NASCAR Realignment
Encyclopedia
NASCAR Realignment refers to changes in the schedule of NASCAR
's Sprint Cup Series. In a January 2003 press conference, NASCAR's Chairman of the Board
, Bill France, Jr.
, caused a stir when he interrupted the conference to announce big changes for 2004. France said that many tracks were under fire and being looked at as having race dates taken from them, and given to other facilities. Among the scenarios being looked at by France were how tracks did with ticket sales, and how the weather affected those races. Two tracks immediately looked at by the media
were the North Carolina Speedway
and Darlington Raceway
. Both tracks' events almost never sold out, and the weather, especially at North Carolina Speedway
, had been a major problem, as rain forced many races to be postponed until the next day, typically Monday, which is even worse for tracks because most people who planned to attend the race on a Sunday couldn't be there on a Monday because they had to work.
. While there weren't very many changes, those changes were still big. In June 1997, the California Speedway
began hosting a Winston Cup race. Since the track's host city, Fontana
, is located just outside Los Angeles
, many fans flocked to the first race, and very quickly, the Los Angeles area became NASCAR's largest market. So, it was announced that Darlington's Mountain Dew Southern 500, held on Labor Day
weekend
for many, many years, would be moved to November for 2004. In the process, the North Carolina Speedway's November date, the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
, would move to Fontana, become the Pop Secret 500
, and be run from the late evening into the night on the West Coast
on the day before Labor Day, while also being shown live on NBC
in primetime. The move of the race to September left the Rockingham, North Carolina
-based track with just one race to run in 2004—its February date, the Subway 400
.
. In April 1997 the Winston Cup Series began racing at the newly-built Texas Motor Speedway
in Fort Worth
. Bruton Smith
's Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
(which also oversees operations of tracks in Bristol, Tennessee
, Hampton, Georgia
, Loudon, New Hampshire, and Concord, North Carolina
, all of which have two race dates a year) thought that the first race at Texas was popular enough to warrant another date. Soon, the company began pressing NASCAR to give them another date, but NASCAR refused to grant the track a second race.
Early in the 2000s, SMI shareholder
Francis Ferko
filed a lawsuit against NASCAR, saying that it failed to come through on a "promise" to give Texas a second date. NASCAR denied making any promise of any kind. (Ferko filed the suit on his own; Bruton Smith did not want any part of the suit.)
In May 2004, NASCAR announced that they and Texas had reached a settlement. As part of said settlement ISC sold North Carolina Speedway to SMI, who in turn gave the race to Texas. This not only cost Rockingham its Nextel Cup date, but left it with no dates in any of NASCAR's national racing series in 2005 (the track's remaining Busch Series date was removed; the Truck Series' date was removed in 2004 with the loss of the Pop Secret 400). However, the loss of a NASCAR presence would ultimately prove a blessing in disguise for Rockingham; it is now one of the most heavily used venues for testing by NASCAR teams now that testing is prohibited at any track that hosts races in any NASCAR touring series.
The second track to lose a race was Darlington
, whose slot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup was given to Texas. Darlington was then left with its spring date, which was moved to Mother's Day weekend (a traditional off-weekend for the Cup Series) and lengthened to 500 miles.
In addition to Texas gaining a second race, for the first time since its debut on the Cup schedule in 1988 Phoenix
was granted a second date, this one in an early season slot following the spring race at Texas.
NASCAR also moved the Auto Club 500
, the spring race at Fontana, into Rockingham's slot on the schedule (the race immediately following the Daytona 500
.)
in Fountain, Colorado
and immediately took its race from the Busch schedule, replacing it with an event at Martinsville Speedway
.
As quickly as the race at Martinsville was added to the schedule, it was removed in favor of a race in Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
, adding a third road course to the series schedule.
The Nextel Cup series schedule was left untouched during this time.
Also, races at both tracks had been affected by rain many times over the past few years. Even if there was no rain, it was usually overcast, and any sunshine was very welcomed. Darlington's only race taking place in May also puts the scheduling of the race in the peak tornado
season in the Southeast
.
However, Darlington's future seems secure, with a total sellout for the lone race from 2005 through 2008
, and many major projects being planned or done at the speedway. Due to the sellouts the track owners have considered adding even more seats.
