Fairgrounds Speedway (Nashville)

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Bristol Motor Speedway owner makes play to run Nashville fairgrounds racetrack

It'd be nice to see a reputable group with money take over one of these venues for a change.

“We can confirm that Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) has submitted a proposal to manage the historic Fairgrounds Speedway and would be honored to serve as its promoter,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “Bruton Smith, executive chairman, and Marcus Smith, chief executive officer, have a vision that the venue can again become a premier destination, and they have a solid reputation of creating world-class facilities."

Caldwell emphasized the company's desire to collaborate with Metro while also balancing historical concerns about the nuisance the fairgrounds racetrack has been for noise reasons.

"If selected, the BMS team stands ready to work in collaboration with the city of Nashville to boost the fan experience, improve safety and produce iconic events at the Fairgrounds Speedway," Caldwell said. "We are confident that great success can be achieved for the racetrack while balancing the quality of life for its surrounding neighbors.”

...

The company's ties to NASCAR would seemingly boost the possibility of at least lower-level professional races returning to Nashville. NASCAR's top racing series left Nashville in 1984.

NASCAR acknowledged in May that it has had discussions about returning to Music City.

"NASCAR has a long history in the Nashville area and our fans there are as passionate as any place we race," the organization said in a May statement. "NASCAR races are in demand, and we’re pleased with our current lineup of racetracks. Many of the discussions related to racing in Nashville have centered around the popular regional and touring series events."
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More: http://www.tennessean.com/story/mon...un-nashville-fairgrounds-racetrack/617621001/
 
It has been a long hard fought battle for many years to keep the fairgrounds and Speedway open.... The city commisioners hate racing in every way.... they want to close the whole fairgrounds... which is in the city and move it to an outermost location.... tear down the whole complex and sub develop it for housing... Without folks like Waltrip and Sterling Marlin and others who have clout..... It would already have been history..... The Fair board will only give the promoter a 1 year lease at a time.... that's why no one in their right mind would go in and make substantial improvements... all who have wanted to run it have pleaded for at least a 5 year lease... not to be..... as I mentioned ...... It's a shame.... but.... that's why they lost Winston in 1984..... they wouldn't upgrade..... I think this Formosa guy has gone over and above what most folks would have done....... If Bruton can make a deal...... it is gonna' piss off the commisioners ..... the fair board and everyone who is fighting for the death of the Nashville Fairgrounds track....... this has been ongoing for several years now.....
 
Snappy D said:
Hope Xfinity, Trucks and ARCA make it back to annual events (sorry if ARCA races there already, wish I followed the series more) with the occasional Cup All Star Race thrown in.
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ARCA does in fact already race there every year!
Great track! I've made it there twice, one ARCA race and one NASCAR K&N Pro series race
 
Haven't been to this track but have been to Nashville Superspeedway and Nashville on a few occasions. Have watched ARCA races at the track and it a nice track. If they can pump some money into it and make better in any way its s good thing, better than being demolished.
 
kymartin6 said:
It has been a long hard fought battle for many years to keep the fairgrounds and Speedway open.... The city commisioners hate racing in every way.... they want to close the whole fairgrounds... which is in the city and move it to an outermost location.... tear down the whole complex and sub develop it for housing... Without folks like Waltrip and Sterling Marlin and others who have clout..... It would already have been history..... The Fair board will only give the promoter a 1 year lease at a time.... that's why no one in their right mind would go in and make substantial improvements... all who have wanted to run it have pleaded for at least a 5 year lease... not to be..... as I mentioned ...... It's a shame.... but.... that's why they lost Winston in 1984..... they wouldn't upgrade..... I think this Formosa guy has gone over and above what most folks would have done....... If Bruton can make a deal...... it is gonna' piss off the commisioners ..... the fair board and everyone who is fighting for the death of the Nashville Fairgrounds track....... this has been ongoing for several years now.....
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Apparently Bruton and company are going to get a multi-year lease.
 
Snappy D said:
So there goes their shot at Xfinity and Trucks?
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Best news for the locals who support that track each week. The Formosas have invested a ton into that track and they have revived the All-American 400.

We shouldn't be in a position, in this sport, where the only way to get a Truck or XFINITY race is to have Bruton Smith own the track.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Best news for the locals who support that track each week. The Formosas have invested a ton into that track and they have revived the All-American 400.

We shouldn't be in a position, in this sport, where the only way to get a Truck or XFINITY race is to have Bruton Smith own the track.
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Sorry I am a bit uneducated on how that works, so this is good news? Another question I have and forgive me, but why couldn't this "leasing" be done for North Wilkesboro to bring racing back there at a regional, ARCA and maybe Trucks level?
 
sdj said:
Man oh man, I didn't know. Glad he is still moving and enjoying life. Always liked him, hell of a wheel man.
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Marlin vs Gordon in 2001 for the Cup was pretty cool. Rudd and Jarrett came on later in the year
 
Snappy D said:
Sorry I am a bit uneducated on how that works, so this is good news?
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Yes, great news for the local racers.

