NASCAR to copy IndyCar in Texas?

Texas Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series tried a twist to their night of racing in June when the IndyCar Series ran two points races in one night.

Now the track might want to try it in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

TMS President Eddie Gossage and NASCAR Senior Vice President Steve O’Donnell had an informal discussion during the IndyCar weekend on whether the concept could work for a Nationwide event. Whether it actually happens is far from a certainty, but it is an idea that could shine a spotlight on the series. A typical Texas race has been 300 miles, so it's likely splitting the event would result in two races of 150 miles.

“I haven’t even talked to [NASCAR President] Mike Helton about it," Gossage said in a phone interview. “Steve O’Donnell and I have had conversations. He was here during our twin IndyCar race. It was really well received by the fans.

“They seemed to like the uniqueness of it all. And so Steve and I sat there and said, ‘What if we did a Nationwide race like this?’ But that’s the extent of it, just casual conversation. We haven’t talked about it seriously for 2012."