NASCAR President Says a Return to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is a “Weekly” Conversation
What’s Happening? NASCAR President Steve Phelps says that the sport returning to the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is a “weekly dialogue”…
Following his racing return to the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr reassured fans that plans to get the track back to NASCAR standards are still underway despite local opposition.
The story of Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is almost longer than any other racing venue in the United States. Nonetheless, the track, unlike its fellow elder brethren, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, remains in a state of uncertainty regarding future races from major series.
Since the NASCAR Cup Series left the venue in the 1980s, and the lower two National Series followed suit in the early 2000s, the 0.596-mile oval has endured through local racing series, late-model racing tours, and the occasional ARCA Menards Series East race.
This past weekend, one of the top Late Model Tours in the country, the ZMAX Cars Tour, took to the track for the first time in a handful of seasons, bringing along its field of short track aces and NASCAR Hall of Famer, and series owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Earnhardt is one of a few who have lobbied heavily for a return of NASCAR to the track, an effort also supported by Nashville Superspeedway and Bristol Motor Speedway owner Speedway Motorsports and their CEO, Marcus Smith.
For the better part of the 2020s, NASCAR fans have heard, now and again, that Smith and his company are trying to revive the track despite ongoing local opposition.
While this campaign has dragged on over the past few seasons, during the latest episode of The Dale Jr Download, Earnhardt, who played a role in SMI’s revival of North Wilkesboro Speedway, reassured NASCAR fans that the company is still working to bring the track back.
“They [SMI] have a plan, and it’s ready, and it’s being mulled over by the local government. That absolutely could happen, and that’s still in motion, and I know that Marcus and his team are still. . . working that deal. It’s not dead.” — Dale Earnhardt Jr
While some fans might pry at Earnhardt for a status update, given his support for the track’s NASCAR rebirth, and his relationship with Smith, the 51-year-old NASCAR legend reminded fans, “I know as much as all y’all do.”
Nonetheless, to his knowledge, Earnhardt says that SMI and Smith are still fighting to get their plan for the track moving.
“He’ll [Smith] tell me something like ‘Our guys were there last week, our guys were in town last week meeting with local government, our guys are still boots on the ground,'” Earnhardt said. “And that’s all I need to hear is they’re still trying to make that effort to put a deal together.”
While local promoter Bob Sargent still hosts races at the track throughout the year, and the track has protection for racing in Nashville, the local government has seen pushback from local citizens.
The case against a return of NASCAR, and even the future of the track, hinges on two issues: the local money needed to revitalize the track, and the noise created by racing.
With neighborhoods and apartments bordering the track, there are some options to quiet engines.
The track also races on limited weekends throughout the year, which does not help its financial situation, with Earnhardt pointing out that some areas need improvement even if SMI does not get its hands on the track.
During this episode of The Dale Jr Download, Earnhardt also noted that if SMI’s deal went through, the company would install a proper sound barrier to protect the neighborhoods from racing noise.
But even with plans in place to address locals’ concerns, nothing is guaranteed about the track’s future as a NASCAR venue.
What’s Happening? NASCAR President Steve Phelps says that the sport returning to the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is a “weekly dialogue”…
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