NASCAR: If not Nashville, where will NASCAR go for more short track racing?

Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Sometimes, the simplest answer might be the best. Just outside Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 0.375-mile asphalt oval known as the Bullring. Texas Motor Speedway also has a bullring, but it needs far more updates than this one.

Yes, it’s tiny. The Bullring would by far be the smallest track on the schedule. But it is on the grounds of a track that already hosts two Cup Series races. There’s no need for haulers to be in the infield.

If doubleheader racing is coming, what better place to experiment than at Las Vegas? Have a race at the Bullring on Friday and a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday. The Xfinity Series and Truck Series are also in town, as is K&N Pro Series West, which has its race on the venue’s dirt track, another top series prospective track, perhaps.

A weekend at Las Vegas could become the Speedweek of the west. With haulers parked inside the main track, how cool of a sight would it be for fans to watch a parade of race cars go from the main track to the Bullring and back?

Improvements: The Bullring needs a lot of improvements, including a SAFER barrier, an infield care center with a helipad, more grandstands and even a pit road. It needs pretty much everything.

What it has going for it: The city of Las Vegas, Nevada wanted a second date for a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and they were aggressive in their pursuit. The agreement that was reached was reportedly a seven-year, $17.5 million deal that contains an additional three-year option. This deal also reportedly includes $1 million in per-event sponsorship and an additional $500,000 annual marketing budget.

The city of Las Vegas is not going to shy away from the possibility of turning one of their track’s two race weekends into a motorsports spectacle. If NASCAR tells Las Vegas that they want to have Cup Series racing at the Bullring, the city will play along. The biggest advantage, of course, is the “big brother” track across the street. NASCAR already has a great relationship with SMI and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.