Goal to return NASCAR events to Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville ‘within reach’ – Nashville Post

It might not necessarily be full speed ahead, but a Speedway Motorsports executive said this week that talks regarding the proposed return of NASCAR events to Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville continue to move in the right direction.

Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president of Bristol Motor Speedway and one of the key players in the talks, recently spoke to Forbes.com and characterized the desired outcome as “within reach.”

“After presenting the city with a detailed vision for the speedway in May, we have had a number of positive conversations with the Fair Board about working together to breathe new life into the historic Nashville Speedway and bring major races back to Nashville,” Caldwell told Forbes. “We are really encouraged that this exciting vision is within reach. We look forward to continuing work with Mayor David Briley, Councilman Colby Sledge, the Fair Board and Fairgrounds neighbors to shape a plan that is in the best interests of Nashville.”

Speedway Motorsports has proposed a $60 million renovation of the venerable racetrack that would double its seating capacity to 30,000. A public-private partnership would fund the project.

Through an agreement reached with track promoter Tony Formosa in December, SMI would assume operational responsibilities for an annual weekend of NASCAR racing at the Fairgrounds — most likely Xfinity Series and/or Camping World Truck Series events. Expectations are that those races could be staged in 2021 at the earliest, possibly even later.

SMI owns and stages NASCAR events at eight U.S. facilities, including Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.