chairman Jerry Carroll, Kentucky Senate President David Williams and Kentucky House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins. Carroll said the news conference would not include an announcement about bringing a long-sought NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race to Kentucky Speedway.(Cincinnati Enquirer)(2-16-2009)
- Bruton making changes to Kentucky, expects Cup date: SMI Motorsports owner and CEO Bruton Smith, the new owner of the Kentucky Speedway, and a guest Sunday night on 700 WLW's KOI Auto Parts Racing Report from 7-9pm, told me [Seg] that he was at the track Monday and Tuesday with architects and enginers. Smith said they will move 3-4 million yards of dirt to improve parking at the Sparta track, change some roads, build a bridge and completely re-do the infield. The existing garages will be torn down and a Las Vegas Speedway type infield will take its place.(700 WLW's KOI Auto Parts Racing Report)
AND Smith still wants a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway, but absolutely will not take one away from New Hampshire Motor Speedway, another track he owns. Where will he pull one from? He’s not saying, but speculation is Kentucky could replace the fall race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.(Tom Jensen Online)
AND II Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith said he doesn’t think the former owners of Kentucky Speedway can win their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. Smith wants the case either settled or dropped so that he can request NASCAR realign a Sprint Cup date to that track. Currently, the case is in a U.S. appeals court in Cincinnati on whether there is enough evidence to have a trial on the antitrust claims. Last year, a U.S. District Court judge ruled there wasn’t enough evidence for trial. “I don’t think they’ll be successful on this appeal,” said Smith, who bought the track in December from the former owners, who wanted to continue pursuing the lawsuit. “All the lawyers that I’ve talked to know they won’t. But they still appealed it.”(SceneDaily)(1-20-2009)
- SMI Completes Kentucky Speedway Purchase: Speedway Motorsports, Inc.(SMI) has added Kentucky Speedway to its portfolio of motorsports facilities, expanding its geographic reach into the Midwest. The completed purchase was announced today by O. Bruton Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. “We are extremely excited about the new opportunities this market is going to bring the company,” said Smith. “Since we announced this acquisition in May, we have been overwhelmed with the response of fans expressing their support and desire for a Sprint Cup event at Kentucky Speedway. We will continue to work with NASCAR to bring a Sprint Cup race to this fine facility as soon as possible. We are going to do everything we can to bring the great people of Kentucky what they want and deserve.” Located on approximately 820 acres in Sparta, Ky., just south of Cincinnati, Kentucky Speedway features a 1.5-mile tri-oval speedway, with grandstand seating for approximately 66,000 spectators, 50 luxury suites with seats for approximately 2,000, private RV spaces, and reserved and unreserved camping spaces. The speedway currently plays host to a NASCAR Nationwide Series race, a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, two ARCA RE/MAX Series races and an IndyCar Series race. Tickets for Kentucky Speedway’s 2009 season can be reserved by calling (859) 578-2300.(Kentucky Speedway)(1-1-2009)
- SMI expected to announced Kentucky deal complete: Speedway Motorsports Inc. is expected to announce sometime Wednesday that its purchase of Kentucky Speedway is complete. The company agreed in May to buy the Sparta [KY] track from Jerry Carroll and his partners for $78.3 million, including the assumption of $63.3 million in debt, and has been targeting a late December closing. Kentucky Speedway will become the eighth track in SMI’s lineup. The company’s other tracks – Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway - host a combined 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup events each year. The changeover will come as Kentucky Speedway’s original ownership group continues to challenge in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati the dismissal of its antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and its sister company International Speedway Corp. All final briefs in the appeal must be filed by Jan. 28. The sale of the track is separate from the lawsuit.(Cincinnati Enquirer)(12-31-2008)
- Smith hopes to have Cup race in Kentucky by 2010: Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith said Friday he is still hoping to have a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway in 2010. SMI is scheduled to close on the 1.5-mile oval in December.
