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pettyfan4life
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The oldest tradition in NASCAR is going away.
The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, a mainstay on the Winston Cup schedule since 1950, will not be back in 2004, an anonymous source told ESPN.com.
Instead, NASCAR is moving its annual Labor Day weekend race to the California Speedway and is considering making it a night race. It's not known whether the Southern 500 title will accompany the race to Fontana, Calif.
"This could be the beginning of some fairly substantial changes in the Winston Cup schedules and there could be some big surprises down the road," said the source, who is close to the NASCAR family.
An official announcement is expected in the near future.
"This isn't the first time we've heard that but we haven't met with NASCAR to sign our sanctions for 2004 so right now we don't have any specific dates," said Kathy Mock, director of public relations at Darlington.
"I'm confident we'll have two dates in 2004 but right now we just don't know."
Asked what it would mean if Darlington no longer hosted the Southern 500, Mock replied: "It would be tremendously disappointing to lose the Mountain Dew Southern 500, especially considering we're about to host it for the 54th time.
"But we don't want to worry about that because the schedule hasn't been determined yet."
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter denied the report.
"Not to my knowledge," said Hunter, a former general manager at Darlington who now runs NASCAR's public relations office. "I think I would know if that was going to happen and I don't see that happening."
Bill Miller, general manager of California Speedway, said no sanction agreements with NASCAR for 2004 had been signed but admitted adding a date to its spring race was certainly acceptable.
"The reality is we have made no bones since this facility was built that we wanted a second date," said Miller, whose track seats 110,000 and draws another 15,000 in infield general admission for Winston Cup races.
He also acknowledged California could accomodate a night race in '04.
"We have gone to the county of San Bernardino and we are now permitted to put in lights and have the ability to run races at night," Miller said.
Darlington, site of many of stock car racing's greatest moments and known as the track "Too Tough to Tame," will continue to have two Cup races -- its usual spring show in April and a new date in November.
The loser in this transaction is North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, which will forfeit its November race and turn it over to Darlington. The Rock will keep its spring race.
"We have no official word on realignment at this time," said Christie King, public relations director for North Carolina Speedway.
While this transaction affects three tracks, all are owned by the International Speedway Corporation and it had long been rumored that ISC wanted another race in the Los Angeles market.
The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, a mainstay on the Winston Cup schedule since 1950, will not be back in 2004, an anonymous source told ESPN.com.
Instead, NASCAR is moving its annual Labor Day weekend race to the California Speedway and is considering making it a night race. It's not known whether the Southern 500 title will accompany the race to Fontana, Calif.
"This could be the beginning of some fairly substantial changes in the Winston Cup schedules and there could be some big surprises down the road," said the source, who is close to the NASCAR family.
An official announcement is expected in the near future.
"This isn't the first time we've heard that but we haven't met with NASCAR to sign our sanctions for 2004 so right now we don't have any specific dates," said Kathy Mock, director of public relations at Darlington.
"I'm confident we'll have two dates in 2004 but right now we just don't know."
Asked what it would mean if Darlington no longer hosted the Southern 500, Mock replied: "It would be tremendously disappointing to lose the Mountain Dew Southern 500, especially considering we're about to host it for the 54th time.
"But we don't want to worry about that because the schedule hasn't been determined yet."
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter denied the report.
"Not to my knowledge," said Hunter, a former general manager at Darlington who now runs NASCAR's public relations office. "I think I would know if that was going to happen and I don't see that happening."
Bill Miller, general manager of California Speedway, said no sanction agreements with NASCAR for 2004 had been signed but admitted adding a date to its spring race was certainly acceptable.
"The reality is we have made no bones since this facility was built that we wanted a second date," said Miller, whose track seats 110,000 and draws another 15,000 in infield general admission for Winston Cup races.
He also acknowledged California could accomodate a night race in '04.
"We have gone to the county of San Bernardino and we are now permitted to put in lights and have the ability to run races at night," Miller said.
Darlington, site of many of stock car racing's greatest moments and known as the track "Too Tough to Tame," will continue to have two Cup races -- its usual spring show in April and a new date in November.
The loser in this transaction is North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, which will forfeit its November race and turn it over to Darlington. The Rock will keep its spring race.
"We have no official word on realignment at this time," said Christie King, public relations director for North Carolina Speedway.
While this transaction affects three tracks, all are owned by the International Speedway Corporation and it had long been rumored that ISC wanted another race in the Los Angeles market.
Thats Bull, I get tired of "I'ts a rumor" stuff that we are always fed. Just like drivers getting fired, and 1 week later the driver is fired, I know thay have to wait for a press release, but come on, if it's true, don't deny it, just say NO COMMENT at this time. PettyBenson, anger not directed at you 
