NASCAR Cup Series

Could NASCAR schedule change dramatically in coming years?

Published Jun. 28, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The NASCAR race schedule is expected to change significantly over the next few years.

There are a lot of ideas being bantered, proposals on the table and machinations behind the scenes.

Usually by early June, the lineup of races has taken shape. The sanctioning body has met with track owners and presidents, sanctioning agreements are outlined and the pieces fall into place by July.

However, the traditional May meetings at Charlotte were delayed by the legal entanglements of Kentucky Motor Speedway. With the litigation resolved on the KMS anti-trust lawsuit, the clock is now ticking for Speedway Motorsports Chairman O. Bruton Smith to make his next move.

Smith had a full plate at New Hampshire this weekend that included more than just lobster. He met with NASCAR officials on Saturday then had a second meeting with President Mike Helton and Vice President Steve O’Donnell. O’Donnell, the point person for the NASCAR schedule, says Smith “is still within his time limit” for submitting proposed changes for his tracks.

Smith has also acquired a valuable ally in Randy Bernard, the new CEO of the Indy Racing League. The pair announced on Sunday that New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host its first IndyCar race since 1998 — a project Smith has been working on for the last three years. Bernard says the 1-miler will “further increase our diversity of venues” and “fill a geographical gap” in the current schedule.

Another twist to the relationship could involve moving the IndyCar season finale away from the France family’s International Speedway Corp.’s Homestead-Miami Speedway to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Although Bernard “hasn’t had much conversation with NASCAR” he is scheduled to meet with ISC CEO Lesa France Kennedy next week to discuss future plans. Bernard expressed interest in meeting with as many tracks and promoters as possible before completing the 2011 IndyCar schedule to determine “what makes the most sense for the series.”

As far as changes to NASCAR races, O’Donnell says ISC has already submitted a proposal to move a second date to Kansas City. O’Donnell would not comment on which ISC track would lose a date in the process.

So what are the possible changes for the 2011 NASCAR schedule? Here’s a quick breakdown.

KENTUCKY MOTOR SPEEDWAY — Since Smith’s Speedway Motorsports purchased Kentucky Motor Speedway in 2008, he’s made it clear that he wanted a Sprint Cup date for the 1.5-mile track. On Sunday, Smith said a date could not be moved to the Sparta-based track until he had spoken with NASCAR. Smith admits he would move a current SMI date to the track — which is in close proximity to both Cincinnati and Louisville. Both Atlanta and New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been mentioned as candidates for transfer dates. Smith has invested $20 million in capital improvements in the track, but would still have to add to the existing 66,000 seats.

KANSAS SPEEDWAY — Expect two races at the Kansas-based track. Groundbreaking for the 100,000 square foot casino occurred in April and is expected to be completed by 2012. Insiders have predicted that a date from Auto Club Speedway would be moved to K.C. Although Martinsville Speedway was also mentioned as a possibility, president Clay Campbell said on Monday, “There’s been no indication that it’s coming from us and if it was I hope I would know it. We’ve been pushing hard to get our spring date changed. We haven’t been told whether we could change it or not but we have been lobbying for it.” O’Donnell said due to the climate of that region, the earliest a date might appear on the schedule is April.

NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY — Will NHMS have two Cup dates in 2011 or will a date be moving West? While Smith said on Sunday that “it’s not nice to start rumors” there’s plenty to go around. Smith’s current feud with local authorities over fees of $134,000 for protection and traffic control combined with a lack of highway infrastructure surrounding the track has fueled the recent speculation. NHMS has held two dates since 1997. The first Cup race was held on the 1-miler in 1993. NHMS is the only track that services New England and northeastern Canada.

LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY — Smith has not been shy about wanting to gain a second Cup date in Las Vegas, a locale that doesn’t have to contend with weather outside of summer dates such as many of the other tracks on the schedule. As far as hosting the season finale at Vegas, Smith says “it all depends on the stage. I like legitimate theatre and I always like to stay for the finale.” O’Donnell doesn’t see NASCAR moving the season finale from Homestead despite the fact that the Sprint Cup banquet now resides in Vegas. “All of our agreements are annual, but I think we’re pretty comfortable holding our season finale at Miami,” O‘Donnell said. “A lot of things factor in including weather. But I think we’ve built what we think is a pretty good tradition down in Miami so I wouldn’t anticipate us moving out of there any time soon. As for moving Homestead to the second race of the season, we start the season in Daytona, so it’s difficult to go back-to-back in Florida.” Vegas has been mentioned as a possible replacement for the second race of the season slot instead of Auto Club Speedway, though any wrangling for a second date would be replaced by a current SMI track — again, AMS or NHMS.