Smith has said NASCAR has told him that it won’t even consider putting Kentucky on the Cup schedule until the antitrust lawsuit by the original track ownership group against NASCAR and sister company International Speedway Corp. is finished. Jerry Carroll, the track founder, has said he has had no intentions of dropping the suit. The lawsuit currently is in U.S. Appeals Court in Cincinnati. In January, a U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of ISC and NASCAR without the case going to trial because he ruled Kentucky Speedway's expert's theories were inadmissible. If Carroll's group wins its appeal, the case would then go to trial. Final briefs in the appeal are not due until Dec. 16. A hearing on the appeal isn’t expected until January or February 2009 at the earliest. “I talk to Jerry all the time,” Smith said Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “He’s tried like the dickens to get it [settled] but we have not been able to be successful on that. We will have a Cup race there in 2010.” Smith, who is buying Kentucky Speedway for $78.3 (including the assumption of $63.3 million in debt) has not indicated which track he would move a Cup race from to Kentucky.(SceneDaily)(10-24-2008)
- SMI to Proceed with Kentucky Speedway Acquisition: Speedway Motorsports, Inc. is proceeding with the purchase of Kentucky Speedway, company officials announced today. In May 2008, Speedway Motorsports entered into an agreement to acquire Kentucky Speedway from Kentucky Speedway LLC, pending a 90-day period to conduct due diligence. The period expired Aug. 18, and the
company has decided to move forward with the acquisition, subject to satisfaction of remaining closing conditions. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, most likely in December. NASCAR has stated it cannot allow realignment of an existing Sprint Cup Series race date until the anti-trust litigation among NASCAR, International Speedway Corporation and the current ownership of Kentucky Speedway is resolved. Although the time frame for resolution is uncertain, Speedway Motorsports will continue to work with NASCAR to schedule a Sprint Cup Series date at the facility. Located on 820 acres in Sparta, Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, Kentucky Speedway features a 1.5-mile tri-oval speedway, with chair-back grandstand seating for 66,089 spectators, 50 luxury suites with seats for
approximately 2,000, private RV spaces, and reserved and unreserved camping spaces.(SMI PR)(8-29-2008)
- Speedway Motorsports set finalize buy Kentucky Speedway: Bruton Smith, the Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman and chief executive expects the $78 million acquisition of the Kentucky Speedway announced in May to be completed later this month. Concord-based Speedway Motorsports had a 90-day option from the time the deal was announced to make the purchase. With that deadline arriving this month, Smith says an annoucement on the completion of the deal could come within a few days. Smith, speaking at Speedway’s ribbon-cutting Wednesday for a $60 million drag strip in Concord, pledged to move a Sprint Cup race from one of the company’s seven other tracks to Kentucky. That move could not take place before 2010. NASCAR unveiled its 2009 schedule this week and did not include a Sprint Cup date at the Kentucky track. “NASCAR has never given me a date, so does that give you a hint?” Smith says. “They never have.” He declined to discuss which race date he had in mind for the Kentucky track. The 1.5-mile track is in northern Kentucky, about midway between Louisville, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio. The track has 66,000 grandstand seats and 50 luxury suites and opened in 2000.(Charlotte Business Journal)(8-21-2008)
- No sale at Kentucky Speedway? Speedway Motorsports Inc. may not wind up buying Kentucky Speedway after all. SMI has until Aug. 18 to decide whether to complete the $78 million deal that includes the assumption of $63 million in debt. "I can't answer definitively whether or not we would go forward with the transaction," Bill Brooks, the company's chief financial officer, said during a conference call with financial analysts Wednesday. The track in Sparta, Ky., isn't going to be on the 2009 Sprint Cup schedule. Marcus Smith, chief operating officer and president of SMI, said the the company would consider moving a Cup date from one of its current tracks to Kentucky if the deal does close. "It's one of the potential options that we would have," Smith said.(Charlotte Observer)(8-7-2008)
- NASCAR: No Sprint Cup race at Kentucky next year: Despite the pleas of Kentucky Speedway's prospective new owner, a NASCAR official says there will be no Sprint Cup race at the track next year. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Saturday that the 2009 Sprint Cup series schedule won't include a stop at the 1.5-mile tri-oval located about halfway between Louisville and Cincinnati. "There will not be a NASCAR Sprint Cup series race at Kentucky on the 2009 schedule," Poston said before the Nationwide Series Meijer 300. Speedway Motorsports Inc. is in the process of purchasing the northern Kentucky track from the current ownership group led by businessman Jerry Carrol. SMI chairman Bruton Smith toured the track with Carrol on Saturday and told reporters he remained optimistic about landing a coveted Cup date next year if the current ownership group drops an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway. "If the lawsuit, if the present owners see fit to change that, the chance of getting the event next year would go up greatly and I think we could get that done," Smith said. Carrol, however, said his group has no plans to drop the lawsuit. SMI could choose to move a Cup date from one of its seven NASCAR-sanctioned tracks to the speedway, an option Smith did not rule out.(ESPN.com/AP)(6-15-2008)
