Why doesn't the Cup series race at Gateway?

Question

It sure would be more interesting than any of Bruton Smith's cookie-cutter tracks. Except maybe Kentucky.

Answer 1

My guess is for the same reason they don't race at Kentucky; no openings.

Answer 2

You're right it would be a good race!!

*I think bestanswer said it best*

Answer 3

There won't be enough fans at the track to bring in the money needed

Answer 4

This is a good question...Why do we have multiple races at some tracks and no races at like nashville or gateway?It all has to do with money!Heck they want to run another race at sears point!I hate road races......And who owns the track!!!

Answer 5

too many drivers named "wallace" in the neighborhood...

;-)

Answer 6

In 1998, one year after the opening of the oval at Gateway, owner Grand Prix Association of Long Beach merged with Dover Downs Entertainment, now Dover Motorsports, which also owns speedways in Dover, Del., Memphis and Nashville.

Under Dover, Gateway expanded. Lights and 20,000 seats were added. Prospects were touted when the track bid for a Cup race in 2000, with plans to increase its seating capacity from 60,000 to 140,000.

But new, bigger tracks in competing markets, the Kansas Speedway and the Chicagoland Speedway, snagged the Sprint Cup dates.

Despite the defeat, officials at Gateway remained optimistic. "It's not a question of if, but a question of when," then-general manager Brian Ulione told the Post-Dispatch the day after the announcement.

But Cup races continued to bypass Gateway. NASCAR didn't want to add races to its schedule of 36. And when Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Speedway, closed in 2004, Texas and California each got a second Cup race.

In 2003, Gateway lost one of its important events, an Indy Racing League race. Then-general manager Matt Strelo told the Post-Dispatch, "Clearly if we're going to be successful long term, we've got to figure out a way to get closer to NASCAR and to figure out a way to the get (a Cup race) or some sort of hybrid to come in here if we're going to reach our goal and aspirations."

Any hope for Gateway was quashed when the ultimate decider spoke. "No, we don't have any plan to put a Cup race there," then-NASCAR President Brian France told the Post-Dispatch in 2006.

With new tracks spreading out over more than 1,000 acres to accommodate NASCAR's crowds — many camp out in their motorhomes at a site — Gateway's 306 acres was a detriment, France said.

"The location's fine, it's a great market and all the rest," France said. "But it has some restrictions with how much land they have, what's surrounding it and (entrance and exit) issues to host a much better event."

Answer 7

I agree, it would make for some great racing.

YEAAAHHH Kentucky!!

Answer 8

That would be a great  Race, i would love to see that

Frank: I would LOVE another Race a Sears Point, then I could go! (im always on vacation for that race, and I live half an hour away)

Answer 9

I ask myself the same thing, maybe they'll be one in the near future if Bruton Smith takes over.

On the plus side, I live about an hour from Gateway and would be able to go to it.

Answer 10

This track was built with no promise from NASCAR that it would get a NASCAR race. They took a chance anyway.