Post by Dave Schultz on Aug 30, 2010 12:44:18 GMT -5
Right after the NASCAR race at Gateway — Dover (the owner) announced that they would no longer race have a NASCAR race at Gateway. They also announced that they would like to sell the complex.
Rumors abound on the drag strip — but the position was that it cost $300,000 to host the NASCAR event — and was a money loser. Since they dumped that expense — they’d be OK.
Since Dover closed Memphis (rumored to be waiting for the bulldozers) the day after the 2009 NMCA event — not many people were buying the position of drag strip not being in danger of closing.
Recently NHRA released their 2011 schedule. You can look up and down the schedule and not find Gateway listed. That’s is Gateway’s “Bread & Butter”. An oversight — or does the NHRA know something?
Being the betting man that I am — I’ll take bets that Dover will announce Gateway’s closure shortly after the NMCA event next month.
So where does this leave the Monster Mopar Weekend, and the Dave Duell Classic, my two favorite things?
I guess four things can happen:
1. I’m wrong on Gateway closing and there are another 100 Monsters to come
2. Gateway closes and Scott moves it
3. Gateway closes and Scott says he had a great run and retires it
4. Gateway closes and Scott sells the event to another promoter (my wild guess)
I asked Doug Duell about the future of that Dave Duell Classic — and he assured me that it will continue regardless of how everything else plays out.
developing….
Rumors abound on the drag strip — but the position was that it cost $300,000 to host the NASCAR event — and was a money loser. Since they dumped that expense — they’d be OK.
Since Dover closed Memphis (rumored to be waiting for the bulldozers) the day after the 2009 NMCA event — not many people were buying the position of drag strip not being in danger of closing.
Recently NHRA released their 2011 schedule. You can look up and down the schedule and not find Gateway listed. That’s is Gateway’s “Bread & Butter”. An oversight — or does the NHRA know something?
Being the betting man that I am — I’ll take bets that Dover will announce Gateway’s closure shortly after the NMCA event next month.
So where does this leave the Monster Mopar Weekend, and the Dave Duell Classic, my two favorite things?
I guess four things can happen:
1. I’m wrong on Gateway closing and there are another 100 Monsters to come
2. Gateway closes and Scott moves it
3. Gateway closes and Scott says he had a great run and retires it
4. Gateway closes and Scott sells the event to another promoter (my wild guess)
I asked Doug Duell about the future of that Dave Duell Classic — and he assured me that it will continue regardless of how everything else plays out.
developing….