(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)
The NASCAR schedule for 2011 is expected to see significant changes, including the site of the season finale. Some changes are in response to major track owners, International Speedway Corp. (ISC), owned by the France family, and Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI). Additionally, there are several race dates that are now put into play for the schedule realignment.
The Charlotte Observer and ThatsRacin.com are reporting that the changes being contemplated include the season’s finale, now held at Miami-Homestead Speedway. That ISC owned facility could get the second race of the 2011 season, presently held at, the ISC owned. Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA.
The sources said two tracks figure in the options being considered to replace Homestead as host of the season’s final race weekend: Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway.
In addition to the season-opening Daytona 500, the Daytona track currently hosts a Cup race on the Fourth of July weekend. Las Vegas now has one race date, in late winter on the 2010 schedule.
A Las Vegas finale could make it more convenient for fans, teams, media and others to attend NASCAR’s season-ending awards events. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is owned by the Bruton Smith controlled corporation, SMI. Those season-ending awards events, held in New York City for years, moved to the desert gambling-and-resort city for the first time last year.
ISC spokesman Lenny Santiago declined on Sunday to specifically address the Homestead and Daytona moves.
“We submitted our request to NASCAR to realign a second date to Kansas Speedway for 2011,” he said. “Beyond that, there’s nothing more I can add.”
ISC has requested the second race date for its Kansas track, where work on a casino is moving forward. But it has so far declined to identify which of its tracks would lose a race in the process.
SMI has requested second dates for Las Vegas or Kentucky – or both. Officials of that company also declined to name any tracks that would be part of such a swap.
Few specifics were provided Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by Brian France, NASCAR’s chairman and CEO. Decisions could be finalized within a couple of weeks, he said. (ThatsRacin.com)
What are you thoughts on reshuffling the deck in regards to the present NASCAR race schedule?
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
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