Menu
Like all businesses, NASCAR race tracks have owners, but, who are the individuals and corporations that own these tracks? Today, we look at every NASCAR track owner and where they came from.
Tracks Owned: Chicago Street Track, Darlington, Daytona, Homestead-Miami, Iowa, Kansas, Martinsville, Michigan, Phoenix, Richmond, Talladega, and Watkins Glen
NASCAR took over the operations of multiple race tracks in 2019 when it merged with the International Speedway Corporation (ISC). NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. started ISC in the 1950s to manage operations at multiple tracks. As time went on, ISC gradually started purchasing and building more tracks. While the company worked closely with NASCAR and had plenty of executive overlap, it was never a direct NASCAR subsidiary until NASCAR purchased it for $2 billion.
NASCAR also owns two tracks that NASCAR currently does not race at. Chicagoland Speedway left the schedule after the 2019 season, with its’ spiritual successor being the Chicago Street Race. Auto Club Speedway is still technically owned by NASCAR, but, the track remains a construction site after selling much of the land the track was on.
Tracks Owned: Atlanta, Bristol, Charlotte, Dover, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Hampshire, North Wilkesboro, Sonoma, and Texas
Bruton Smith founded Speedway Motorsports Incorporated (SMI) in the 1990s. Smith and NASCAR were frenemies throughout the early days of stock car racing, but, Smith only owned Charlotte Motor Speedway throughout much of his history. That changed in the 1990s when SMI was formed and Smith began gobbling up old tracks and building new ones to craft the current roster.
The company is now run by Bruton’s son, Marcus Smith. The track owns one track not on the schedule, Kentucky Speedway, which left the schedule after the 2020 season.
Tracks Owned: Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
While Circuit of the Americas is independently owned, SMI leases the track for NASCAR weekends. Therefore, the track is essentially an extra SMI track when NASCAR rolls in every spring. Bobby Epstein functioned as the Chairman of Circuit of the Americas after its founding in 2012.
This track’s ownership history is a bit more murky as this track was built for Formula One, which is a rarity amongst North American race tracks. Regardless, for NASCAR’s purposes, this is essentially an SMI venue.
Tracks Owned: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
People may not know that Roger Penske has been in the track ownership game for many years. He saved Michigan International Speedway from bankruptcy in the 1970s, built Auto Club Speedway, and owned Rockingham for a brief time in the 1990s. Those tracks were all sold to ISC in the late 1990s, but, Penske was not out of track ownership forever.
In November 2019, Penske bought the entire IndyCar Series along with Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the Hulman-George family. Penske has owned both entities ever since.
Tracks Owned: LA Coliseum
Similar to COTA, the ownership scenario is a bit unique. The Clash is a NASCAR-owned event, but, the venue, the LA Coliseum, is owned by Los Angeles itself. It’s also similar to how the Chicago Street Race is owned.
The Clash had always been held at Daytona prior to 2022, so, NASCAR has the final say on where the event goes. Even if they do not take the event to their tracks.
Tracks Owned: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP)
Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is more famous for its’ dragstrip which hosts the NHRA U.S. Nationals, the series crown jewel event. NASCAR has raced there off and on through the years, with the Truck Series racing this year on the same weekend as the Brickyard 400.
This is a rare instance where the main draw is not the NASCAR track, but the drag strip. Plenty of other facilities including Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Bristol have drag strips.
Tracks Owned: Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is on the Milwaukee State Fairgrounds, and it’s sort of a throwback. Many NASCAR tracks throughout the years were built on Fairgrounds with Richmond being a prime modern example. NASCAR has raced there multiple times throughout the years.
The Craftsman Truck Series returns this summer for a one-off race the Sunday after the Daytona summer race. The track will also host a doubleheader IndyCar weekend the week after.
Tracks Owned: Pocono
Dr. Joseph Mattioli originally founded Pocono Raceway, and the track has remained in the family ever since. The 3-turn, triangular-shaped track modeled its’ three turns off of popular IndyCar tracks. Turn one is Trenton, turn two, Indianapolis, and turn three, Milwaukee.
NASCAR became an annual staple in 1974. The track hosted two races per year for many years, but, it has been relegated to one per year since 2022.
Tracks Owned: Portland International Raceway
Portland International Raceway was originally a street track on the streets of Portland. Now, it’s a purpose-built road course that hosts both NASCAR and IndyCar. It’s the only NASCAR track in the Pacific Northwest.
NASCAR has raced there off and on throughout the years. This year, it hosts the Xfinity Series only standalone weekend in June.
Tracks Owned: World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway)
Track ownership at Gateway has changed hands multiple times. When NASCAR originally brought the Xfinity and Truck Series there in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was owned by Dover Motorsports, which also owned Dover and Nashville at the time. Curtis Francois bought the track in 2011.
Since then, the track has undergone a resurgence. Francois took the track from hosting no major races to having a Cup Series weekend and an IndyCar weekend. A truly incredible feat.
These are all of the track owners in NASCAR. While NASCAR and SMI own the vast majority, a few tracks are independently owned.
