Expect domino effect with Blue Grass State on 2011 Cup slate

It only feels like we've been talking about the 2011 Sprint Cup Series schedule since the current campaign began back in February.

Or maybe we have.

Changes to next year's slate were swirling around when Speedway Motorsports Inc. purchased Kentucky Speedway and company head Bruton Smith declared his intent to finally bring a Cup date to the Blue Grass State. After much legal maneuvering including a lawsuit brought against NASCAR by the track's original ownership group finally ending, Smith at long last had clearance to petition for re-alignment and move an event from one of his other properties to Kentucky.

Speedway mogul Bruton Smith intends to get Kentucky on the schedule. (US Presswire)

Ditto for rival International Speedway Corporation, which after getting the green light on a multi-million dollar hotel/casino complex at Kansas Speedway decided to ask permission in order to shift a date from its portfolio to give a second to Kansas.

NASCAR acknowledged in recent weeks both companies have been granted approval to complete these moves. However, the exact nature of what will eventually transpire is still very much unknown.

NASCAR CEO Brian France addressed the situation last weekend in Indianapolis and although would not release specifics, did identify the 2011 schedule would more than likely have a decidedly different look.

"We'll have some pretty impactful changes to the schedule that I think will be good for NASCAR fans," France said. "It looks like there are going to be some interesting, good changes to the schedule in terms of how fans get to events ... which events they'll attend."

One change that will not take place is ending the season at Daytona as was erroneously reported by some media, with a NASCAR spokesperson saying "it is not even a consideration and never was."

That's good news because despite the fact beginning and ending the season at the sport's most famous venue makes complete sense, determining the Sprint Cup champion on a restrictor-plate track is akin to pulling out numbers at your local church's bingo night. Talladega is already among the 10 tracks that comprise the Chase, which is enough of a lottery factor on the title picture.

However, there does seem to be some momentum on changing the location of the season finale. Homestead-Miami Speedway has held that spot for the last several years, and in fact, has served as the final race venue for all three of NASCAR's national divisions in what's known as "Ford Championship Weekend."

Should ISC decide to pluck one race from Auto Club Speedway to bring to Kansas as is being reported, that second spot on the calendar would open up. NASCAR could move Homestead up into that date and create a three-week Florida race fan destination stretch with the season opening at Daytona for "Speedweeks" and then moving down the road to South Florida for the Daytona 500 follow-up event.

Such a move would open the possibility of taking the last race of the year to Las Vegas, a track Smith and SMI has made no bones about wanting a second race to pair with its traditional March visit. If SMI decides to strip New Hampshire of a weekend and use that to double dip in Vegas, NASCAR could crown its champions in the glitz and glamour of Glitter Gulch.

The final checkered flag could then dovetail directly into the Sprint Cup Series championship celebration that is now held in Las Vegas in early December. Tying that ceremony and activities around the season-ending race would create a full- week extravaganza that would no doubt generate more exposure for the sport than the current format.

But would NASCAR want to carry its championship gala into Thanksgiving week, which unless the schedule is somehow tightened up, is how the calendar plays out after the last race of the season. And with the impending holiday, many fans may opt to stay home near family and friends rather than plan a NASCAR-oriented vacation to Las Vegas.

There are still more questions than answers on the 2011 schedule front but the luxury of time is becoming shorter. NASCAR typically releases the next year's slate around the end of summer but many expect it to take at least two or three weeks longer than usual this time around.

In addition to travel and climate concerns, NASCAR must also figure out how to not over saturate areas of the country with too many dates within a short window or risk cannibalizing ticket sales from one venue to another. For instance, a race in Kentucky would certainly draw fans from the nearby Indianapolis and Michigan markets and potentially damage ticket sales at both tracks.

The same holds true on the west coast where Phoenix, Fontana and Las Vegas need to be given breathing room apart from each track's Cup weekend.

Don't forget the television partners who combined ponied up more than $1 billion for the rights to carry the current NASCAR package. You can be sure FOX, TNT and ABC/ESPN are going to have a say as to what races and markets fall into their perspective broadcast schedules.

I still believe the 2011 NASCAR calendar will have a considerably different look to it. I just don't plan on seeing it for at least a couple of months.