Bruton Smith still holding out hope for a 2010 Cup race in Kentucky
HAMPTON, Ga. – Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith says he still hopes to get a NASCAR Sprint Cup date in 2010 for Kentucky Speedway
“Why would anybody stand in the way of that?” Smith said.
NASCAR has said that it won't allow Smith to move a race to the track as long as the Kentucky Speedway founders’ antitrust lawsuit remains unresolved. The lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. (with SMI also considered a co-conspirator) is pending in U.S. Appeals Court in Cincinnati, and a decision is not expected until late May at the earliest.
Smith, who paid $78.3 million (including the assumption of $63.3 million of debt) for the track in December, allowed the founders to continue with the lawsuit as a condition of the sale.
He said he has still not talked to NASCAR Chairman Brian France about realigning a race to Kentucky from another SMI track.
“I think Brian listens to his overpaid attorneys, and I hope that they will go well [in the suit] and we will get everything out of the way where they’re happy and I’m happy because I really would like to make damn sure that we have that event,” said Smith.
Smith has not said which of his tracks would lose a date if he gets to move a race to Kentucky. SMI also owns Atlanta Motor Speedway, which is hosting Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 Sprint Cup race, along with Lowe's Motor Speedway in North Carolina, Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, Infineon Raceway in California, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada.
He said he is adding 4,000 more motorhome parking spaces and exploring other hotel/casino options for the Kentucky track.
“Maybe the Kentucky Speedway could have a hotel/casino, don’t you think?” Smith said. “I don’t have that plan, but I know that Kentucky is very jealous of Indiana because the hotel [and casino] are [nearby] in Indiana.”
Smith said he is not currently adding seats nor changing the track configuration.
“It’s OK as it is right now,” Smith said.
