Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is built on a man-made island with Montreal's downtown as a backdrop. Credit: AP

Montreal road course lobbying for NASCAR

MONTREAL (AP) -- The promoter of Montreal's race track is lobbying to bring NASCAR to Canada and says his facility is the best place to host the stock cars.

Normand Legault said he's had preliminary talks with NASCAR executives in an effort to bring the United States' top racing series to the road course at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

"I would love to have it here. It is a super, super show," Legault said. "I am quite sure Canadian fans would take to NASCAR racing just like a match to dry wood."

NASCAR expanded into Mexico this year, staging a junior division Busch Series race at a road course in Mexico City. Although executives have explored reaching into Canada, NASCAR repeatedly has said it has no plans to do so. The focus is currently on bringing a race to New York City and expanding into the Pacific Northwest.

Legault hosts two races a year at his facility, which is temporarily erected on a man-made island for each event. He said it can accommodate 125,000 fans a day, and about 95 percent use public transportation to reach the facility.

He said few changes would have to be made to the setup, which is currently configured to host the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, to stage a NASCAR event.

NASCAR travels much more heavily than other racing series, using large transporters as office space during a race.

"We don't waste space on parking here, so it would be very easy logistically to get a NASCAR event here," he said. "We would just have to move a few things to handle the transporters, and possibly relocate hospitality."

Legault knows that if Canada lands a NASCAR race, it would most likely be a Busch race and not a coveted Nextel Cup race. Although he prefers the top-level Cup races, he said he would be willing to start with the Busch Series to prove he is up to the task.

"It would be up to us to earn a Cup event," he said.

How soon could it happen?

"Physically we could do it next year," he said. "But I don't think there are any dates available on their calendar. You have to squeeze your way onto their schedule, and that could take some time."