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On Monday afternoon, a post on social media seemingly suggested that NASCAR is heading to Saudi Arabia in the future. However, a closer look clarifies that this post was not what it seemed.
On Monday afternoon, a day of rather interesting news about NASCAR, a post gained traction in the NASCAR community. The post featured a screenshot from an Instagram story from a tour of the still-under-construction Qiddiya Speed Park, a state-of-the-art race track currently being built in Saudi Arabia.
Those who viewed it noticed a board with a preliminary track event calendar. This calendar featured the usual top-tier racing circuits such as GT World Challenge, Formula One, and Formula E.
Most notably, NASCAR was featured on this list of “Tier 1” series. Many fans took this as confirmation that the Cup Series was heading to Saudi Arabia in the near future. While this is a wild idea at an even crazier race track, one notable provision is missing from the given context.
Checking the key to the board clarified that NASCAR is not a confirmed series but rather a “Potential/In Discussion” series. While this does not prove that NASCAR is heading east, it does, however, raise further questions of whether or not the series is in conversations with the track.
Qiddiya Speed Park is the heart and soul of Qiddiya City, a planned destination city in Saudi Arabia. Featuring a theme park, water park, and golf courses, Qiddiya City is set to be the entertainment capital of the region.
According to its website, the track itself is set to be built into the city, unlike many other street courses. It overlooks many different buildings, pools, and a 20-story turn-one. If NASCAR does race here, it will be a race unlike any other for many reasons, but what are the complexities of the matter?
When it comes to racing internationally, there is a reason why NASCAR does not leave the Continental US. In fact, NASCAR has not left the continent since 1998, when the series raced at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan.
Complexities include the astronomical costs of transporting talent, cars, and equipment and finding the spot on schedule. This also raises questions about whether there was some sort of outside financial support. That question further presents its own set of questions. Would this be a Cup race, a points race, or even a 37th race?
The fact is that this is far from being confirmed. It is unclear whether NASCAR falls into the “Potential” or “In Discussion” category. According to Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, NASCAR has declined to comment. However, Stern does note that NASCAR has explored opportunities such as this one.
If NASCAR does go to the Middle East, it will be one of the most important races in sports history. However, it will be some time before that could happen, as the track is scheduled to be finished in the latter half of this decade.
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