Date change California Speedway?

[Z28]

from jayski

California looking for Oct date in 2009: NASCAR officials will release the 2008 Nextel Cup schedule in the near future, and it promises to offer little change. But in 2009, things might be different. California Speedway president Gillian Zucker said there seems to be "some energy around exploring alternate dates" for the Labor Day weekend race at her two-mile oval in Fontana and "we will keep on doing all we can to encourage that." The weather for this year's Sharp AQUOS 500 earlier this month was oppressive with temperatures hovering around 110 degrees. She has said she would like to hold the track's second race in October, which would put it in the Chase for the Championship, and bringing NASCAR's playoff spectacle to its biggest market would make a lot of sense, wouldn't it? Even though the track hasn't sold out for a NASCAR race in quite some time, the speedway again will play host to two Cup races next season, the first being in February and the second on the same steamy weekend in September. Just in case NASCAR officials keep their schedule the way it is, Zucker said she is adding more shady areas on the outside of the track, misters and air-conditioned places for fans to hang out before the race.(Orange County Register)(9-20-2007)

One way to look at it would be that NASCAR thinks California Speedway might draw a larger crowd as part of the Chase rather than the race before the final race to get into the Chase. What race NASCAR trades dates with, does it matter?

But related to the 09 Indycar schedule. A September date opens up at California Speedway, Lights at Chicagoland. Run Detroit Labor day weekend, it has a five year contract, the following week at California Speedway on Sunday with NASCAR Richmond Saturday night, no NFL team in LA, then Chicagoland on the next Saturday night, no NFL games on and Cup at NHIS on Sunday. Drop Infineon and add an oval at the end of August, Gateway on a Saturday night maybe. Possibilities exist.

[Jakester]

Honestly not a troll....but all it will take is finding a promoter that will rent Cal Speedway for an ISC race.

[step33T]

It would be good for that NASCAR race to move to a later date.

The IRL wouldn't be affected by a change of the fall race. They need to stick with the plan of finishing early. Don't blow up a pretty decent schedule to get one California race in there that may or may not work (again).

With a change of the spring Cup race, there could be some possibilities for the IRL and California Speedway, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[430]

No other track is gonna agree to move to Labor Day so California can try and sell another 1000 tickets and be in the Chase.

[Z28]

No other track is gonna agree to move to Labor Day so California can try and sell another 1000 tickets and be in the Chase.

one word.


Darlington

[DapperDan]

one word.


Darlington

I have two words for this news after going to the labor day race this year, "thank god". Finally they are accepting that a Labor Day race is just too darn hot to go to. October will be perfect.

[crimsonace]

California is open to the IRL ... read a story in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin a week ago (check out my blog for the exact story).

The problem is, they can't agree on a date (where have we heard that before?). Cali wants a spring date, the IRL apparently is booked on all of the dates CS wants.

Gateway would be fun to go back to ... I would have to think they'd be able to fill that late-July/early-August hole in the schedule somewhere.

[Dan77]

one word.


Darlington

Amen.

[D. Heimgartner]

Great idea.

[Ann Dretti]

California wants an October date for 2009, Darlington is in May. There isn't a racetrack with a race in September October or November that will swap its date with California. There are also no open weekends to move to. Unless NASCAR pulls California's second date, they are stuck with Labor Day weekend.