- France not ready to add Kentucky to Cup schedule: NASCAR isn't as anxious to put a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway as Speedway Motorsports chairman Bruton Smith is. "It's not a market that we've said is highly desirable," NASCAR chairman Brian France said before Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "It's well served. We'll look at things as we get down the road, but right now he doesn't own it and we've got to deal with the owners that do have it and we have Nationwide events and Truck races, so we're working on that with them right now." Smith has agreed to purchase Kentucky Speedway with the contention that he can get a Sprint Cup date for the 1.5-mile track that he went so far as to file a lawsuit against International Speedway Corporation and NASCAR to get a date. He said on Thursday he wanted a date for 2009, something NASCAR says won't happen. He has 90 days to finalize the deal. France is concerned another Cup race in the Southeast, which already hosts more than half of the schedule, will further over-saturate the market. NASCAR spent the past few years trying to alleviate that saturation, closing North Wilkesboro and North Carolina Speedway that once hosted two Cup events each and taking one date from Darlington. "The schedule is getting completed and we have no intentions right now of getting a Sprint Cup race there for 2009," he said. "That's all we can say right now. We don't have any intentions of doing that." France said Smith has not informed him of his plans, which many speculate includes buying Pocono or Dover, closing those tracks and giving the Cup dates to Kentucky and Las Vegas. "I don't know about that," France said of the speculation. "Those are speedways that have their events. They're doing fairly well. When something changes in the ownership structure we'll deal with that." There also has been speculation that Atlanta, Talladega and California are swapping dates in the fall of 2009. That would give Atlanta the Labor Day weekend race, California the Talladega weekend and Talladega the Atlanta weekend. Sources said that likely will happen. "We're working on a number of things," Smith said. "That's one of the reasons it's too late in the game for us to be looking into any other realignment options, not the least of which is that SMI doesn't own Kentucky right now. We're trying to get our schedule out earlier than we have in a while and there could be some dates that move around a little bit, not from speedway to speedway, just in scheduling. [We] might be able to work on a different weekend for one track or another that has been trying to do that for a long time."(ESPN.com)(5-27-2008)
- NASCAR: Too late to add Cup race to Kentucky: NASCAR officials said Friday not to expect a Sprint Cup Series date at Kentucky Speedway in 2009. "I don't see any scenario where there could be a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Kentucky in 2009, regardless of ownership," NASCAR communications director Ramsey Poston said.
Kentucky Speedway founder Jerry Carroll said in a phone interview Friday that he is unhappy with the decision and had contacted his attorneys to fight it. "This is what bullies do and it's been going on too long," Carroll said. "They've showed their hand again. If they want to break us and want to run us out of business, get more creative." Bruton Smith, the Speedway Motorsports Inc. owner, announced Thursday that he had purchased the Kentucky track, located halfway between Cincinnati and Louisville, with the intention of having a Cup race there next season. Poston said there had been no formal request made from Speedway Motorsports for a date. In addition, Poston said, NASCAR is well into the sanctioning process for the 2009 season and hopes to release the schedule in the near future. "We're hoping to be able to release the schedule earlier than ever so the tracks can promote their races sooner," Poston said. Though Poston chose not to comment on the matter, sources close to NASCAR said NASCAR and SMI officials held a sanction meeting Friday, and SMI didn't so much as mention Kentucky -- because they don't yet own the track, and won't formally until late summer at the earliest. "In terms of next year, after we looked through it, it's just not really an option," Poston said. According to papers filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Smith has not yet completed the speedway purchase, in which he agreed to pay $78.3 million for the track that cost $152 million to build. There is a 90-day window in which Smith can walk away from the deal.(ESPN.com/AP)(5-24-2008)
