NASCAR racing at the Circuit of the Americas Track in Austin? Not if Texas Motor Speedway has anything to say about it.
After Bobby Epstein, the COTA chariman, expressed interest in holding a NASCAR event on his Formula 1 track in Austin, the Texas Motor Speedway quickly shot down the idea. Texas Motor, in its five-year contract with NASCAR, is protected by a regional competition clause and has no interest is seeing that change.
TMS President Eddie Gossage slammed the idea, and he wasn't at all subtle about it.
Circuit of the Americas wants #NASCAR, Texas Motor Speedway says no way https://t.co/4GcEjYONIZ via @NASCARTalkNBC pic.twitter.com/C9liakGjFG
— Racers & Riders (@racersandriders) March 2, 2017
"I don't blame them for wanting NASCAR races, it's just that they're 20 years too late," Gossage told the Ft. Worth Star Telegram. "I don't think they know the business, or they wouldn't be saying such things."
Gossage is taking a beating in some corners for his stance. Jalapolink had a recent story headlined, "A very dumb agreement with Texas Motor Speedway keep racing away from the rest of the state," and noted that the tracks are 221 miles apart - further than the distance between Bristol and Martinsville.
A very dumb agreement with Texas Motor Speedway keeps racing from the rest of the state https://t.co/ypFpEutKaU pic.twitter.com/tJLjx3dO6r
— Jalopnik (@Jalopnik) March 3, 2017
Clearly, Gossage wants to protect his turf, as any good businessman would. But you would think there's a solution out there would allow a race that's in another city hundreds of miles away.