Kentucky getting Cup race

UPDATE SMI Chair & CEO Bruton Smith today in a statement said that he "believes there will be a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway in 2011." The date of the race is expected to be formally announced next Tuesday during a news conference at the track. A release from SMI "did not indicate which of Smith's tracks would lose a Cup date." Atlanta Motor Speedway "seems to be the most likely candidate, although speculation also has included New Hampshire Motor Speedway" SCENEDAILY.com

08/01/10 NASCAR's biggest series – and its biggest stars – are finally coming to Kentucky Speedway in July, 2011. There hasn't been an official announcement, but Associated Press is reporting that a Sprint Cup race is coming to Gallatin County next year.

Kentucky Speedway’s owner, Bruton Smith, hinted last week that a Sprint Cup Series race was coming. He has scheduled a news conference at the track Aug. 10, and an official announcement is expected then.

Kentucky Speedway, which opened in 2000, already hosts NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series events, as well as an IndyCar race. Plans are in place to add 50,000 seats to the current capacity of 66,089.

When Smith's company, Speedway Motorsports Inc., purchased the speedway from the original ownership group in 2008, Smith said his main goal was to bring a long-coveted Cup race to Kentucky.

SMI will likely have to move a race from one of its other seven tracks to Kentucky. Smith has consistently played coy about his intentions, but during a Cup visit to SMI's New Hampshire Speedway in June, he didn’t exactly endorse the prospect of continuing to have two Cup races a year in New England. Cincinnati.com