Nashville Superspeedway will be available for race team testing in 2012: Dover Motorsports, Inc. has announced that Nashville Superspeedway, the company's track in Lebanon, Tenn., will be available for race team testing beginning in January 2012. The 1.33-mile, concrete oval played host to 21 NASCAR Nationwide Series races, 13 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races and eight IndyCar Series races from 2001 to 2011. "Nashville Superspeedway is a world-class facility and lies within driving distance of most race teams' headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.," said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. "We anticipate strong interest in the facility as a test venue." Nashville Superspeedway will begin taking reservations for testing in 2012 immediately more information at nashvillesuperspeedway.com.(12-26-2011)

Marlin leads group to save Fairgrounds Speedway; GM hired: Two-time Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin from Columbia, TN has joined two other former NASCAR drivers in leading an effort to save the Fairgrounds Speedway. Marlin aalong with Chad Chaffin and Mike Alexander have joined with several other racers and businessmen to form Tennessee Racing Association, LLC, with the single mission of procuring the rights to continue the history of automobile racing at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. “The history of the Nashville track is known nearly around the world,” said Marlin. “And we’re committed to seeing that continue in a positive way.”
Marlin, a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, is also a three-time track champion at Nashville and a long history of success in farming, automobile sales and real estate endeavors.
Chaffin, a two-time track champion at Nashville and a regular on the NASCAR Nationwide, won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series twice. He is a member of the Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame. Sandrell Heating & Air “We want to bring the sport to another generation, the way it was given to us. We believe the track should be a benefit to the Tennessee State Fair Board and the surrounding community,” said Chaffin. Chaffin is the owner of Southeast Recycling, one of the largest fiber recycling operations in the United States. “We believe we have the best organization to accomplish the three tasks of continuing the sport, being good neighbors to the community and providing a positive revenue stream for the Fair Board.”
Alexander, also a two-time Nashville champion,won the 1983 NASCAR National Championship for short track racers, was a regular on the NASCAR Nationwide and Spring Cup Series. He is also a member of the Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame. Alexander is an integral part of the success of the Alexander Automotive Group, Tennessee’s largest family-owned dealer franchise before it was sold earlier this year.
Another member of the group is Johnny Turner, owner of Crown Jewelry and Gifts in Franklin, a company he founded in 1998. Turner raced at the Fairgrounds thoughout the 1980’s. “I believe that with the strength of this group we have formed (Tennessee Racing Associates, LLC), there is enough business background, passion for and dedication to racing, that we can, and will, bring racing back to the Nashville Fairgrounds as the great facility it once was,” said Turner. The group of ten individuals brings more than 250 years of racing experience and more than 50 championships from across the southeast, but more importantly more than 300 years of successful business operation in multiple fields.(Columbia Daily Herald)
AND:Tennessee Racing Associates, LLC today announced the hiring of Nashville native and Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame member Joe T. Williams as general manager of the group's efforts to secure the racing lease at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds for 2012. Williams brings an eclectic history to the task, including radio and television, race track management and public relations, writing and industrial health and safety. He has had success in both the private and governmental sectors. Williams was also one of the architects of the facility's resurgence in the mid '80's when it became the top weekly track in the country, averaging over 11,000 fans per event, after losing two NASCAR Cup dates in a bankruptcy fiasco.(TRA)(12-1-2011)

Marlin interested in Fairgrounds Speedway: Retired NASCAR driver Sterling Marlin is interested in acquiring the lease to Nashville's Fairgrounds Speedway, after fellow driver Bobby Hamilton Jr. gave up after one frustrating season. Hamilton will not continue to operate the track next season, according to Buck Dozier, head of the Metro Fair Board that oversees the city-owned facility. Hamilton encountered numerous problems during the season and cancelled the scheduled season-finale All-American 400 – a fixture for over two decades and the track's premier event. Hamilton will continue to own and operate Highland Rim Speedway, a quarter-mile track located 20 miles north of Nashville. One year remains on the two-year Fairgrounds Speedway lease granted by the city and Marlin heads a group of investors that is interested in acquiring it. Marlin told local radio show host Terrell Davis that he would like to take over the track "if everything can be worked out." Marlin has assisted previous efforts to keep the track afloat, working with last year's operator, Tony Formosa Jr., to promote the track. Marlin won three championships at the track in the 1980's, following in the footsteps of his famous father, Coo Coo, a four-time champion in the 1960's. The Fair Board expects to make a decision about the track's new operator by the end of the year.(RacinToday)(11-15-2011)

