WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Report: Darlington losing race to Texas track

Report: Darlington losing race to Texas track

(Fort Worth, Texas-AP) April 21, 2004 - A Texas newspaper reported Wednesday morning the Texas Motor Speedway could get a second NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race next year, but a story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram suggests it may come at the expense of the fall race at Darlington Raceway .

The newspaper quotes unnamed sources as saying the Fort Worth raceway will get two races per season as part of a legal settlement. Attorneys for Francis Ferko of Plano sued NASCAR in 2002 on behalf of Speedway Motorsports shareholders. The company built and operates Texas Motor Speedway.

The sources say the second date will probably be in early November during the ten-race "Chase for the Championship."

Last June NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation leaders announced the Southern 500 weekend was leaving its Labor Day home of 53 years and heading to California Speedway. Darlington, the North Carolina Speedway and the California Speedway are all owned by the International Speedway Corporation.

Darlington Raceway maintained two Nextel Cup dates for 2004 with its fall race now set for November 14.

Speedway Motorsports's Atlanta Motor Speedway will keep its two dates, with the spring race pushed later into March. The report says "The Track Too Tough To Tame"'s one remaining race would be held the day before Mother's Day.

In October the Carolina Dodge Dealers, which has sponsored the past four spring races at Darlington, signed a five-year agreement as title sponsor for the track's March event. In March Jimmie Johnson held off a late challenge by Bobby Labonte to win the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400.

posted 3:26pm by Chris Rees