While NASCAR has expanded to plenty of exciting, new markets in the last few years, there are a few places they left behind for one reason or another. Today, we look at some of the cities where NASCAR doesn’t race anymore and whether or not NASCAR could return to any of these places in the coming years.
NASCAR has never been known to dabble much in Colorado, but it wasn’t that long ago that NASCAR raced in the “Centennial State.” From 1998 until 2005, Pikes Peak International Raceway hosted eight Xfinity Series and five Truck Series races. Notable winners at the track include Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth.
The track still exists today, but it’s not nearly as prominent as it once was. It also sits 90 minutes south of Denver, a large, untapped market. If NASCAR ever returns to this area, it might be a street race in Denver, which would be a cool event.
From 1998 through 2009, the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series traveled to Western Tennessee and Memphis Motorsports Park. While the Trucks traditionally came in the late spring or early summer, the Xfinity Series often visited in the fall, giving fans two separate weekends of action. Notable winners included Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, and Greg Biffle.
So, why did NASCAR ultimately leave Memphis? Well, NASCAR already has a good presence in Tennessee with two race weekends in Bristol and one in Nashville, so it wouldn’t make much sense to oversaturate that market. On top of that, the track is now closed, effectively ending any chance at NASCAR involvement in the city.
Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina was a staple of the NASCAR schedule for decades in the heart of NASCAR country, hosting 78 Cup Series races from 1965 through 2004. Name a NASCAR legend, and chances are they’ve won at “The Rock.” The reopening of North Wilkesboro Speedway has sparked optimism in many that Rockingham may rise from the ashes.
Unfortunately, Rockingham’s ownership hasn’t been nearly as stable since it left the schedule, and neither NASCAR nor SMI owns the track. The track is also in a very rural area, with other NASCAR tracks in bigger markets fairly close by. Rockingham has fan sentiment going for it, but it’s an uphill battle to return to the schedule.
Kentucky Speedway, located in Sparta, Kentucky, is about halfway between Cincinnati and Louisville. Throughout the 2000s, the track hosted the Xfinity and Truck Series before the Cup Series joined in 2011. Kentucky got off on the wrong foot in 2011 when traffic issues caused many fans to miss the race, and lackluster racing combined with a controversial repave further doomed the track’s future.
It’s unlikely NASCAR will ever return to this track despite it being an SMI track. It’s near some bigger markets, but it’s not in any city centers, either. As long as SMI owns the facility, there’s some hope, but it will take a miracle for Kentucky to return.
Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, was a popular addition to the NASCAR calendar throughout the 2010s and early 2020s. The Xfinity Series raced there from 2010 through 2023, while the Cup Series joined in 2021 and 2022. However, NASCAR’s recent expansion has left Road America off the 2024 schedule.
The Cup Series left Road America after 2022 in favor of the Chicago Street Race, thinking that Road America and Chicago both appeal to the same spectators. While the Xfinity Series stayed in 2023, the Olympic break meant Road America couldn’t keep its’ original date on the schedule, and NASCAR left the venue entirely. Wisconsin race fans still get their NASCAR fix with the Truck Series going to the Milwaukee Mile in August, but many fans still wish to see Road America back on the calendar.
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