The fate of Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and NASCAR's potential return to the track has been marred with obstacles for years unknown. Despite the successful running of Dale Earnhardt Jr’s CARS Tour that drew 12,000 people to the track on April 11, there seems to be an impending end awaiting the track's future.

Since the Geodis Park has come up as thefootball home of Nashville SC, there seems to be more hurdles coming up for the Speedway to survive. But that may not be a coincidence, according NASCAR journalist Matt Weaver.

Weaver recently provided a breakdown of all the problems the Speedway is currently facing. Highlighting how the problem is a multi-front political, financial, and strategic fight, he said:

"The main thing that I think fans need to know is that despite claims to the contrary, John Ingram, who runs the soccer team there, he does not want that racetrack to continue existing. He can say all day long that it’s not true, but he is behind many of the groups that are opposing the Speedway because he wants that property for other purposes."

An 2011 referendum protects the track and ensures that racing must continue there in some form. However, Weaver believes that Nashville SC owner John Ingram has been indirectly supporting the causes that want the Speedway gone.

40,000 signature are needed to overturn the referendum, meaning the end of the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. This would then pave the way other projects, residential or otherwise.

Will Speedway Motorsport revive Nashville Fairgrounds for NASCAR

Bob Sargent of Track Enterprises is the current operator of the Fairgrounds Speedway. He represents those who want to keep the track alive in the form of a local short track with modest upgrades. 

But modest upgrades won’t do. The track requires a multi-million dollar investment to keep operations alive. That is where Speedway Motorsports and CEO Marcus Smith come in. 

SMI has already agreed to spend heavily to renovate the track to meet modern requirements, including sound barriers and increasing the capacity to more than 30,000. And that is the problem that John Ingram faces.

If the Speedway is restored and returns to the NASCAR calendar, the Speedway could possibly draw crowds and events away from Geodis Park.

"He doesn’t want a brand new sporting multi-purpose entertainment facility in his backyard, siphoning non-sport events from him," Matt Weaver further said.

According to Weaver, Smith and SMI are the biggest hurdles for Ingram,"The belief is that if Marcus doesn’t get it, it’s going to be a lot easier to defeat the track, to overturn that referendum."

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Yask Kotak