Expertise full laps inside a NASCAR race automotive throughout a 1970 race
Have a look a what racing in a NASCAR occasion seemed like inside a race automotive greater than 50 years in the past.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell affirmed Nashville’s significance as a racing market, whatever the particular observe used.O’Donnell expressed help for Speedway Motorsports’ efforts to convey NASCAR again to the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
Steve O’Donnell hasn’t been on the job very lengthy, however as NASCAR’s new president he is been at it lengthy sufficient to know the game belongs in Nashville.
O’Donnell, who was promoted on March 31 when Steve Phelps grew to become NASCAR’s first commissioner, was in Nashville on April 23 the place he talked concerning the significance of the game returning to its roots.
He talked about the success at Nashville Superspeedway, the place the fifth annual and newly-titled Cracker Barrel 400 race will probably be run on June 1, in addition to the potential of NASCAR returning the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
“I do know there’s some debate about the place you are racing, whether or not its the brief observe (at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway) or out on the Superspeedway (in Lebanon), however for us simply being current in Nashville is the principle factor,” O’Donnell mentioned. “We really feel like we have to tie in some issues after we come downtown and do some completely different occasions to convey followers in. However completely, Nashville is a massively vital marketplace for us.”
O’Donnell was a speaker on the Sports activities Enterprise Journal World Congress of Sports activities conference on the Grand Hyatt.
NASCAR Cup racing returned to the Nashville space for the primary time in 37 years when Nashville Superspeedway reopened in 2021 to host the Ally 400, now named the Cracker Barrel 400. Earlier than that, the final Cup Collection was at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 1984.
O’Donnell, who has been with NASCAR for 30 years and beforehand served as chief working officer, mentioned he was elated when Dover Motorsports introduced Cup racing to Nashville Superspeedway. The race earned much more strong footing in 2021 when Speedway Motorsports bought Dover Motorsports.
In the meantime, Bristol Motor Speedway, owned by Speedway Motorsports, has been working for a number of years on a take care of the Metro Nashville Council to convey NASCAR again to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
Whereas SMI spearheaded the hassle to return NASCAR racing to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, O’Donnell mentioned NASCAR helps the hassle.
“I feel Speedway Motorsports has put a whole lot of work into that,” O’Donnell mentioned. “It is definitely a iconic facility that we have raced at. So we would like to see (the hassle) proceed, however I feel we’re actually proud of the place we’re at with the Superspeedway as effectively.”
O’Donnell mentioned many NASCAR followers take pleasure in brief observe racing and a return to the 0.596 oval at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway would give followers one other brief observe possibility.
“Definitely, after we have a look at the schedule in totality, we hear so much from the followers about brief tracks,” O’Donnell mentioned. “It may be vital for us to proceed to put these on the schedule for certain.”
O’Donnell routinely visited Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway early in his profession when he specialised in NASCAR’s weekly collection and appreciates the historical past on the venue, which began internet hosting Cup races in 1958.
“I spent a whole lot of time on the Fairgrounds,” O’Donnell mentioned. “It is definitely concerning the nice (drivers), but in addition concerning the tradition and simply getting again to our roots. Racers who could not make it to the highest stage, however that is okay; they’re native heroes. That is what actually began NASCAR and that is what we’re actually all about.”
