NASCAR Could Alter Schedule
NASCAR put tracks on notice Tuesday that the 2004 Winston Cup schedule could look a lot different under a realignment plan that might move races to different parts of the country.
That could be bad news for historic tracks such as North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham and Darlington Raceway in South Carolina -- facilities that are clinging to two Winston Cup races a year.
“We cannot expand within the current schedule, we’re racing 38 weekends, and there’s no more room to add another week,” said NASCAR vice president George Pyne. “So we’re now looking within the schedule to see if any moves make sense geographically.”
The realignment plan was just one of many issues NASCAR addressed, including its new policy to reduce congestion in the garage by sweeping fans from the area whenever cars are on the track.
But it was the possible changes to the 2004 schedule that drew the most attention.
NASCAR has a set list of criteria it will be looking for track owners to meet in order to keep its current race dates.
Among things NASCAR will be studying are tracks that need significant upgrades, have trouble selling tickets, have a history of poor weather on race weekends, or are in small markets that lack adequate hotels and restaurants.
“We don’t want any tracks to start looking over their shoulder wondering when NASCAR is going to pull a date from them,” said NASCAR vice chairman Brian France. “But we are going to start looking at places where there is more of a demand for races.”
NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. said the intent is not to take races away from tracks owned by International Speedway Corp., which his family runs, or from rival Speedway Motorsports Inc., owned by Bruton Smith.
Instead, NASCAR might move races between ISC-owned tracks, as well as between SMI-owned tracks. That could offer a solution to a long-running feud over the awarding of a second date to Texas Motor Speedway.
Rockingham and Darlington were the two ISC-owned tracks that France targeted. It’s possible that those tracks could lose a date to other ISC facilities, such as ones in Fontana, Kansas City, Mo., or suburban Chicago.
*
CART star Jimmy Vasser warmed up for his venture into NASCAR this season by posting the fastest lap in Busch series testing at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
The 1996 CART champion ran a lap around the 2 1/2-mile track at 184.158 mph in the No. 19 Braun Racing Dodge.
Vasser plans to run a full CART schedule this season, as well as 10-to-12 Busch races, beginning with the season-opening event Feb. 15 at Daytona.
*
Five-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher escaped injury when his Ferrari spun off the track during practice at Barcelona.
This was the German’s first practice lap since he won his latest title in October. Track officials said there was only minor damage to his car.
Miscellany
Elena Sokolova of Russia landed a rare triple lutz-triple toe loop combination to narrowly defeat world champion and Olympic silver medalist Irina Slutskaya in the short program at the European Figure Skating Championships at Malmoe Sweden.
Sokolova, in her first international competition in five years, landed the difficult combination in competition two straight days, including qualifying on Monday.
*
Ian Thorpe narrowly missed a world record in the 400-meter freestyle at a World Cup short-course meet at Stockholm, and Jason Lezak of the United States won the 100 free.
Thorpe finished in 3 minutes 34.63 seconds, only 0.05 short of fellow Australian Grant Hackett’s mark.
Lezak finished in 47.41, beating Algeria’s Salim Iles by nearly half a second.
*
Former WNBA star Suzie McConnell Serio was hired to coach the Minnesota Lynx.