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The Kentucky Speedway was a track that not many people are clamoring to have come back into NASCAR and onto the NASCAR schedule. The track at one point had over 100,000 NASCAR fans filling the grandstands but since the summer of 2020 it has sat vacant, hosting only minimal track workers and unusable Fords in the infield. Many may ask why this happened, or even how this happened. Today we look at it and ask why the Kentucky Speedway failed.
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35 comments
What did you think of the Kentucky Speedway?
And it’s looked lonely track at Kentucky Speedway
It was a true up and down track throughout its history that came and gone pretty quickly. Don’t have much memories from the races until its last two seasons since they were really the only good Kentucky cup races.
It was ok.
I loved it. It was my home track.
Didn’t bring good racing so that’s all I gotta say
Fun Fact: Kentucky Speedway is one of 2 tracks Jeff Gordon never DNFd at
What was the other one?
It’s also the only track that he raced on that he never won.
@SpheredHawk67Martinsville
@Racin’ Masonhe won at martinsville in 2015 for his final win.
@Noah Coleman As well as the only track where he never finished outside the Top 10.
Location, bad impression, mediocre product, and growing interest in other places destroyed it. Unlike Nashville, it’s not in a favorable location to return in any capacity. It’s just another product of expansionism in motorsports that failed(India, Korea, and Texas World join that). Far too common in racing, yet not unexpected.
Even though the Gen 7 car may put on better racing there, why risk a failed attempt. They are already taking risks by trying other markets. I personally miss two Pocono races a year (home track), but I don’t complain about it because it is actually better with one.
I feel like Kentucky Speedway worked much better as an Xfinity/Truck/IndyCar track….. if you go back and look up some of these races, the crowds were absolutely outstanding. Sad knowing that this track ended up not surviving….
this track was *awesome* for Indycar. sucks they didn’t go back after 2011……
One of Kentucky Speedways biggest issues was the lack of infrastructure.
Going to the speedway was a one stop event. There was literally nothing out there that didnt roll up on a trailer. And when they brought less out it really showed
@syaieya I’m talking about hotels and places to eat. Yeah, the casino in Indiana had a hotel and food, but everything else was back in Florence.
I’m curious how the Gen 7 races at Kentucky
Kentucky Speedway killed a too young Louisville Motorspeedway. That alone would have given it a rough start. The traffic issues, the cookie cutter tracks faltering with the newer cars, and the loss of Indycar were all blows on their own.
But without the speedway, there is a void for speedway racing in that section of the midwest. Yes you can say they’re “close” being a few hundred miles away, but anyone that was coming from the local market isn’t going to be able to make those races into a day trip.
As a Kentuckian, please bring it back! I know it’s an unpopular opinion but I miss my home track!
I don’t disagree with your opinion, BUT they should not bring the track back due to the Area around the track and the racing product is not good enough to stay on the schedule
@ICE 3680I think it could put on a decent race w the next gen
@Richard Edwards True, But yet again NASCAR would rather go to bigger markets than comeback to a track with a bad track record
Here’s my thoughts. I live in Cincinnati. I attended every single Cup race (2020 no one could attend) and most all of the truck & Xfinity series events held at the track. Yes, there were some snoozers. But a lot of times. The racing throughout the pack was pretty spectacular for a mile and a half. It is also in a huge market, Procter& Gamble, fifth third, and many more massive companies or headquarters in or around and northern KY. I would love to see it come back, and I do believe that most fans would like to see it come back too and would support the track. But yes, 2011 was a nightmare. I was there. In traffic for almost 8 hours. It was A LOT better starting in 2012
I hate to say it, but the main reason it was better is that people didn’t come back. I also have attended many races there since it’s original opening, I miss it being off the schedule for the fact it’s where I spent the most time w my dad as a teenager and young adult, and my kids really enjoyed going.
Went in 2013 great seats and would go back… Hopefully someday it does come back…
BRING BACK KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY. IT DESERVES ONE MORE CHANCE WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR
Edit: being at the track for the last 3 races, the fans started coming back. The stands were well on par with other track’s attendance numbers.
It is a Ford parking lot
My first ever race I attended was at Kentucky in 2019. The racing was decent but the finish was phenomenal! Far better than 2020’s race. The track will always hold a special place in my heart and I AM one of those few weirdoes that wants it back just to see the great 1.5 mile racing the gen 7’s been producing. Hopefully NASCAR considers it. I think it deserves just 1 more shot.
I believe the biggest reason the track left the schedule and hasn’t had a second chance is because the governor wouldn’t give them an answer on if they could have an attendance number coming out of 2020. Plenty of tracks in states that didn’t have a many restrictions at the time.
I remember in 2016 when Brad Keselowski ran out of fuel, but then used his extra fuel reserve to stay ahead of Carl Edwards to win that race. And Brad does have the most cup wins there with 3. But no one seems to remember that as of course you mentioned 2019 and 2020
The escalators in the pedestrian tunnel just behind pit road…down and right under the start finish line, then back up in front of the track was pretty unique
I was at the first cup race. We left 6 hours early hoping to spend the day there. We got to our seat just as the green flag dropped. It was a disaster.