Nashville declines to seek any 2012 NASCAR race: Dover Motorsports, Inc. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Nashville Superspeedway, has notified NASCAR that it will not seek any 2012 race sanctions. Vice President and General Manager of Nashville Superspeedway, Cliff Hawks, stated, "Nashville is a tremendous market filled with passionate race fans. We have some extremely dedicated and talented employees who have made this track a great destination, but the reality is, after ten years of effort, we have to face the fact that without a Sprint Cup race and/or a significant change in the operating model for other events, we simply cannot continue." Nashville has a few events left on the schedule for the remainder of 2011 that will not be impacted by the announcement.
Denis McGlynn, President & CEO of Dover Motorsports, stated, "We deeply appreciate all the hard work that our employees have put into making Nashville Superspeedway such a remarkable facility, and Cliff Hawks will remain to assist us with transition issues. We have also had years of unrelenting support from state, county and local officials and from the racing community - from racing fans and drivers to sponsors, team owners and various sanctioning bodies. We are, however, at a juncture where we must evaluate all of our options for this track, including its possible sale."
Nashville Superspeedway first opened in 2001 and is situated on almost 1,400 acres of owned land just outside of Nashville, Tennessee on Route 840 (connecting Interstate 40 with Interstate 24). The 1.33 mile concrete superspeedway has 25,000 permanent grandstand seats, lights for nighttime racing, foundation work for a dirt track, short track and drag strip and infrastructure in place to expand to 150,000 seats.
Dover Motorsports will disclose additional financial details relative to today's announcement as soon as practicable. The Company expects to incur a to be determined non-cash impairment charge to write down the carrying value of long-lived assets at the facility to fair value and to incur certain severance costs. These will be third quarter events. Dover Motorsports provides a letter of credit to guarantee payment of certain tax exempt revenue bonds whose proceeds were used for public infrastructure improvements benefiting the Nashville facility. The bonds were originally issued by the Sports Authority of the County of Wilson in 1999 in the amount of $25,900,000 and $21,000,000 of this amount remains outstanding. Since the bonds are direct obligations of the Sports Authority and are payable from property and sales taxes generated from the facility, they have not historically been recorded on the Company's consolidated balance sheet under generally accepted accounting principles. Today's announcement does not affect these bonds and they will continue to be paid from any applicable taxes. To the extent that the taxes are insufficient, the Company's letter of credit will be drawn on to make up any difference and the portion of the bonds expected to be so paid will be recorded in the third quarter as a liability of the Company on its consolidated balance sheet (Nashville Superspeedway).(8-3-2011)

Sam Bass returns to Nashville with famed trophy guitar art: Since 2002, Sam Bass has been the artist behind the designs that cover one of the most sought after trophies in NASCAR; the Gibson guitar trophy hailing from Nashville Superspeedway. Bass will reveal his latest unique guitar creation to the winners of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series races this weekend. He also illustrated the cover for this weekend's programs - a tradition that has been carried out over a 10-year time span.(Nashville Superspeedway)(7-21-2011)

Hamilton Jr. & Chaffin team up to keep Fairgrounds Speedway open: A pair of local [Nashville] racers with longtime connections to Fairgrounds Speedway — Bobby Hamilton Jr. and Chad Chaffin — have been awarded a contract to lease the track and keep it open for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The state fair board awarded the lease to Hamilton and Chaffin on Wednesday following their bid that guarantees a minimum of $53,100 annually to the fair board. Their bid also has a minimum of $8,001 for each night race, with up to five of those races allowed each season. It also includes a guarantee of $1 per ticket for each day race with a minimum of two races required. Tony Formosa Jr., who operated the track last season, made a bid of $5,000 per race without a minimum guarantee. The lease calls for two of the races to be run on the same weekend that the flea market is held at the fairgrounds and one during the Tennessee State Fair. Chaffin said he is confident enough profit will come from the track to cover the guarantee. Formosa declined to comment on his bid and why he did not include a guarantee. Hamilton already operates two other tracks in the area — Highland Rim in Greenbrier and Riverview in Carthage. He said getting all three of the tracks in the area on a schedule that does not conflict with each other will be a key in growing the auto racing fan base, which will benefit each facility.(Tennessean)(4-21-2011)

