Petition for the second race by Kansas
On Thursday, International Speedway Corp. formally petitioned NASCAR to give the Kansas City track a second Sprint Cup race as early as 2011.
Before NASCAR unveils next year’s schedule, ISC spokesman Lenny Santiago said he expects an answer later this summer. About details of the petition, Santiago declined to talk, which includes a potential date and likely eliminates a race at another ISC track.
“We’re hopeful, we’ve been working with NASCAR and recently made our formal request to them. We’re not discussing the details of where the date may come from or anything like that, but we have made the request and we’ll wait for their decision”, said Santiago at Daytona International Speedway.
To get a second race, Santiago believes Kansas is a strong candidate because of the track’s history of well-attended events and the construction of a $521 million hotel and casino overlooking turn two. For Sprint, NASCAR’s primary sponsor it will be an added benefit as it is headquartered in Overland Park, Kan.
“It’s a great facility and a great market, It’s an important market for our sponsors and our drivers, and the fact that Sprint is headquartered there is one of the key reasons “, he said.
If NASCAR grants Kansas another race, it is unclear how the Cup schedule would shake out, but aspects of the proposal seem obvious. The date probably would not be in February or March, considering potential weather issues. A second date would need to be early in the season, probably in April, since the speedway’s current race happens in early October.
“We think Kansas City is a great market, a great market for sponsors and for drivers and teams and fans who love the race that they have now, that area has become a true vacation destination. We think the addition of the casino will continue to draw more people and be able to support two full Cup weekends”, said Santiago.