- Two SMI presidents deny tracks may lose race dates: The presidents of two Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks firmly dismissed the notions that their facilities could lose Sprint Cup dates in order to provide Kentucky Speedway with one. New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway have been mentioned as tracks that could lose a race, but NHIS President Jerry Gappens and AMS President Ed Clark shot down the idea that SMI Chairman Bruton Smith would ever do that. In fact, both presidents said they are planning to finalize sanctioning agreements with NASCAR on Friday morning for two races each in 2009. "Bruton has not given me any, any indication at all that he's looking to change anything," Gappens said. "...I don't think this will have any impact. I think there's more to the puzzle that he's got to finish completing to do some of the things he's thinking." Clark vehemently denied that his track, which has struggled with attendance recently, would have a date moved elsewhere. "I'm tired of people bringing that up, because I get so sick of answering it, I'm about to scream," he said. "You can go ask Bruton, you can ask me – there is no chance. It is not going to happen."(SceneDaily)(5-23-2008)
- NASCAR - No Guarantee of a Cup Race for Kentucky: A NASCAR spokesman said Thursday that just because Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman and CEO O. Bruton Smith wants a NASCAR Sprint Cup race at his newly acquired Kentucky Speedway is no guarantee he’ll get one – in 2009 or after. Smith announced Thursday that SMI had inked a deal to purchase the speedway, which is located half an hour from Cincinnati, and he expected it would host a Cup race next year. And to think that it might in 2009, may be wishful thinking, according to NASCAR Managing Director of Corporate Communications Ramsey Poston. “There are certainly some hurdles there,” Poston said of Smith’s hopes to get a Cup date next season. In the past, NASCAR has refused to grant Kentucky a Cup race, citing, among other factors, its proximity to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Chicago Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway. With the Southeast and Midwest already saturated, NASCAR has said Kentucky holds little appeal for a Cup race. NASCAR traditionally announces its final schedule in mid-summer and by now is deep into negotiating sanctioning agreements with tracks for next year. If SMI wants to move a race to Kentucky next year, it must submit a plan to NASCAR saying where it would be willing to give up a race at one of its other tracks.(SPEEDtv)(5-23-2008)
- Bruton Smith/SMI buys Kentucky Speedway UPDATE 2: The future of Kentucky Speedway is expected to be addressed during a “major announcement” scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Concord, N.C. Sources close to the speedway confirmed to the Enquirer tonight [May 21st] that Kentucky Speedway officials have been in talks with Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman and chief executive officer O. Bruton Smith about selling or partnering with the Sparta track owned by Jerry Carroll and his partners.
A spokesman with Lowe’s Motor Speedway, one of the seven tracks owned by SMI that hosts NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, indicated only that Thursday's announcement would be of interest. The exact nature of the announcement is not immediately known, but it could include selling all or part of the speedway or partnering with Smith to bring a Sprint Cup race to the 1.5-mile track. Smith will make the announcement at 3pm/et Thursday in the media center at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Carroll was unavailable for comment Wednesday. News of a potential deal with SMI comes at the same time lawyers representing Kentucky Speedway continue to fight in 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals the early January decision by a U.S. District Court judge to dismiss the track’s antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp.(Cinncinati Enquirer)(5-22-2008)
UPDATE: The Kentucky Speedway in Sparta is being sold to one of professional auto racing's biggest operators. Speedway Motorsports Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., and its founder and chairman Bruton Smith will announce at 3 p.m. that it is purchasing the speedway in a deal that is expected to close in October. Terms will not be announced but Kentucky Speedway Chairman and developer Jerry Carroll confirmed this morning that Smith plans to invest $50 million in the speedway and bring a coveted NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race to the Gallatin County track as early as 2009. "He wouldn't be buying the track if he wasn't going to bring a Sprint Cut race here," said Carroll as he rode to the airport to take a charter flight to North Carolina for the announcement. Speculation is that Smith will move a Sprint Cup race from tracks he operates in Atlanta or New Hampshire. Track employees were informed of the sale during a 30-minute staff meeting held this morning at the track’s business offices in Fort Mitchell. The message from Carroll, track president Mark Simendinger and executive vice president and General Manager Mark Cassis was to continue operating as usual. The speedway employs about 30 people.(NKY.com)(5-22-2008)