NASCAR drivers make bid for speedway: A second group has made a formal proposal to hold auto races at the Fairgrounds Speedway, setting up a potential showdown at the Board of Fair Commissioners’ April meeting that could decide the short-term fate of operations at the racetrack. Former NASCAR drivers Chad Chaffin and Bobby Hamilton Jr., and other partners, have proposed holding 20 racing events over the 2011 and 2012 seasons, for which they would pay the fair board $5,000 per event. The proposal also references a handful of charity agreements, which includes pledged donations to nearby Fall-Hamilton Elementary School. “It is our intention to return local racing to its proper place in relevance to other sporting and entertainment events in Nashville,” their proposal reads. “We want to bring people to the fairgrounds and to serve as a support activity for visitors to our great city.” The state fair and the fairgrounds expo center are set to remain at the much-disputed 117-acre fairgrounds property for at least the next two years after Mayor Karl Dean retreated on redevelopment plans over the winter. The Metro Council in January voted to hold off on the demolition of the racetrack for the time being. Still, the status of racing is unclear.
Chaffin and Hamilton’s proposal comes after racing promoter Tony Formosa, the track’s most recent operator, already pitched an offer at this month’s fair board meeting. Formosa has since tweaked his proposal, and has asked to hold six events for 2011 and a minimum of six events for 2012. The event fee would be $4,500 for the first year and $4,725 for the next. Formosa has said time is of the essence for the board to make a decision on racing. “The longer we wait, the more handicapped we are,” he told commissioners last month. For now, the fair board is to consider both proposals at its April 5 meeting. The board could either accept one of the two pitches or reject both. Both Chaffin and Formosa this Saturday are taking part in muffler demonstrations at the speedway in attempt to show they can reduce the noise of their stock cars. Formosa’s muffler test begins at noon, with Chaffin’s beginning at 1:30 p.m. Fairgrounds neighbors are invited. Mufflers are mandatory in both proposals.(Nashville Ciy Paper)(4-1-2011)

Bully Hill Vineyards to sponsor the April Truck Series race at Nashville: Nashville Superspeedway and Bully Hill Vineyards have entered into a new partnership agreement that names the Hammondsport, N.Y.-based vineyard and winery the official wine of Nashville Superspeedway, and title sponsor of the “Bully Hill Vineyards 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on April 22, 2011. New for 2011, tickets for the “Bully Hill Vineyards 200” start at just $25 for adults and only $10 for juniors 14 and under. A Friday ticket also includes NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice and qualifying, and two NASCAR Nationwide Series practice sessions. A special NASCAR Camping World Truck Series-NASCAR Nationwide Series autograph session is also scheduled for Friday, April 22. NASCAR returns to Nashville Superspeedway in 2011 with two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series-NASCAR Nationwide Series doubleheaders on April 22-23 and July 22-23. For more information, call 1-866-RACE-TIX or visit NashvilleSuperspeedway.com. (Nashville Superspeedway)(3-1-2011)

Lucas Oil to sponsor Truck Series races at Dover and Nashville: Lucas Oil, Dover International Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway have entered into a new partnership agreement that names the manufacturer of problem solving additives and high performance lubricants as title sponsor of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events at both Dover Motorsports, Inc. facilities. The “Lucas Oil 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, May 13 will kickoff the May 13-15, 2011 NASCAR tripleheader at the Monster Mile in Dover, Del. The “Lucas Deep Clean 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, July 22 will be held under the lights at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn. as part of a NASCAR doubleheader on July 22-23, 2011.
Tickets are now on sale for NASCAR’s return to the Monster Mile on May 13-15, 2011. To purchase tickets, call 1-800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.
NASCAR returns to Nashville Superspeedway on April 22-23, 2011. To purchase tickets, call 1-866-RACE-TIX or visit NashvilleSuperspeedway.com.(Dover Motorsports PR)(2-12-2011)

Nashville Fairgrounds racetrack won't be razed: The Metro Council dealt a final blow Tuesday to recent efforts to demolish the racetrack at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, calling for a master plan for the site instead. The council ratified what it had decided with a preliminary vote two weeks ago, when racing fans and other fairgrounds supporters poured into the courthouse for a public hearing. Council members decided that night to amend a bill that would have destroyed the track, and they agreed that racing could continue there, though it's unclear if the fair board will allow it. The vote upset area residents who were hoping to end racing and the noise that comes with it. Tuesday's decision came and went with little fanfare and no substantive discussion. After the vote, Councilman Jason Holleman, who wrote the major amendment to the legislation, said he hopes the fair board will listen to the various interest groups during the master planning process.(Tennessean)(2-5-2011)

