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Bruton Smith: It’s doubtful Sprint Cup will be at Kentucky in 2010
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith addressed the media Saturday at Kentucky Speedway.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
SPARTA, Ky. – 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 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.”
SMI bought Kentucky Speedway last December, and Smith wants to realign one of his Sprint Cup races to the 1.5-mile oval but an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. filed in 2005 by the founders of the track is unresolved.
NASCAR has said it would not consider a realignment request until the case is resolved. A hearing in the U.S. Court of Appeals is scheduled for July 30, and a decision can come from three weeks to six months, and the case still might not be over after that decision.
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.”
Smith, whose company is not a defendant but is considered a “co-conspirator” in the case, has asked the former owners to drop the lawsuit.
“I’ve begged and pleaded [for it to be dropped],” Smith said. “I’ve done everything I know. … I’ve said from day one I thought it was a bad lawsuit.”
Jerry Carroll, head of the track’s former ownership group that built the track for approximately $152 million and then sold it to SMI for $78.3 million (including $63.3 million assumption of debt), said there would be no dropping of the lawsuit.
“We’re not the guys holding up the race,” Carroll said. “NASCAR controls the race. Not us. … They won’t let him move a race. Not me. If they’re for sure that this [lawsuit] doesn’t have any teeth to it, why in the heck can’t they treat their best promoter in the country better than not letting him move a race?
“That’s being the bully.”
SMI currently has two Cup races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Atlanta and New Hampshire are considered the two candidates that could lose a race, but Smith hasn’t said where the race would come from.
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.
“NASCAR appreciates what I do, I hope they do,” Smith said. “I hope that the things that we do and the improvements that we make at speedways – you’ll see that in a few weeks at New Hampshire – that it’s good for the sport.”
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6492 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -108 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -169 |
| 4 | Kurt Busch | -211 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -285 |
| 6 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -289 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -321 |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | -352 |
| 9 | Ryan Newman | -411 |
| 10 | Kasey Kahne | -476 |
| 11 | Carl Edwards | -520 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -666 |
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9 responses to "Bruton Smith: It’s doubtful Sprint Cup will be at Kentucky in 2010". Post a Comment.
bthompson133 said:
Jun 14, 2009 at 12:53 PMdon't think we need the new track
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Jun 14, 2009 at 4:29 PMoh geez don't add anymore seats...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJGRFan4Life said:
Jun 14, 2009 at 5:42 PMKentucky is the best track owned by SMI now that Bristol is boring. I want really short track racing, Bristol... I say give Kentucky a date and LVMS a second, take one each away from NHMS and Atlanta, Bruton.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportvettedude1950 said:
Jun 14, 2009 at 7:25 PMNASCAR has no logical reason to punish SMI, Bruton Smith, and the area fans because of the actions of the previous owner. Bruton irritates NASCAR because he marches to his own drummer! In fact NASCAR owes Bruton Smith a big "thank you" for what he's done to build the sport to where it is. He's taken more risks than Brian France ever thought about.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Jun 14, 2009 at 7:54 PMthe races aren't any more boring than the were 30 years ago...and if races are boring at Bristol, why would they be any different at KY...still the same car...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSheilaLovesNASCAR said:
Jun 14, 2009 at 10:17 PMIn my opinion, Bristol is more exciting now. You can pass without causing a caution. What's so exciting about caution laps? It's racing that I want to see, not crashes. Bristol now has great side-by-side racing. Not follow the pace car laps. New Hampshire would be my pick. It's only 300 miles after all. A Busch race. Why bother have two of them?
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Jun 14, 2009 at 10:19 PMwhen their guy isn't winning they say races are boring
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJGRFan4Life said:
Jun 15, 2009 at 1:13 AMNot true, BTHOMPSON.
Report as AbuseI liked Bristol when it was real short track racing and you had to use the bumper. That was enjoyable.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportBill8848 said:
Jun 15, 2009 at 11:51 AMNascar doesn't need another track like Kentucky,there's too many like that.
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