, announced on August 19, 2008, went under a realignment once again after a long break. The fall race at Talladega Superspeedway
was moved to a later date on the schedule around Halloween
(the first Sunday in November or the final Sunday in October), one previously occupied by Atlanta Motor Speedway
's fall event. That race was moved to Labor Day
weekend, where California Speedway's inherited autumn event from Darlington had been, and that date was switched to Talladega's old date on the first weekend of October. In addition, the Nationwide Series dropped Mexico City's road course
race for a new race in August at the 0.875 miles (1.4 km) Iowa Speedway
, and moved the Montreal event to an open weekend on the Sprint Cup schedule (August 30) with their lone Atlanta race moving to the Labor Day weekend from March. The Camping World Truck Series replaced the spring Milwaukee Mile
race with a race at Iowa Speedway
to be run on August 26, and also replaced the Memorial Day weekend race at Mansfield Motorsports Park with a race later in the season at Pocono Raceway
for the first time in the series' history. In 2010, the NCWTS also got rid of its second race at Auto Club Speedway. This moved all races back one weekend in the season until the first weekend of August, where a race was added at Darlington Raceway
, which was put in place after an absence on the series' schedule in the previous season. Other changes include a race at Kentucky Speedway
being moved from the summer to the fall.
In addition to these developments, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
bid for a second date for its track and failed to get it. Track management and ownership want to move the final races of the year from Homestead-Miami Speedway
(Ford Championship Weekend
) to Las Vegas as all three of the major series now hold their end-of-season awards banquets in Las Vegas.
Atlanta has had major attendance issues in recent years, with less than 100,000 fans at the last two Kobalt Tools 500 races. Its new Labor Day weekend race in 2009 was a huge success.
Kentucky Speedway
has demanded a race for years, with its owners selling the track to Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
and filing a lawsuit (which was dismissed) in efforts to get a Sprint Cup Series race. Improvements will have to be made but are expected to be completed in time.
Chicagoland has had major attendance issues and its TV ratings have been some of the lowest of the season in recent years. NASCAR is hoping to save the race in a major market by moving it to the Chase. Some were worried about a conflict with the IndyCar Series, which had its race there during Labor Day
weekend. However, IndyCar officials did schedule realignment of their own eliminating the conflict all together.
Kansas has also demanded a second race for years especially since the building of a casino near the track. Despite the closure of Nashville International Raceway, which is owned by Dover International Speedway
, Dover will maintain two race dates.
Since the addition of the second race at Auto Club Speedway, attendance for both races have dropped considerably, even with a Chase race. Because NASCAR scheduled the first race at the track to immediately follow the Daytona 500 on the schedule, teams were forced to travel across the continent for the second week, hurting them financially and eventually leading to the discontinuation of the truck race there in 2010. The February race was also inconveniently scheduled on the same night as the Academy Awards ceremony (except in 2006 and 2010, when the ceremony was rescheduled to avoid conflict with the Winter Olympics), preventing major stars from appearing at the race. By returning the race to April, officials are once again hoping for a sellout.
Martinsville Speedway
has also had attendance issues. However, it will maintain 2 dates for 2011.
will be affected to start. The spring race, which was added to the schedule for the 2011 campaign, will move from June to April, and the spring race at Dover International Speedway
will return to its traditional early June date. Kansas' fall race, a part of the Chase for the Cup, will swap with Talladega Superspeedway
's chase date and will move to late October. NASCAR said this realignment was due to a repaving project at the track which is scheduled to begin following the race.
In addition, the race at Kentucky Speedway
has been moved to June preceding the Coke Zero 400
at Daytona International Speedway
.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Sprint Cup Series. In a January 2003 press conference, NASCAR's Chairman of the Board
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
, Bill France, Jr.
Bill France, Jr.
William Clifton France , nicknamed "Bill Jr." and "Little Bill," was an American motorsports executive who served from 1972 to 2000 as the head of NASCAR, the sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing. He succeeded the founder of NASCAR, his father Bill France, Sr., as its head...
, caused a stir when he interrupted the conference to announce big changes for 2004. France said that many tracks were under fire and being looked at as having race dates taken from them, and given to other facilities. Among the scenarios being looked at by France were how tracks did with ticket sales, and how the weather affected those races. Two tracks immediately looked at by the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
were the North Carolina Speedway
North Carolina Speedway
Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina...
and Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
. Both tracks' events almost never sold out, and the weather, especially at North Carolina Speedway
North Carolina Speedway
Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina...
, had been a major problem, as rain forced many races to be postponed until the next day, typically Monday, which is even worse for tracks because most people who planned to attend the race on a Sunday couldn't be there on a Monday because they had to work.
Realignment 2004
"Realignment 2004" was announced in June 2003 at the Winston Cup race weekend at the Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
. While there weren't very many changes, those changes were still big. In June 1997, the California Speedway
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...
began hosting a Winston Cup race. Since the track's host city, Fontana
Fontana, California
Fontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area...
