NASCAR Looking At Entering Into Longer Sanctioning Agreements With Tracks

NASCAR "is poised to enter long-term relationships with its racetracks" after a longtime policy of "one-year engagements," according to Nate Ryan of USA TODAY. There "have been multiple meetings after the 2014 season to discuss the concept of multiyear sanctioning agreements that effectively would set much of the Sprint Cup schedule beyond the current season for the first time." NASCAR traditionally had "signed annual deals with every track, pushing the yearly release of the schedule to late summer or early fall." NASCAR Exec VP/Racing Development Steve O'Donnell: "We're not there yet. If we can put something together where it's helpful for fans to know, our goal is to get the schedule out as early as we can." A multiyear deal "would offer tracks the ability to sell season ticket packages and sponsorships with more flexibility and security" (USA TODAY, 1/21).