Lots of talk in Kansas about the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series schedules for next year, which wasn’t released when NASCAR unveiled the 2012 Sprint Cup Series. The sanctioning body expects to have the finishing touches done in a few days. The Nationwide Series will more than likely be down to 33 races in 2012 with a return to Montreal expected. The truck slate may also be down a race to 24 with Road America and Watkins Glen on the speculative addition list marking a return to road course racing for NASCAR’s number three series.(MotorRacingNetwork.com)(10-10-2011)
UPDATE: Status of road course races being added to Camping World Truck Series 2012 schedule; On Twitter — When NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell was asked about Watkins Glen being added, he “tweeted” in response – “Watkins Glen declined.”
Looks like a go for Road America as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – “A few details remain to be ironed out, but it appears the Camping World Truck Series will join the Nationwide Series next summer at Road America in Elkhart Lake. Road America president George Bruggenthies says he prefers that sanctioning bodies announce their schedules, but everything he said in a conversation Thursday implied that it would happen. NASCAR has yet to release the CWTS schedule, and a representative wouldn’t confirm the date. Rumors of a return to road racing with the trucks after more than a decade have heated up to the point it’s a general assumption among teams that it will happen.(Journal Sentinel Online.com)(10-28-2011)
UPDATE 2: The all-but-done deal to bring the Camping World Truck Series to Road America next season is done, but not in that way. Done, as in over. NASCAR and the track had hoped to package the truck race with the Nationwide Series and Grand Am on the weekend of June 23-24. The hangup? TV. Because of other commitments by NASCAR’s television partners, a truck race couldn’t be scheduled for that Sunday, Bruggenthies said. Grand Am and Nationwide are committed for Saturday. The other option was Friday, but to run an afternoon race on a traditional work day would not have made sense economically. Although the trucks often race on Fridays, those are nighttime events at tracks with lights. “We’re all disappointed,” Bruggenthies [track President] said. “You know what? We’ll make it happen in the future. We’re going to run a couple national NASCAR events on the same weekend in the future. I’m confident of it.”(JournalSentinal.com)(11-3-2011)
