Smith: 'No plans' to move race from N.H. to Vegas (cont'd)

Smith beat out four other bidders for the property -- team owners George Gillett and John Henry, the Penske group and Kentucky Speedway owner Jerry Carroll -- despite not submitting the highest bid. The difference was Smith's record for lavish renovations such as those that took place at Atlanta, Bristol and Las Vegas, and his personal friendship with Bahre. The 80-year-old track founder will remain on the payroll as an advisor, assisting a general manager who is yet to be named.

"We look forward to working closely with Bruton Smith and his team during the upcoming transition and for years to come," Bahre said in a statement. Smith will welcome Bahre's help, although he's made no promises to keep one or both Nextel Cup dates in Loudon.

"We had no discussions along those lines," Smith said. "Although I do want to keep Bob on as a consultant, and we will do that. Bob is very valuable, because he has a lot of connections in that area that I don't know about. Only Democrats know, because they go up there running for election."

Friday brought mixed messages. Rightfully so, Smith touted his record for improving facilities, and promised to add seats at New Hampshire. But he's also bought two facilities, North Wilkesboro and North Carolina speedways, specifically to move their Cup dates somewhere else. He's become the biggest motorsports booster for the city of Las Vegas, lobbying to have the Nextel Cup banquet moved there as well. He's adamant in the belief that some races at older facilities need to be moved somewhere else.

"I look at McDonald's. Sometimes they'll have a place, but they'll tear it down and build one somewhere else," Smith said. "Automobile dealerships, they change. I'm in that business, too. Sometimes they have to tear down dealerships and rebuild them somewhere else. Anything along that line, sometimes it changes, and you have to then move with the change."

Smith said he called Brian France a few days ago, and the NASCAR chairman congratulated the SMI owner on the purchase. But France reminded everyone Friday that even if Smith wanted to move a race, he couldn't do it for next season. Those sanctioning agreements are already signed.

"While we don't have any details about SMI's plans for [New Hampshire], all sanctions for 2008 have been signed and finalized. As a result, there will be no location changes to the 2008 schedule that was released last month. This is important to the fans, competitors, broadcast partners and sponsors who have already made plans for the 2008 races," France said in a statement.

"Looking beyond 2008, NASCAR will continue to consider requests by any track operator, including SMI, to relocate race dates. Under NASCAR's realignment plan, we have worked with track owners to relocate race dates to meet the needs of our growing national fan base. Ultimately, any change must meet NASCAR's objectives and serve our fans."

NASCAR has left it up to racetrack corporations, like SMI and rival International Speedway Corp., to move race dates within their own framework. ISC took that path in moving events to California and Phoenix, while SMI did the same in moving races to Texas. But in each case, those dates came from tracks that were underperforming at the ticket office, in geographic locations unattractive to sponsors, or both.

New Hampshire, a sold-out facility in a key Northeastern market, is different. NASCAR likes having two races in the greater Boston area, and might not be quite so willing to allow SMI to simply move one of them somewhere else. The track corporations may have the freedom to move dates, but NASCAR still makes the schedule.

"I think they overstate it if they say, you get to move them around within your own [company]. I don't think it's anywhere close to that simple," said Texas track president Eddie Gossage. "They still approve the schedule. I don't think it's as easy as us picking up the phone and saying, 'We're moving A to Z and Z to A.' They're not going to go, 'OK, thanks for calling. Appreciate you letting us know.' They may go, 'Well, there's California to consider.' It's never that simple."

So what's the message for fans in New Hampshire? "Tell them not to be nervous," Smith said, "and to get their tickets early. We will be sold out next year."