Published: June 20, 2014
Hope for Sprint Cup Series race at road course growing
Track, NASCAR talking
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News
MILWAUKEE — Road America is on the list of desired race
courses for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. That list is short.
When NASCAR’s top series will make an appearance at the
famed road course is up in the air. However, there appears to be headway in
making it a reality.
“I know we’re on the list,” said George Bruggenthies,
president and general manager at Road America, on Thursday at the
Harley-Davidson Museum to promote Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the
Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville.
“Their schedule is so tight,” he added. “Something will have
to go away.”
Bruggenthies said he’s met with NASCAR officials regularly
about the prospect of adding Road America to the schedule. There is interest on
NASCAR’s end. If and when NASCAR wants to bring its top-tier series, Road
America is ready.
“We’ve been preparing for years,” Bruggenthies said. “We
believe we could support a Cup race.”
Gardner Denver, the title sponsor for this year’s race, is
an industrial manufacturing company focusing on air and gas compressors. It is
an international company with facilities in Milwaukee and Sheboygan.
Gardner Denver Industrials Group CEO Luis de Leon said the
company is excited to be associated with NASCAR.
The sponsorship deal for the race is a multi-year deal.
In addition to NASCAR, the track will host the Pirelli World
Challenge Series and the SCCA Pro Trans-Am Series.
It is the fifth consecutive year the NASCAR Nationwide
Series will compete at Road America. NASCAR returned to Road America in 2010,
making its first appearance at the 4-mile, 14turn road course since 2001 in a
one-time stop with the NASCAR Re/Max Series. Before that, NASCAR’s last visit
to Road America was 1956 — one year after the facility opened.
Each year, the race has provided excitement and Road America
representatives are confident it will happen again.
“It’ll be a lot of fun,” Bruggenthies said. “It’s been
demonstrated that NASCAR roadracing events are very popular.”
Washington County could benefit from a Sprint Cup series
race at Road America in terms of lodging revenue from fans and more media attendance.
Outside of Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and West Bend are the next closest cities
with attractive lodging options.
NASCAR visits the track annually to check on the facility.
Among the things series officials look at are ample fan space, motor home space
and track configuration, such as run-off areas.
“What’s also really motivating them is understanding and
watching the ratings on the road course broadcast events are much higher,” he
added. “They’ve had some difficulty, but I think I can help move their sport.”
Before NASCAR went to Road America in 2010, NASCAR competed
annually from 1993-2009 at The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis.
The event at Road America has grown each year, including
this year where advance tickets sales are up, Bruggenthies said.
“I had hoped this would be one of the largest events at Road
America,” he said, adding it gave the track an opportunity to attract a
different demographic. “Road America has always had international attention and
considered one of the best road courses by all the famous drivers.
“Road America’s 58 years old. I want it to last another 58
years. We have to change things and you have to do new things. We’re very
aggressive, but we’re very changing. We keep changing the business to
accommodate what fans and new fans want.”
There is also mutual interest in IndyCar returning to Road
America. The series hasn’t been at Road America since 2007.
The prospect doesn’t look as good for IndyCar as it does for
the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
“I talk to them twice a year,” Bruggenthies said. “Until
they really change their package, pricing and deliver more value with the TV
package, we’re not going to get together.”
There is slight hope, though.
“(Former IndyCar driver) Bobby Rahal — a good friend — he’s
our ambassador in that court,” Bruggenthies said.
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