Bruton Smith’s proposal of forming multiple leagues or conferences to expand the NASCAR Winston Cup Series continues to strike out. Smith first offered his “trial balloon” in the mid-1990s and has resurrected it in response to NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr.’s realignment plan for Cup schedules starting as early as 2004. “Create an American League and a National League, where you run two [races] every Sunday,” said Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc. “You’ve got a West and an East [presence]. If NASCAR wants to tackle that, it’s going to be tough to do, but it can be done. I’ve studied it to death, and it could be done.” NASCAR officials acknowledge they are pushing the limit with the current Cup schedule that fits 38 races, including two non-points events, into a 41-week calendar. But France rejected the two-league system as unworkable in February, and little support for it has surfaced since.(more at Fort Worth Star Telegram )(3-27-2003)
