Texas Motor Speedway: Difference between revisions

NASCAR announced the 1997 schedule in September, with numerous changes on the schedule; among said changes were a new date for Texas in the spring and North Wilkesboro being gone from the schedule completely.<ref name=":722">{{Cite news |last=Boggs |first=Johnny D. |date=September 2, 1996 |title=NASCAR announces its '97 Winston Cup schedule |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-nascar-announce/137135220/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220202127/https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-nascar-announce/137135220/ |archive-date=December 20, 2023 |access-date=December 20, 2023 |work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |pages=15C |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-status=live }} {{Open access}}</ref>After the track got a race date within the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 1997, [[Bruton Smith]] was reported to have an extreme desire to have a second NASCAR Cup Series date at Texas Motor Speedway, to the point where he was rumored that if NASCAR leadership did not agree with it, Bruton would split off to start his own racing series.<ref name=":76">{{Cite news |last=Fowler |first=Scott |date=May 21, 2015 |title=Bruton Smith draws honors from NASCAR |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-bruton-smith-draw/127799011/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708080722/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-bruton-smith-draw/127799011/ |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |access-date=July 7, 2023 |work=[[The Charlotte Observer]] |pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-bruton-smith-draw/127799052/ 6B] |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> In 2002, Francis Ferko, a minority shareholder in SMI, filed a lawsuit against NASCAR and the [[International Speedway Corporation]] for violating antitrust laws, feeling as if SMI did not do enough to protect his investment. A settlement was eventually reached in 2004, which guaranteed a second NASCAR race weekend for Texas at the cost of one of [[Rockingham Speedway]]'s weekends.<ref name=":15" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Jeff |date=May 15, 2004 |title=The case is over; now for the ripple effects |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-the-case-is-ove/130919136/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831044334/https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-the-case-is-ove/130919136/ |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |pages=10D |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-status=live }} {{Open access}}</ref> Until 2022, the spring race has ran annually in at least some form; in 2021, its points race was transferred to a newThe date atremained the [[Circuit ofon the Americas]],schedule withannually the track instead running the [[NASCAR All-Star Race]] as an attempt by SMI CEO [[Marcus Smith (businessman)|Marcus Smith]] to increase declining attendance.<ref name=":10" /> After two spring races that were met with relative scorn,<ref name=":2" /> the spring date was removed foruntil 2023,<ref name=":53">{{Citewhen news |last=Engel |first=Mac |date=September 16, 2022 |title=NASCAR hits Texas Motor Speedway with nasty slap |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-nascar-hits-tex/139299323/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126170312/https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-nascar-hits-tex/139299323/ |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |access-date=January 21, 2024 |work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-nascar-hits-tex/139299341/ 3B] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-status=live }} {{Open access}}</ref> with the All-Star Race moving to North Wilkesboro, the track the speedway removed back in 1997.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Engle |first=Greg |date=September 8, 2022 |title=North Wilkesboro Speedway Comes Full Circle With Nascar All-Star Race |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregengle/2022/09/08/north-wilkesboro-speedway-comes-full-circle-with-nascar-all-star-race/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 10, 2024 |website=[[Forbes]] |language=en |archive-date=January 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110212151/https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregengle/2022/09/08/north-wilkesboro-speedway-comes-full-circle-with-nascar-all-star-race/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The spring date returned in 2024 as a result of the track's only Cup Series date, whichit was in the fall, shifting backmoved to the spring.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=DeGroot |first=Nick |date=October 4, 2023 |title=2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule revealed |url=https://www.autosport.com/nascar/news/2024-nascar-cup-series-schedule-revealed/10528668/ |access-date=January 22, 2024 |website=[[Autosport]] |language=en |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126170245/https://www.autosport.com/nascar/news/2024-nascar-cup-series-schedule-revealed/10528668/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The date remained on the schedule annually until 2023, when it was moved to the spring.