Snappy D said:
Another question I have and forgive me, but why couldn't this "leasing" be done for North Wilkesboro to bring racing back there at a regional, ARCA and maybe Trucks level?
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Bruton Smith wants WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY TOO MUCH money to either buy or lease it. Someone leased it back in 2010, did a ton of renovations and ran a couple PASS races there (one of the most controversial races in that series' history*), but they couldn't afford to keep it open.

It's been sitting idle for 20 years and hasn't hosted any kind of race in seven years. That place is probably too far gone to make anything happen there now.

* In the PASS race, Chase Elliott won and failed postrace tech IIRC, but was allowed to keep the win. Instead of disqualifying him, the series told Elliott not to run another series race. But he still got the win to his credit.
 
Snappy D said:
Sorry I am a bit uneducated on how that works, so this is good news? Another question I have and forgive me, but why couldn't this "leasing" be done for North Wilkesboro to bring racing back there at a regional, ARCA and maybe Trucks level?
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Bruton Smith bought N.W. so he could move the race dates to his other tracks. He also bought Rockingham for the same reason. Andy Hillenburg's unsuccessful attempt to revive that track will probably discourage anyone from trying to bring back N.W. (or any other defunct track). Besides, N.W. is just too far gone to be affordably brought back to racing condition.

EDIT: What AndyMarquis said.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Bruton Smith bought N.W. so he could move the race dates to his other tracks. He also bought Rockingham for the same reason. Andy Hillenburg's unsuccessful attempt to revive that track will probably discourage anyone from trying to bring back N.W. (or any other defunct track). Besides, N.W. is just too far gone to be affordably brought back to racing condition.
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Yep. That guy's been a menace to short track racing for decades. Back in 2013, Greenville-Pickens Speedway worked out a deal to host a Camping World Truck Series race but the deal fell apart and the story I heard from multiple people whom I trust was that Bruton Smith killed it because it was too close to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

When I covered a race there in 2014, they had a ton of temporary grandstands behind the frontstretch stands that they had brought in for the race, had all the NCWTS stuff and sponsor banners and everything. A bunch of that stuff was stored in the press box.



I don't know of very many people in short track racing who were happy about the possibility of Bruton Smith leasing Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Yep. That guy's been a menace to short track racing for decades. Back in 2013, Greenville-Pickens Speedway worked out a deal to host a Camping World Truck Series race but the deal fell apart and the story I heard from multiple people whom I trust was that Bruton Smith killed it because it was too close to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

When I covered a race there in 2014, they had a ton of temporary grandstands behind the frontstretch stands that they had brought in for the race, had all the NCWTS stuff and sponsor banners and everything. A bunch of that stuff was stored in the press box.



I don't know of very many people in short track racing who were happy about the possibility of Bruton Smith leasing Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville.
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Wow I had no idea about that. Tracks like Greenville are where Trucks need to be, shame it got squashed.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Yes, great news for the local racers.



Bruton Smith wants WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY TOO MUCH money to either buy or lease it. Someone leased it back in 2010, did a ton of renovations and ran a couple PASS races there (one of the most controversial races in that series' history*), but they couldn't afford to keep it open.

It's been sitting idle for 20 years and hasn't hosted any kind of race in seven years. That place is probably too far gone to make anything happen there now.

* In the PASS race, Chase Elliott won and failed postrace tech IIRC, but was allowed to keep the win. Instead of disqualifying him, the series told Elliott not to run another series race. But he still got the win to his credit.
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Thanks, knew about the PASS races and wish I had made it there to see a race. Hope Nashville gets some truck races or Xfinity races
 
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County released its reasoning Friday based off an evaluation on the four bids. Bristol Motor Speedway’s bid ranked third.

In the comments for the Bristol bid, the government report stated: “The proposal relies on Metro capital funding commitment for improvements with no financial contribution from the proposer (“As the facility owner, it would be desired that Metro would fully fund the renovation capital costs”); shared revenue would be Metro’s share of sales tax only with no lease payments or direct revenue to The Fairgrounds; 30-year lease not desirable; lacked details throughout the entire diversity plan.’’
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So, Bristol Motor Speedway wanted to basically lease the track for nothing, have the city pay for everything, and take the profits for themselves.
 
Finally!!!!!!!!! A promoter has gotten a 5 year lease from the Fair board........ long overdue!!!


Now maybe Mr. Formosa can move ahead more comfortably.

The flooding is no doubt going to put a kink in things....... but..... he will manage.....
 
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