, is located just outside Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, many fans flocked to the first race, and very quickly, the Los Angeles area became NASCAR's largest market. So, it was announced that Darlington's Mountain Dew Southern 500, held on Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend
Workweek
The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal working week , or workweek , is the part of the seven-day week devoted to labor. In most Western countries it is Monday to Friday. The weekend comprises the two traditionally...
for many, many years, would be moved to November for 2004. In the process, the North Carolina Speedway's November date, the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
The Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup event that took place in November at the North Carolina Motor Speedway from 1965 to 2003...
, would move to Fontana, become the Pop Secret 500
Sony HD 500
The Pepsi Max 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. It was the second of two Sprint Cup Series races held at the Auto Club Speedway and in 2009 and 2010 it was run in October as part of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.The...
, and be run from the late evening into the night on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
on the day before Labor Day, while also being shown live on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in primetime. The move of the race to September left the Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States named after the Marquis of Rockingham. The population was 9,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County...
-based track with just one race to run in 2004—its February date, the Subway 400
Subway 400
The Subway 400 was the second race of the NASCAR Nextel Cup season until 2004, held a week after the Daytona 500. This 400 mile annual race was sponsored by Subway and was held at North Carolina Speedway since 1966...
.
Realignment 2005
"Realignment 2004" was unpopular with many, but unlike "Realignment 2005", the previous realignment in the schedule wasn't tied in with a lawsuitLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
. In April 1997 the Winston Cup Series began racing at the newly-built Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. Bruton Smith
Bruton Smith
Ollen Bruton Smith is a promoter and owner/CEO of NASCAR track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He was ranked #207 on the Forbes 400 list with an estimated worth of $1.5 billion in 2005, and fell to #278 in 2006. He is divorced with four children...
's Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or SMI is an American corporation that owns and manages racing facilities that host NASCAR, IZOD IndyCar Series, NHRA, WoO other racing series. The company's headquarters are located at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC. SMI owns nine racing...
(which also oversees operations of tracks in Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
, Hampton, Georgia
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
, Loudon, New Hampshire, and Concord, North Carolina
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, all of which have two race dates a year) thought that the first race at Texas was popular enough to warrant another date. Soon, the company began pressing NASCAR to give them another date, but NASCAR refused to grant the track a second race.
Early in the 2000s, SMI shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
Francis Ferko
Ferko lawsuit
The Ferko lawsuit is a common nickname for an American lawsuit that was challenged between plaintiff Francis Ferko, a resident of Plano, Texas and a shareholder of Speedway Motorsports, Inc.'s Texas Motor Speedway, and defendants NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation , which are both owned...
filed a lawsuit against NASCAR, saying that it failed to come through on a "promise" to give Texas a second date. NASCAR denied making any promise of any kind. (Ferko filed the suit on his own; Bruton Smith did not want any part of the suit.)
In May 2004, NASCAR announced that they and Texas had reached a settlement. As part of said settlement ISC sold North Carolina Speedway to SMI, who in turn gave the race to Texas. This not only cost Rockingham its Nextel Cup date, but left it with no dates in any of NASCAR's national racing series in 2005 (the track's remaining Busch Series date was removed; the Truck Series' date was removed in 2004 with the loss of the Pop Secret 400). However, the loss of a NASCAR presence would ultimately prove a blessing in disguise for Rockingham; it is now one of the most heavily used venues for testing by NASCAR teams now that testing is prohibited at any track that hosts races in any NASCAR touring series.
The second track to lose a race was Darlington
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
, whose slot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup was given to Texas. Darlington was then left with its spring date, which was moved to Mother's Day weekend (a traditional off-weekend for the Cup Series) and lengthened to 500 miles.
In addition to Texas gaining a second race, for the first time since its debut on the Cup schedule in 1988 Phoenix
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
was granted a second date, this one in an early season slot following the spring race at Texas.
NASCAR also moved the Auto Club 500
Auto Club 500
The Auto Club 400 is a long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Prior to 2005, the race was held in late April or early May, and until 2010, the race was run at a length of 500 miles. When the NASCAR Realignment of 2005 was made, the race...
, the spring race at Fontana, into Rockingham's slot on the schedule (the race immediately following the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
.)
Realignment 2006–2007
After its Cup series realignment plans, NASCAR turned to its second tier series, the Busch Series, for realignment in 2006. ISC purchased Pikes Peak International RacewayPikes Peak International Raceway
Pikes Peak International Raceway, also known as PPIR, is a participant focused racetrack located in Fountain, Colorado, south of Colorado Springs and north of Pueblo...
in Fountain, Colorado
Fountain, Colorado
The city of Fountain is a Home Rule Municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Fountain is located just ten miles south of Colorado Springs and just east of Fort Carson. Fountain and the Colorado Springs suburbs Security and Widefield make up the "Fountain Valley" community....
and immediately took its race from the Busch schedule, replacing it with an event at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
.
