NASCAR Truck Series: 5 tracks to add to the Truck Series schedule

Memphis International Raceway

Memphis International Raceway is located in Millington, Tennessee, about 10 miles away from Memphis. It is a 0.75-mile paved tri-oval, and it previously hosted NASCAR races. 2009 was the last year that the track hosted Xfinity Series and Truck Series races. Of the former Truck Series winners, only Travis Kvapil still races in NASCAR today.

The track was previously called Memphis Motorsports Park. NASCAR stopped racing there because the owners at that time sold it due to finances. The new owners updated its facilities and renamed it Memphis International Raceway.

Following the upgrades, NASCAR returned to the track. In 2017, Memphis International Raceway hosted a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race. Following its successful return, NASCAR should give Memphis International Raceway a Truck Series race.

As far as those upgrades, the track has 35,000 seats and 16 VIP suites. Furthermore, the track has SAFER barriers and it is built to NASCAR specifications. As far as the infrastructure, the track fulfills all of NASCAR’s prerequisites to host a Truck Series race. To add to that, track officials want the NASCAR Truck Series to return to Memphis International Raceway.

I have a solution for where Memphis International Raceway could fit on the NASCAR Truck Series schedule. In 2019, two of the first nine Truck Series races, in about a span of nearly three months, will be at Texas Motor Speedway. Is that necessary? Let’s ask Ray Dunlap.

https://twitter.com/XRayDunlap/status/1005261295292239873

Here is my solution. Eliminate the spring Truck Series races at Texas Motor Speedway and give one of those dates to Memphis International Raceway. The Truck Series should race at Texas Motor Speedway in the fall, like its second 2018 race date.

Instead of spreading that fanbase among two races, one Truck Series race date at Texas Motor Speedway may increase that attendance. Furthermore, Chris Knight agrees that the Truck Series should race at Memphis International Raceway in the spring.

Logistically, though, Memphis International Raceway isn’t overly close to any Cup Series track. It is four and a half hours from Talladega Superspeedway, seven and a half hours from Bristol Motor Speedway and eight hours from Texas Motor Speedway. Fortunately, there is a large gap in the Truck Series schedule in the spring, so I am confident that NASCAR can overcome that challenge.

Memphis is the 20th largest city in the United States. Furthermore, there are five Fortune 1000 companies headquartered in Memphis. NASCAR should take advantage of that market. Track officials have already done plenty of work to regain NASCAR’s interest. NASCAR should help them to secure a race title sponsor.

In summation, Memphis International Speedway has a history with NASCAR, it is a well-equipped facility, and NASCAR fans clamor for more short tracks. To satisfy fans and regain market share in Memphis, NASCAR should add Memphis International Raceway to the Truck Series schedule.