Bruton Smith Eyeing Property In New York For Racetrack

Smith Considering Several New York Properties For Race Track

SMI Chair Bruton Smith said that he is “considering several properties in New York as a possible site for a track,” according to Viv Bernstein of the N.Y. TIMES. Smith “would not identify whom he was working with or what properties he was considering.” Smith: “We’re looking at maybe two, maybe three different places. I don’t want to mislead you. It’s a chore, let’s put it that way. It’s a chore to get it done, but we haven’t given up.” Bernstein noted this would not be Smith's first attempt to build a track in the greater N.Y. area, as Smith has tried “at least twice in New Jersey over the last 10 years: at the Meadowlands and near Atlantic City.” ISC “gave up its bid to build a racetrack on Staten Island” less than a year ago (N.Y. TIMES, 3/2).

ON TRACK: Smith confirmed that he has “proposed swapping his Atlanta [Motor Speedway] October date for the Labor Day weekend slot at Auto Club Speedway in California.” Smith: “I hope we will have an answer on that in the very near future.” He also said that he believes Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) "has ‘earned’ a second race on NASCAR’s Sprint Cup schedule.” However, he said that he "wouldn’t move a race from Atlanta and sounded reluctant about taking a race from New Hampshire" (David Poole, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/1).

TICKET SALES: In Charlotte, David Poole wrote grandstand seats for yesterday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup UAW-Dodge 400 at LVMS were sold out, but the track “did not erect temporary bleachers holding about 10,000 fans that have been up in past years.” Meanwhile, ticket sales for this Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway are “lagging badly.” And the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 16 “will be sold out,” but the resell market for Bristol tickets “isn’t nearly as robust as in recent years” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/2).