Making tracks: TRAC, a team-oriented stock car series, is set to start its engines next year, but it still needs owners, drivers, and venues

Auto Racing Digest, Oct-Nov, 2003 by Barry Wilner

TO SAY THAT TEAM RACING AUTO CIRCUIT IS MAKING NASCAR nervous is a huge stretch--perhaps one as long as the straightaway at Pocono. TRAC has a plan for getting started next year--as well as an executive board, a television deal, and a whole lot of promises--but what it doesn't yet have are drivers, crews, team owners, and race sites.

To the folks at TRAC the watchword is "patience." "It's a lot easier to start with a blank sheet of paper than to try to change something that has been established for decades," says TRAC vice president Charlie Jeter, who--along with Hank Durschlag--developed the series' format. "We have nothing set in place. We'll be able to take what works in NASCAR, F1, and Indy cars."

Jeter's assertion may be true, but they have many mountains to motor over before they can be considered a viable entity. Among the speed bumps so far was the resignation of the series' first CEO William Miller in summer 2002. Ten days later, he was followed out the door by president Jon Pritchett.

A quarterly financial report indicated that Team Sports Entertainment Inc., TRAC's parent company, was $1.8 million in debt and had less than $20,000 in cash. After putting its machinery in reverse and slowly revving back up, TRAC appears to be making some headway. "We don't want to compete against NASCAR, we know that's a losing "battle," says TRAC chief operating officer Terry Hanson. "But we think there is a great enough hunger for motorsports for us to find our own audience."

The idea behind TRAC is simple: They're creating a new form of stock car racing designed to reach the mainstream sports fan. "I think we have a sound business plan that is a good investment for prospective team owners and builds equity in the league," says CEO Charlie Bradshaw. "The overall comfort of investors--whether they be owners, drivers, or fans investing their viewing time--is a strong motivation for our management team."

TRAC's plans call for six teams representing U.S. cities or regions that have nearby stock car tracks. A 13-race schedule has been devised, beginning in May and including an all-star event and a season finale to decide the championship in August. "Where the teams are based will be a matter of where our owners are located," says Jeter. "Our requirements are that each region's home track must be a half-mile or longer and seat at least 50,000. So there are a limited number of possible cities. We're looking at 21 possible spots. We'd like to be spread out across America and make sure the first six teams are a good foundation."

TRAC's most critical challenge, for now, is lining up the race tracks. That it might not be all that difficult, considering how such venues as Kentucky Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Gateway International Raceway, and Pikes Peak International Raceway are itching to get into Winston Cup--or at least to get more events.

Speedway Motorsports Inc. president Bruton Smith--whose running feud with NASCAR over a second date for his Texas facility made him eager to listen to the TRAC organizers--is also looking for extra dates. TRAC has agreements to run at any of SMI's six tracks if it forms a team in those regions.

Humpy Wheeler, who runs Lowe's Motor Speedway for Smith and is considered the best promoter in the sport, sees no reason his tracks can't accommodate many TRAC races--if the series gets onto the track. "But any time a new deal tries to get going, it's tough," he says. "It's got to get some momentum, and that's the struggle."

Smith and Wheeler have offered advice to the fledgling circuit. So have other track operators at the 45 facilities TRAC has contacted about possibly staging events. "There are a lot of venues around the country that need racing," says Jeter. "You could almost argue that every venue needs more racing, because it certainly makes the bottom line look better.

"Let's say a team is placed in Kentucky. That team would boost the local economy and add jobs and visitors. The economic impact could be a great boon."

Race sites won't be determined until the end of the year, which is when Jeter expects to begin revealing TRAC's drivers. The new series will look at open-wheel racers as well as stock car drivers--it may even attract competitors from Formula One.

Although no current Winston Cup stars would likely leave NASCAR--no matter how disgruntled they might be over its policies--there shouldn't be a dearth of quality racers available. Drivers such as Derrick Cope, Shawna Robinson, Carl Long, Hermie Sadler, Casey Atwood, and Morgan Shepherd have been mentioned as possibilities. Any others who lose their rides by season's end and don't latch on elsewhere could show up in TRAC. "There are a lot of talented drivers around, many more than most people realize," says Jeter. "Fans would be surprised by how many recognizable drivers are looking for rides. There is a lot of talent out there, and we'll give a lot of drivers a chance to get back behind the wheel."

Those wheels will be in a Mustang, Corvette, or Viper style car. Riley & Scott Race Car Engineering will build all of the machines, and they will feature the SALO (Safety Anti-Liftoff) wing, which is designed to create downforce and prevent--or at least limit--the car from lifting off the pavement.