 Kentucky Speedway logo |
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| Location | Sparta, Kentucky |
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| Capacity | 66,000 (Stands) |
| Owner | Speedway Motorsports, Inc. |
| Address | 5120 Sparta Pike, Sparta, KY 41086 |
| Major events | NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, IRL IndyCar Series, IRL Firestone Indy Lights, ARCA RE/MAX Series |
| Tri-Oval | |
| Length | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Banking | Turns - 14° Tri-Oval - 8-10° Straight - 4° |
Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) motor speedway located in north-central Kentucky, near the community of Sparta, Kentucky; approximately halfway between Louisville, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, and is additionally 70 miles (113 km) from another fairly sizable market, Lexington, Kentucky. The track was designed to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and has hosted NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series races, as well as IRL IndyCar Series and IndyPro Series races. However, NASCAR officials have refused any discussion of a Sprint Cup Series race being moved there.
Through the 2008 NASCAR season, the track had been one of the top tracks for testing Sprint Cup cars because of NASCAR's testing restrictions implemented in 2005. As a result of these testing restrictions, teams could only test at NASCAR-authorized testing sessions at seven specific tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit. As Kentucky is not a Sprint Cup venue, private testing of such cars was permitted with no restrictions, and spectators were allowed to view testing sessions from outside of turn three. However, NASCAR announced in November 2008 that testing would be banned for the 2009 season at tracks that host races in any of NASCAR's national series or regional touring circuits.
There has also been talk that Kentucky Speedway owners might purchase Pocono Raceway and move one of its Sprint Cup Series races to Kentucky. However, the Mattioli family, which owns both Pocono Raceway and South Boston Speedway, and manages the Music City Motorplex, has so far shown no interest in selling that superspeedway.
On September 16, 2007, Kentucky Speedway owner Jerry Carroll attended the Sylvania 300 Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway. Carroll told USA Today that he was interested in purchasing the track and moving one of the race dates to Kentucky Speedway. [1] However, on November 1 it was announced that NHIS was being sold to Bruton Smith, CEO and chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. [2]
Both of Kentucky's major 300-mile (480 km) races (NNS, IRL) are sponsored by Meijer.
On May 22, 2008, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. purchased Kentucky Speedway from Jerry Carroll. However, the deal will not be finalized till October. Current owner Jerry Carroll will still retain a small ownership stake in the racetrack. The new owners plan is to place a Sprint Cup race there within the next couple of years. Bruton Smith, head of Speedway Motorsports Inc. who is buying the racetrack, said he even hopes to have one at Kentucky Speedway by 2009. However, NASCAR said this wouldn't happen as the schedule for next year is already being finalized and it doesn't include a race at the Kentucky Speedway.
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NASCAR Lawsuit
In July 2005, Kentucky Speedway filed a lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation, (ISC) claiming that they violated federal antitrust laws by not allowing tracks to bid for NASCAR races, provided they meet the necessary requirements. This lawsuit was similar to the Ferko lawsuit, which NASCAR settled, but without the fraud claims. On January 7, 2008 the lawsuit was thrown out, with United States District Court Judge William O. Bertelsman writing in his ruling "After careful consideration and a thorough review of the record, and granting [Kentucky] Speedway the benefit of the doubt on all reasonable inferences therefrom, the court concludes that Speedway has failed to make out its case."
In response to the Kentucky Speedway's lawsuit, NASCAR fans and union members of UNITE HERE and Teamsters gathered over 40,000 signatures asking NASCAR to sever ties with the Kentucky Speedway while the lawsuit proceeds. The petition raises concerns that if the lawsuit is successful, then the competitive bidding process it advocates could cause ticket prices to rise and smaller tracks could lose their races.
On December 18, 2009, former owner Jerry Carroll dropped the lawsuit and will no longer persue any legal action.[3]
Acquired by Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
On May 22, 2008, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. announced it had purchased Kentucky Speedway from Kentucky Speedway, LLC.[4] The purchase was finalized on January 1, 2009.
Current Races
- Indy Racing League IndyCar Series - Meijer Indy 300 presented by Red Baron's and Edy's
- Indy Racing League Firestone Indy Lights Series - Kentucky 100
- NASCAR Nationwide Series - Meijer 300 presented by Oreo
- NASCAR Camping World Truck Series - Built Ford Tough 225 presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers
- ARCA RE/MAX Series - Harley-Davidson of Cincinnati 150
- ARCA RE/MAX Series - WLWT Channel 5-150
See also
References
- ^ Jerry Carrol wants to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway
- ^ SMI Purchase New Hampshire International Speedway
- ^ "Former Kentucky Speedway owners abandon lawsuit.". http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=4755641. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
- ^ SMI Purchasing of Kentucky Speedway
External links
- Kentucky Speedway Official Site
- Kentucky Speedway Page on NASCAR.com
- 2008 Kentucky Speedway Schedule
Coordinates: 38°42′35″N 84°54′58″W / 38.70964°N 84.91624°W
- Article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed
- Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed
- Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed
- Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed
- Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed
- Article regarding the rumored sale or partnership of KY Speedway with Bruton Smith
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