As quickly as the race at Martinsville was added to the schedule, it was removed in favor of a race in Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series....
, adding a third road course to the series schedule.
The Nextel Cup series schedule was left untouched during this time.
Reasons for Rockingham and Darlington losing their races
NASCAR has said Rockingham and Darlington lost their dates because they didn't sell all their tickets for those events, and that giving Darlington only one date would make a sellout more possible since it would be the only race taking place there the following year.Also, races at both tracks had been affected by rain many times over the past few years. Even if there was no rain, it was usually overcast, and any sunshine was very welcomed. Darlington's only race taking place in May also puts the scheduling of the race in the peak tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
season in the Southeast
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
.
However, Darlington's future seems secure, with a total sellout for the lone race from 2005 through 2008
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
, and many major projects being planned or done at the speedway. Due to the sellouts the track owners have considered adding even more seats.
Realignment 2009–10
The 2009 season2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 61st season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008...
, announced on August 19, 2008, went under a realignment once again after a long break. The fall race at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
was moved to a later date on the schedule around Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
(the first Sunday in November or the final Sunday in October), one previously occupied by Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
's fall event. That race was moved to Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend, where California Speedway's inherited autumn event from Darlington had been, and that date was switched to Talladega's old date on the first weekend of October. In addition, the Nationwide Series dropped Mexico City's road course
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named for the famous racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit got its name shortly after it opened when Ricardo Rodríguez died in practice for the non-Championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix...
race for a new race in August at the 0.875 miles (1.4 km) Iowa Speedway
Iowa Speedway
Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond International Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful...
, and moved the Montreal event to an open weekend on the Sprint Cup schedule (August 30) with their lone Atlanta race moving to the Labor Day weekend from March. The Camping World Truck Series replaced the spring Milwaukee Mile
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
race with a race at Iowa Speedway
Iowa Speedway
Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond International Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful...
to be run on August 26, and also replaced the Memorial Day weekend race at Mansfield Motorsports Park with a race later in the season at Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
for the first time in the series' history. In 2010, the NCWTS also got rid of its second race at Auto Club Speedway. This moved all races back one weekend in the season until the first weekend of August, where a race was added at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
, which was put in place after an absence on the series' schedule in the previous season. Other changes include a race at Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
being moved from the summer to the fall.
Realignment 2011
Major schedule changes were announced to combat poor attendance and poor television ratings, both which have dropped at an alarming rate since the introduction of the car of today among other reasons.Sprint Cup
- Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
's spring date was discontinued in favor of the Labor Day Weekend date the track currently has. - Kentucky SpeedwayKentucky SpeedwayKentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
will host its first Sprint Cup Series race, the Quaker State 400Quaker State 400The Quaker State 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, United States over 400.5 miles . The inaugural event was held in 2011.-History:...
. The formal announcement was made on August 10, 2010 and the race will take the post-Coke Zero 400Coke Zero 400The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
slot held by Chicagoland SpeedwayChicagoland SpeedwayChicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
. - Chicagoland Speedway officials announced on August 9, 2010 that the LifeLock.com 400 will become the opening race to the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup.
- New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host the second race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, as the Sylvania 300Sylvania 300The Sylvania 300 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.The Sylvania 300 has traditionally held in mid-September, however, the race has been rescheduled once in its history...
will move back one week due to Chicagoland gaining the opening Chase race. - Kansas SpeedwayKansas SpeedwayKansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
will gain a second race date. The race will be run in early June immediately following the Coca-Cola 600Coca-Cola 600The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
. - Auto Club Speedway lost its second race and Chase for the Sprint Cup date, the Pepsi Max 400. In addition, ACS' spring race, the Auto Club 500, was moved from February to March and became known as the Auto Club 400 after a reduction in lenghth
- The spring race at Texas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
was run on Saturday night, April 9, 2011. - The Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix International RacewayPhoenix International RacewayPhoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
will be moved to the second week of the season, will return to a 500K distance, and will be run during the day for the first time (the awarding of the second race date to Phoenix coincided with the installation of lights at the track and resulted in the race being run at night from its debut). - Dover International SpeedwayDover International SpeedwayDover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
will maintain both of its Sprint Cup weekends and with the move of Chicagoland to the Chase, Dover's Chase race moves back one week.