UPDATE 2: Speedway Motorsports has agreed to purchase Kentucky Speedway from Kentucky Speedway, LLC. The agreement was announced today by O. Bruton Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2008. Kentucky Speedway, which opened in 2000, hosts one NASCAR Nationwide Series event, one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event, one IndyCar Series event and other racing events each year. The speedway is located in Sparta, Ky., approximately one-half hour south of Cincinnati, Ohio. The speedway is easily accessible via modern highways. Located on approximately 820 acres, Kentucky Speedway features a 1.5-mile tri-oval speedway, with chair-back grandstand seating for 66,089 spectators, 50 luxury suites with seats for approximately 2,000,
100 private RV spaces, 200 reserved camping spaces and 1,000 unreserved camping spaces. Kentucky Speedway regularly hosts near capacity crowds for its Nationwide Series events. Smith added that he has offered Jerry Carroll, who was instrumental in the development of Kentucky Speedway, the opportunity to remain involved in its future operations.(SMI PR), no word on a Cup race or the lawsuit against NASCAR.(5-22-2008)
- Water closes Kentucky Speedway: Soggy conditions below ground, however, left Kentucky Speedway track workers dealing with water seeping onto portions of the 1.5-mile track that led to the cancellation Tuesday of a scheduled ARCA RE/MAX Series test session. Track officials reacted swiftly and announced that the track will be closed to any on-track testing for at least the next two weeks. "We want to make sure it's safe for the race car drivers and the teams," Kentucky Speedway spokesman Tim Bray said. "We're taking a proactive approach to it. We have everybody's interests in mind. The track is fine. There's just been so much water that we just need to make sure that what's under the track is dried out." The snow and rain that have flooded parts of the region since February is being blamed. Track workers spent several hours Tuesday trying to dry the surface and concentrated their efforts on problem spots in Turns 3 and 4. Thirteen ARCA RE/MAX Series drivers were at the track Tuesday. The speedway will open its 2008 season with the ARCA RE/MAX Series May 10. "The test session will not be rescheduled, based on our schedule, what we're looking at ahead here," ARCA RE/MAX Series spokesman Don Radebaugh said. The temporary shutdown comes as nine Sprint Cup teams were scheduled to spend today [Wednesday] testing their cars at the speedway. Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Gillett Evernham Motorsports, which tried to test last week at the track but could not because of the seepage, were among those scheduled. "We're monitoring it and want to make sure we're ready when the bell rings," Bray said. "Today was just unfortunate. It's not a huge deal because we're aware of it, and we are taking every step to make sure it's ready to go when we go racing."(Cincinnati Enquirer)(4-16-2008)
- Kentucky Speedway Single-Event Tix on sale: Kentucky Speedway placed single-race and Fanfest tickets for its six-weekend 2008 season on sale Monday, Jan. 7. The 66,098-seat facility's season begins May 10 and concludes Sept. 20. Event tickets will range from $20 to $80 depending on event and seat location. Single-event tickets can be reserved online through the "Tickets" pages of www.kentuckyspeedway.com, at speedway ticket offices located at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100, in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., near Montgomery Inn
and the Sparta, Ky., Fan Center located off of I-71 Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 N, by phone at 888-652-RACE (7223) and through Meijer stores. Season ticket plans for the venue's ninth season are on sale now and range from $165 to $255. Plans can be reserved online through the tickets pages of this Web site, by dialing 859-578-2300 and pressing "2," or through both track ticket offices.(Kentucky Speedway PR)(1-9-2008)
- Kentucky: no talks about buying NHIS: Kentucky Speedway co-owner Jerry Carroll visited New Hampshire International Speedway with other track officials and local basketball legend Oscar Robertson on Sunday. Attending the Nextel Cup Series race, Carroll said, was unrelated to his interest in buying the track from its longtime owner, Bob Bahre. "There were no, absolutely no talks about buying the track," said Carroll, who offered to buy the New Hampshire track last year. "I think Bob Bahre knows we have an interest. Our agreement is when the time comes, he can give me a call." Purchasing a track with a Nextel Cup date and moving a race to the Kentucky Speedway is one option Carroll has considered to get NASCAR's top division to the 1.5-mile track in Sparta [KY]. The speedway's federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., filed in 2005, remains headed toward a March trial date. Buying another track would not change Carroll's opinion about the lawsuit. "Absolutely not," he said. "The lawsuit's not so much about getting a race. The lawsuit's about an even playing field." The five-person contingent that visited New Hampshire International Speedway on Sunday included Mark Cassis, the Kentucky Speedway's executive vice president and general manager. The group flew to Concord, N.H., in a chartered jet and from there took Bahre's helicopter over to the Loudon, N.H., track.(Cincinnati Enquirer)(9-20-2007)
