Memphis Motorsports Park Closing Doors

October 31, 2009 6:47 a.m. EST

Memphis, TN (AHN) - Numerous national racing series felt the trickle-down effect of the announced closing of Memphis Motorsports Park Friday. Memphis, which hosted a NASCAR Nationwide Series race a week ago, will close its doors after 23 years after a sell of the property fell through earlier this summer. Dover MotorSports, which owns the facility, ordered its closing despite already announced scheduled NASCAR and NHRA events at the track next season. The NASCAR Nationwide Series will move its 2010 Memphis date to Gateway in St. Louis, a track that is also owned by Dover MotorSports. A scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Memphis will relocate to another Dover MotorSports track, Nashville. The moving of the Truck event will give NASCAR a unique back-to-back Truck-Nationwide event at Nashville in the same weekend. A scheduled NHRA event will be taken off the schedule, while a scheduled ASA race will be contested next weekend at Memphis, which is still seeking a buyer.

"On behalf of all NHRA racers, fans and sponsors, we are very disappointed to learn about Dover Motorsports Inc.'s decision to close Memphis Motorsports Park. We had been in discussions with the management team at Dover Motorsports regarding the track's future in recent weeks and were aware that this action was a possibility. We appreciate the great support we received from the fans throughout the western Tennessee region as well as the cooperation from all those who worked at the facility,'' said the NHRA in a released statement. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Dover Motorsports group and conducting the national event at Gateway International Raceway at St. Louis. At this time, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule for 2010 will be reduced to 23 events.''