Nashville’s Fairgrounds Speedway, saved....for now: Nashville’s Fairgrounds Speedway, a 53-year-old track where many of NASCAR’s giants competed over the decades, has avoided the wrecking ball – at least temporarily. Metro Council on Tuesday voted to hold off on demolishing the track as part of a “redevelopment” of the 114-acre city-owned property. The vote was a major setback for Nashville Mayor Carl Dean who had lobbied hard for the track’s destruction.
A campaign led by former Speedway racers Sterling Marlin, Darrell Waltrip, Chad Chaffin and others was able to gain the reprieve for the track. They want to present an alternate plan for the site – a plan that will preserve auto racing, the State Fair, Flea Market and other traditional events. The Save-the-Track group, with Marlin its most visible spokesman, is requesting a 15-year lease from the city to allow investors to make capital improvements. “There’s too much history here to just pave it over,” said Marlin , whose father Coo Coo was a four-time track champion in the 1960’s. Sterling added three more championships in the 1980’s before moving on to a NASCAR career that was highlighted by two Daytona 500 victories.
The mayor claimed that the Fairgrounds property could be re-developed and used to increase tax revenues. His critics pointed out that the same could be said for the thousands of acres of city parks, golf courses, tennis courts and even a sailboat marine that the city owns and maintains at taxpayer expense. During a heated Tuesday night Council meeting, a neighborhood group complained that the track noise hurts their quality of life and reduces real estate values. But track proponents pointed out that the track has been there for 53 years – and racing has been on the site for more than a century – and anyone who moved into the neighborhood did so knowing they were moving next to a racetrack. It was also noted that the surrounding property was bought at bargain prices and would escalate in value if the track is demolished – a real estate windfall that might be more of a motive than any improved “quality of life.” With the track’s demolition on hold, the next step in the process will be for Marlin’s group to present an alternate plan for the Council’s consideration.(RacinToday)(1-20-2011)

Racetrack at Nashville fairgrounds awaits its fate: A critical vote will decide whether Nashville [TN] keeps its historic racetrack or demolishes it to make way for development. Although Mayor Karl Dean is delaying plans to relocate other events held at the city's fairgrounds, he supports tearing down the racetrack in favor of a public park. Murky finances and unstable operations have plagued the Nashville Speedway for decades, but the issue of whether the track should stay open could be decided in 2011. Metro Council is considering a bill that, among other things, would clear the racetrack for a 40-acre park. The legislation is up for a public hearing and its second vote on Jan. 18. Demolishing the racetrack is the next step in Dean's plans to redevelop the 117-acre fairgrounds property. Dean backtracked on his proposal to move the flea market and expo center to Hickory Hollow Mall but wants to move forward with tearing down the racetrack. Racing fans started a petition drive to save the track last year through Metro Councilman Duane Dominy, who collected more than 40,000 signatures. Current operator Tony Formosa, whose four decades at the Nashville Speedway include time as a driver, pit crew manager and promoter, said he believes the track is viable if an operator were to be given at least a 10-year lease. Formosa said the track's long history and prime location in a major media market make it a desirable location. Only five races were held at the track in 2010, but Formosa said attendance averaged 6,500 people. There may not be a 14-acre stretch of land in the entire country with more racing history than the Nashville Speedway. Stock car legends such as Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip cut their teeth there, and generations of auto racing fans grew up attending races at the fairgrounds. In 1958, the Nashville Speedway hosted its first NASCAR event, and Music City remained a stop on the top stock car tour until 1984. That's when financial problems for the track operator at the time caused NASCAR to pull out. When other cities built new tracks to attract major NASCAR races, Nashville's future as a racing city was jeopardized. Some second-tier professional racing continued at the track until 2000, when the Nashville Superspeedway opened in Wilson County and NASCAR took its races there. Since that time, the fairgrounds racetrack has hosted amateur races.(Tennessean)(1-10-2010)

