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Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) motor speedway located in north-central Kentucky, near the community of Sparta, Kentucky; approximately halfway between Louisville, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, and is additionally 70 miles (113 km) from another fairly sizable market, Lexington, Kentucky. The track was designed to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (This does not happen but the the selling this could bring Nascar Sprint Cup Series to Sparta-Kentucky Speedway.) race and has hosted NASCAR Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck Series races, as well as IRL IndyCar Series and IndyPro Series races. However, NASCAR officials have refused any discussion of a Sprint Cup Series race being moved there.
The track has become one of the top tracks for testing Sprint Cup cars, because of NASCAR's testing restrictions implemented in 2005. As a result of the new testing restrictions, teams may only test at NASCAR-authorized testing sessions at seven specific tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit. As Kentucky is not a Sprint Cup venue, private testing of such cars is permitted with no restrictions, and spectators are allowed to view testing sessions from outside of turn three.
There has also been talk that Kentucky Speedway owners might purchase Pocono Raceway and move one of its Sprint Cup Series races to Kentucky. However, the Mattioli family, which owns both Pocono Raceway and South Boston Speedway, and manages the Music City Motorplex, has so far shown no interest in selling that superspeedway.
On September 16, 2007, Kentucky Speedway owner Jerry Carroll attended the Sylvania 300 Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway. Carroll told USA Today that he was interested in purchasing the track and moving one of the race dates to Kentucky Speedway. [1] However, on November 1 it was announced that NHIS was being sold to Bruton Smith, CEO and chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. [2]
Both of Kentucky's major 300 mile races (NNS, IRL) are sponsored by Meijer.
On May 22, 2008, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. purchased Kentucky Speedway from Jerry Carroll. However, the deal will not be finalized till October. Current owner Jerry Carroll will still retain a small ownership stake in the racetrack. The new owners plan is to place a Sprint Cup race there within the next couple of years. Bruton Smith, head of Speedway Motorsports Inc. who is buying the racetrack, said he even hopes to have one at Kentucky Speedway by 2009. However, NASCAR said this wouldn't happen as the schedule for next year is already being finalized and it doesn't include a race at the Kentucky Speedway.
[edit] NASCAR Lawsuit
In July 2005, Kentucky Speedway filed a lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation, (ISC) claiming that they violated federal antitrust laws by not allowing tracks to bid for NASCAR races, provided they meet the necessary requirements. On January 7, 2008 the lawsuit was thrown out, with United States District Court Judge William O. Bertelsman writing in his ruling "After careful consideration and a thorough review of the record, and granting [Kentucky] Speedway the benefit of the doubt on all reasonable inferences therefrom, the court concludes that Speedway has failed to make out its case."
In response to the Kentucky Speedway's lawsuit, NASCAR fans and union members of UNITE HERE and Teamsters gathered over 40,000 signitures asking NASCAR to sever ties with the Kentucky Speedway while the lawsuit proceeds. The petition raises concerns that if the lawsuit is successful, then the competitive bidding process it advocates could cause ticket prices to rise and smaller tracks could lose their races.
[edit] Acquired by Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
On May 22, 2008, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. announced it had purchased Kentucky Speedway from Kentucky Speedway, LLC.[3]
[edit] Current Races
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Jerry Carrol wants to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway
- ^ SMI Purchase New Hampshire International Speedway
- ^ SMI Purchasing of Kentucky Speedway
[edit] External links
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Current NASCAR Nationwide Series racetracks |
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Atlanta, Bristol, Brooklyn, Michigan, Charlotte, Darlington, Daytona, Dover, Fontana, California, Fort Worth, Indianapolis (ORP), Joliet, Illinois, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Loudon, Madison, Illinois, Memphis, Mexico City, Miami, Milwaukee, Montreal, Nashville, Phoenix, Richmond, Sparta, Kentucky, Talladega, Watkins Glen
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Current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racetracks |
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Atlanta, Bristol, Michigan, Charlotte, Daytona, Dover, Fontana, Texas, ORP, Kansas, Las Vegas, Loudon, Madison, Illinois, Mansfield, Martinsville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Phoenix, Talladega, Kentucky
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Tracks of the USAC Championship Series |
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Former Tracks
(1956-1981) |
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