Nestled inside the 117-acre Nashville Fairgrounds in Tennessee is a 6/10-mile race track. Though in a largely deteriorated condition today, it was once a site of extraordinary glory and fanfare for it played host to the NASCAR Cup Series. The track goes by the name of Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and it could soon find itself on the path to everlasting greatness.
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NASCAR has been aggressive in bringing dead tracks back to life and making them a part of the schedule. The North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Rockingham Speedway are the latest examples.
The promotion long began the operations to do the same with the Nashville track and a major update came in March 2023 when the Fair Board approved the proposal for the track’s renewal.
Speedway Motorsports Inc. had put together a plan that would complete renovation in 18-24 months. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much word since the approval.
The next step ought to be taken by the Metro Council and it is not sure when that will be done. Jasper Hendricks, the chairman of the Fair Board, is as frustrated about the delay as the rest of those involved.
He revealed to News Channel 9 that the track was losing $1 million every year in its current form and that there was a pressing need to make this situation better.
He said, “Every year that we’re in a million-dollar deficit, that’s a million dollars the county could have done something within public education or violent prevention or something else in the community. I would like to do something about it.”
The final race which was held at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
The track was previously known as the Nashville International Raceway. Its final Cup Series race was held in July 1984 when Geoff Bodine put on a masterclass in racing. He held off Darrell Waltrip to score his second win of the season and his career. He was quite elated at the achievement and expressed his joy to the press after the race.
Just unbelievable,” he said. “One of my heroes (Richard Petty) won his 200tb race last week. I think my second win feels just as good as his 200th.”
Interestingly, this was one of the wins that kept Hendrick Motorsports (formerly All-Star Racing) alive in the field despite heavy financial burdens. The speedway is home to many such historical moments that shaped the sport into what it is today.
The Board is now waiting for approval from the Metro Council and the current Mayor to go ahead with the proposal and begin renovation.
However, it is highly unlikely that a NASCAR race will be scheduled at the venue before 2026 going by the schedule that Speedway Motorsports Inc. has given. A whole lot of waiting has already been done and there is no option but to do more.