Nashville reducing ticket prices: A new year and a new NASCAR season brings new reduced ticket prices for fans of Nashville Superspeedway. Single event tickets for NASCAR events at Nashville will go on sale this Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 8 a.m. Fans can take advantage of the new reduced ticket prices by reserving their seats in advance to receive the best pricing available. Tickets for NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Nashville on April 23 and July 23 start at $30, while tickets for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on April 22 and July 22 start at $25. Nashville has also increased the age and reduced the price on all junior tickets for fans 14 and under. Juniors can attend any of the four NASCAR events for just $10 when purchased in advance. Tickets purchased at the gate will increase by $5 for juniors and $10 for adults per ticket. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-866-RACE-TIX or online at NashvilleSuperspeedway.com.(NSS)(1-4-2010)

Effort to Save Nashville track: The latest group to fight for preservation of some corner of the highly controversial State Fairground property feels a personal attachment to the [Nashville] Fairgrounds Speedway: the stock car racetrack said to date back to the early 1900s. "I just remember that (original raceway symbol)," said Tony Formosa, lamenting about the prospect of losing the historical sports symbol, and Nashville landmark, to a wrecking ball. "And I just remember that: the cushions that you rented and sat on, had this logo. I been born and raised at this facility!" Formosa, serving as the track's promoter this year, managed to schedule five race events this calendar year, and is now helping lead the charge to save the life of the track. Metro council member Sandra Moore, whose district this is, on December 21, is set to introduce a bill that would call for immediate demolition of the racetrack, specifically. "Her heart's probably in the right spot, but this is really the first we've ever heard from her, in terms of noise complaints and things like that," said Darden Copeland, spokesperson for the group Save My Fairgrounds. "Now that the mayor wants to re-develop the property, she is very much in favor of the mayor's plan." Copeland told NewsChannel 5 it was the group's goal to collect signatures from 1,860 of the roughly 9,229 voters who live in District 17. And volunteers going door-to-door were not only talking, Copeland said, but also listening to neighbors' complaints and concerns who are on the fence over the racetrack issue, or full-on eager to see it go.(NewChannel5.com)(12-16-2010)

Sterling Marlin fighting to keep race track open: Two time Daytona 500 winner Sterling Marlin could file a lawsuit as early as Wednesday to block Mayor Karl Dean's plan to shut down the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. "There is not a short track in the country better than this place and the powers that be just don't understand that," Marlin told News 2. Marlin was at the speedway racing in the 27th Annual All American 400. "My daughter races, my son races," Marlin said. "Hopefully we can save it and my grandson can race here one day." The speedway opened in 1904 with horse races. In 1958, the dirt track was replaced with asphalt and car racing started. For years the raceway was part of NASCAR. Racing legends like Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty raced on the track. Mayor Dean plans to redevelop the fairgrounds. 2010 was also the last year for the Tennessee State Fair at the fairgrounds.(wkrn.com)(10-5-2010)

Fairgrounds Speedway's final race Oct 2nd: The end of a historic era as the Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville will see the final flag waved on October 2nd, 2010. The Nashville All American event will be featured on Friday, October 1st and Saturday, October 2nd. The fairgrounds track opened as an asphalt speedplant in 1958. The first champion, Bob Reuther was lead by crew chief, Preacher Hamilton, grandfather of the late Bobby Hamilton, Sr., 2004 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion.
The Saturday event will be highlighted by induction of twelve greats to the Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame. Gary Baker, co-owner of NASCAR Nationwide Series team Baker Curb Racing will be one of the twelve who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Baker was the leaseholder on two occasions at the fairgrounds. Doyle Ford, former chief starter for NASCAR Winston Cup will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during the 6pm ceremony. Baker and Ford will join two time Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin, the late Bobby Hamilton, Sr., and three time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip that have been named in previous years into the Hall of Fame. The fairgrounds facility hosted NASCAR Winston Cup events for 27 years from (1958 - 1984). The mayor of Nashville has made it plain that this will be the final event to be held at the historic Tennessee State Fairgrounds track.(Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville)(9-30-2010)