In addition to these developments, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
bid for a second date for its track and failed to get it. Track management and ownership want to move the final races of the year from Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
(Ford Championship Weekend
Ford Championship Weekend
Ford Championship Weekend is the name given to the final race weekend of the NASCAR season. All three of NASCAR's major series- the Camping World Truck Series, the Nationwide Series, and the Sprint Cup Series- end their seasons during this weekend, which is held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in...
) to Las Vegas as all three of the major series now hold their end-of-season awards banquets in Las Vegas.
Nationwide Series
- Nashville SuperspeedwayNashville SuperspeedwayNashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
's second date will move to late July and replace the date held by Gateway International RacewayGateway International RacewayGateway Motorsports Park is a race track in Madison, Illinois, USA, just east of St. Louis, Missouri. After being shuttered by former owner Dover Motorsports Inc., on Nov. 3, 2010, it was announced Sept. 8, 2011, that the facility would re-open and host an NHRA Full Throttle Series event Oct. 5-7,...
, which was closed by track owner Dover Motorsports following the 2010 racing season. - Chicagoland Speedway will gain a second Nationwide Series date, to be run June 4.
- Iowa SpeedwayIowa SpeedwayIowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond International Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful...
will gain a second Nationwide Series date, to be run May 22. - Road AmericaRoad AmericaRoad America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
will remain on the schedule for a second consecutive year in place of the Milwaukee MileMilwaukee MileThe Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
. - Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
's date will move to the weekend of the June Sprint Cup race. - Circuit Gilles VilleneuveCircuit Gilles VilleneuveThe Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series....
's date will move to the weekend of the August Sprint Cup race at Michigan. - Auto Club Speedway's fall date was removed from the schedule and not replaced by another track, condensing the schedule from 35 races in 2010 to 34 races in 2011.
Camping World Truck Series
- Phoenix International Raceway's Truck Series date, which has been run near the end of the season for years, will move to February as part of the realignment of the Cup Series race.
- Darlington RacewayDarlington RacewayDarlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
's Truck Series date, which was run in August in 2010, will move to March. - Kentucky Speedway will gain a second Truck Series date, to be run on the same weekend as the July Nationwide Series event, and the track's inaugural Cup race in early July. The track will now host a triple header weekend, and the second race will be moved to October.
- Kansas Speedway's date will move to June as part of the Sprint Cup series weekend.
- Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
's date will move to the weekend of the August Sprint Cup race.
Atlanta has had major attendance issues in recent years, with less than 100,000 fans at the last two Kobalt Tools 500 races. Its new Labor Day weekend race in 2009 was a huge success.
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
has demanded a race for years, with its owners selling the track to Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or SMI is an American corporation that owns and manages racing facilities that host NASCAR, IZOD IndyCar Series, NHRA, WoO other racing series. The company's headquarters are located at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC. SMI owns nine racing...
and filing a lawsuit (which was dismissed) in efforts to get a Sprint Cup Series race. Improvements will have to be made but are expected to be completed in time.
Chicagoland has had major attendance issues and its TV ratings have been some of the lowest of the season in recent years. NASCAR is hoping to save the race in a major market by moving it to the Chase. Some were worried about a conflict with the IndyCar Series, which had its race there during Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend. However, IndyCar officials did schedule realignment of their own eliminating the conflict all together.
Kansas has also demanded a second race for years especially since the building of a casino near the track. Despite the closure of Nashville International Raceway, which is owned by Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
, Dover will maintain two race dates.
Since the addition of the second race at Auto Club Speedway, attendance for both races have dropped considerably, even with a Chase race. Because NASCAR scheduled the first race at the track to immediately follow the Daytona 500 on the schedule, teams were forced to travel across the continent for the second week, hurting them financially and eventually leading to the discontinuation of the truck race there in 2010. The February race was also inconveniently scheduled on the same night as the Academy Awards ceremony (except in 2006 and 2010, when the ceremony was rescheduled to avoid conflict with the Winter Olympics), preventing major stars from appearing at the race. By returning the race to April, officials are once again hoping for a sellout.
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
has also had attendance issues. However, it will maintain 2 dates for 2011.
Realignment 2012
NASCAR announced on September 29, 2011 that some schedule realigning will take place for the 2012 season. Although the realignment is not as drastic as past years, both races at Kansas SpeedwayKansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
will be affected to start. The spring race, which was added to the schedule for the 2011 campaign, will move from June to April, and the spring race at Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
will return to its traditional early June date. Kansas' fall race, a part of the Chase for the Cup, will swap with Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
's chase date and will move to late October. NASCAR said this realignment was due to a repaving project at the track which is scheduled to begin following the race.
In addition, the race at Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
has been moved to June preceding the Coke Zero 400
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
.