A full house at Smoky Mountain Speedway for their annual Lucas Oil event.
The 2023 race season has basically come to a close in and around East Tennessee. Drivers, fans, and promoters are turning their attention to the 2024 season. What’s next?
The future of the sport has been a big question mark next to it. Take our recent reporting the McCarter family has a deal to sell 411 Motor Speedway. Many have taken to the internet to question or scoff at those reports. To this point, the McCarters have neither acknowledged nor denied the report of an impending sale. The future of the track remains up in the air as long as those questions go unanswered.
The 411 story was quickly followed by the news that Smoky Mountain Speedway has brought in Jed Emert as operations manager. Roger Sellers and Casey Moses will still promote the big events at the Maryville track. Emert will assist in those events as well as be the lead person on the regional and weekly type events they plan to add for ’24. While many welcome the news of Emert coming on board, others question the long-term plans for the speedway should the ’24 season not produce favorable results.
And there’s the revolving door at Volunteer Speedway. Promoters have come and go there over the last few years. The track remains for sale. But no one has stepped forward to buy the Bulls Gap track. At the time of this post, sources have said Vic Hill intends to hold a handful of races in 2024. The XR Super Series announced earlier this year the Spring Thaw will return in mid-April.
These stories were capped off by Ray Cook’s announcement there will be no racing at Tri County Racetrack in Brasstown, North Carolina. The track has been for sale for several months. Cook issued a statement at the PRI show in Indianapolis the track owner does not want any racing to take place in order to get the track sold. This has led to speculation on the future of that track.
People within some of the industries in racing (car builders, engine builders, etc.) have indicated a concern for the sport should any or all three of the East Tennessee tracks mentioned above were to close within the next few years. The area is already seeing a bit of a contraction as far as special events go. As mentioned earlier, the World of Outlaws schedule was released a couple of weeks ago and no East Tennessee tracks were on the schedule. Just like this season, there is only one Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race in the area. Regional super late model events were down in ’23. Remember, this area used to see multiple national series events and high-profile regional events in one season.
On a positive note, limited late models are on a bit of a comeback. Car counts for the most recent events in the area were high. Crate late models are still popular among drivers in the area. The Cumberland Plateau Open Wheel Series has given that class a little boost. Racetracks need to draw fans to keep the gates open for these classes. Fans have not warmed up to crate late model races as the headline draw of the event. The question will be if these types of races can keep the gates open in the short term.
The bottom line is if racing to remain sustainable in and around East Tennessee, everyone involved needs to support those that are still providing a place for drivers to race and fans to come watch a race. The constant complaining, backstabbing, and poor attitude needs to go away. At the same time, the promoters need to listen to the fans on the types of events they want and the classes they want to see. It’s up to everyone in the sport to make sure the sport is healthy and growing.
