Here's the article below. Emphasis is mine on the last few sentences.
Delaware Speedway and NASCAR have to start talking because area race fans are missing out on a good thing by not being involved in the inaugural season of the Canadian Tire Series.
NASCAR has taken Canadian stock car racing to the next level with its purchase of the old CASCAR Super Series, but the closest this new series gets to Delaware at the moment is here at Cayuga Speedway.
CASCAR/NASCAR and Delaware had a falling out after the 2005 season and the track decided to drop the CASCAR races from its schedule. The Victoria Day and Labour Day weekends have not been the same since, all because of a disagreement between the two sides.
NASCAR is the big leagues of stock car racing and it's been the shot in the arm the sport has needed in this country. The races are run off the NASCAR Nextel Cup template.
Bless Tony Novotny for starting CASCAR in the early 1980s and keeping it alive through some rough years, but he was always the first to admit he did not have the resources to take it to the next level. That's why Novotny began talking to NASCAR.
"The fruits of our labour have certainly gone in a very positive direction," he said during last night's Subway 200.
"NASCAR has a lot more to offer and everybody benefits. You've got a combination of the Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. coming on board (as car sponsors) and then the Canadian companies."
Derek Lynch of Warkworth won last night's race after leaders Jim Lapcevich of Hamilton and Peter Gibbons of Stouffeville wrecked each other coming out of turn four on the last lap.
The NASCAR branding has also attracted a young driver like current series points leader Andrew Ranger of Roxton Pond, Que., who finished second last night.
The 20-year-old -- with the skills of a 35-year-old veteran -- competed in Champ Car for two years but decided the future is NASCAR. His goal is the Nextel Cup series and some say he has the potential to be the best stock car driver to come out of Canada.
Ranger's best finish in Champ Car was second in Monterey, Mexico, in 2005, his second race in that series and it's a shame Delaware fans aren't getting to see this talent.
"The future in open wheel is so-so," said Ranger, whose father Robert was a dirt-track competitor.
"If you are not in Formula One, it is very, very tough in Champ Car and Indy Car to find sponsorship. But because I am in NASCAR, it's a little bit easier."
You can see from the sponsors on his car what the NASCAR branding has done for him -- Wal-Mart and Tide as the major sponsors, with Coke, Kodak, Folgers, Duracell, Old Spice, Pringles and Gillette, names you never saw with CASCAR.
Delaware race director Jeff Wilcox recently said the track wants to speak with NASCAR.
Canadian Tire Series director Richard Coughlin said last night NASCAR would welcome a discussion.
"It's a track with a lot of history and it's a track that a lot of fans enjoy and a lot of our competitors enjoy, so I think it's got to be something we look at," said Coughlin, who knows what Delaware brings to the table as he marketed CASCAR before joining NASCAR.
"Having been there and experiencing the events, I know the potential to have a good event there. We'll be starting on the 2008 schedule in the next couple of weeks and at that time we'll . . . evaluate new markets and new tracks we can go to."
There you have it. In the next two weeks NASCAR will start making decisions for 2008.
Somebody needs to blink. In this case, that's likely going to have to be Delaware -- and it had better blink fast if it wants to be in the show.
At the very least, the fans deserve it.
Thoughts?
It'd be nice if they could get a NCATS race, but considering how things are and how they might be with NCATS, I wouldn't bet the farm on it, nor would I do anything at the expense of the direction being taken with the weekly program. Frankly, if at all possible, I'd rather see a Hooters Pro Cup race there myself...
Thoughts?
I really miss watching the former CASCAR series, now NASCAR The Canadian Tire Series race at Delaware. It's a shame, the May 24 race and the Labour Day race used to be the 2 biggest events of the year for this series. I can remember when we had both the Eastern & Western CASCAR series and the top west guys would make it a point to come to Delaware to race! LIkewise with the CASCAR Sportsman series. I miss seeing a lot of friends that we used to camp with as I think the fans have split since CASCAR left Delaware. Now even some of the Delaware LM's are leaving for other tracks??? It's too bad as Delaware was the home of our elite series and the track is unique and has it's own personality. If anyone's listening at NASCAR, they really should consider setting up a couple of dates for this track, in the future. I know that the track surface needs work, but, I think with contracts in place, that wouldn't be a problem. Once this series grows and more money begins to flow (hopefully), maybe NASCAR can add a few more races to the season. I'd like to see Peterborough get a date as well! I think we have enough road courses, personally, I'd like to see more left turn racing! Just my 2 cents worth.
Also, if NASCAR could bring either the NASCAR Modifieds, the NCTS (trucks) or Busch to some of our tracks to support our series, then that would be awesome!
I can't help but wonder why the likes of ISC or Mr. Smith haven't had a look at some of our facilities for future speculation???
Just one LM has left, to the best of my knowledge, and going from what he's done since he left, I don't think CASCAR leaving had anything to do with that. It'd be nice to see a truck or busch race, but as things stand right now the only thing remotely close to coming to Canada would be the modified tour, and even they are scaling back on their travel...
I agree going back to the Mckerlie Millan days Delaware was always the place to watch a Cascar race, but until they repave the track it the won't see a NCTS race I.M.O.