Nashville Will Not Follow Gateway Out The Door: Dover Motorsports has canceled next year’s NASCAR races at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois, after closing the company’s Memphis track last year – a dismal reminder about the sport’s financial state of affairs. However, another Dover track, Nashville Superspeedway, is making plans for the 2011 season and track spokesman Cliff Hawks maintains a positive outlook. “We’re in talks with some potential new sponsors for next year, including one possible five-year deal,’ said Hawks, the track’s vice president and general manager. As for the grim Gateway news: “It’s tough to see a sister track not be on the schedule next year, but it will have no impact on our operation,” Hawks said. “I remain very optimistic about our track’s future.” When Dover closed its Memphis track the Superspeedway inherited its NASCAR Camping World Series race. However, Hawks said his track will receive none of the three lost Gateway events – two Nationwide Series races and a truck race. Where those races will end up – or even if they will be on the schedule – has not has not been determined. “We already have our schedule planned for 2011 – two Nationwide Series races and two Camping World Series races,” Hawks said. “The only thing that we haven’t finalized is our hope that we can run two doubleheader weekends next year. Earlier this season ran a Nationwide/truck series doubleheader and the response was very positive. We’re got our fingers crossed that we can run two such doubleheaders next season.”(Racin' Today)(8-3-2010)

Steel Magnolia to perform post-race concert at Nashville: Race fans at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday, April 3 will have a good reason to remain on their feet following the conclusion of 300 miles of NASCAR Nationwide Series action. Big Machine Records recording artists Steel Magnolia will perform a post-race concert on the frontstretch as part of the Dillon Transportation Concert Series immediately following the race, scheduled to take the green flag at 3 p.m. The concert is free to all April 3 NASCAR Nationwide Series race ticket holders. As the season two winners of CMT's Can You Duet?, Steel Magnolia (Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones) captured America's hearts with their dynamic harmony and music that is one part Country and two parts Southern Soul. The duo's top-15 hit, "Keep On Lovin' You," is the lead single from the Valentine's Day Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and is the highest-charting debut single from a Country duo in over three years.(Nashville PR)(3-10-2010)

Tix for Nashville Superspeedway 2010 NASCAR events on sale: With just over six weeks until the start of the 2010 season, the excitement is building for NASCAR’s return to Nashville Superspeedway. For the first time in the 10-year history of the track, Nashville will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series on the same weekend, April 2-3, 2010. Fans can reserve great seats by calling 866-RACE-TIX or online at NashvilleSuperspeedway.com.(Nashville Superspeedway)(1-8-2010)

Fairgrounds Speedway closes: The end came quicker than expected for Fairgrounds Speedway [formerly Nashville Speedway] as track operator Danny Denson has decided to cancel the scheduled season-ending All-American 400. The race had originally been set for last weekend but was postponed due to a rainy forecast and rescheduled for the end of the month. Denson reconsidered, but Wednesday decided to cancel the race and close the track due to ongoing problems with Metro. “There had been so much negative attention that we decided to go and end it now,” said Denson, referring to plans by Mayor Karl Dean, and the Fair Board vote, to shut down the entire Fairgrounds next June 30. “It’s impossible to promote a race in this kind of atmosphere. It’s all over. It’s a sad day for our sport and our city,” he said. The track opened in 1958 on a Metro-owned site that had hosted some form of racing since 1904. The closing of Fairgrounds Speedways leaves Nashville Superspeedway in Wilson County as the only major-league race track in Middle Tennessee. That track is considered unsuitable for local-division racing. “I don’t know where young drivers just starting out are going to race,” said Sterling Marlin, a three-time track champion whose son Steadman and daughter Sutherlin raced at the Fairgrounds this season.(Nashville City Paper)(11-8-2009)

Dover Motorsports shuts down Memphis track: Dover Motorsports, Inc. announced that it was ceasing all operations at Memphis Motorsports Park and that it would not be promoting any events in Memphis in 2010. As previously announced, the Memphis facility had been under an agreement of sale to Gulf Coast Entertainment but Gulf Coast was unable to secure financing. "This was a difficult decision for us, but one that ultimately was dictated by economics," said Denis McGlynn, President and CEO of Dover Motorsports. "We greatly appreciate the many years of dedication shown by our Memphis employees and their efforts to make Memphis such a great destination for the racing community - from racing fans and drivers to sponsors, team owners and sanctioning bodies. For all concerned, including the Memphis community, it is truly sad to see Memphis Motorsports Park taken off the racing schedule. NASCAR has approved the realignment of our NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events from Memphis Motorsports Park to our Nashville and Gateway facilities." The realigned events and dates are as follows:
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Nashville Superspeedway, April 2, 2010, (together with NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 3, 2010)
NASCAR Nationwide Series, Gateway International Raceway, October 23, 2010.(Dover Motorsports PR)(10-30-2009)