Tony Stewart on ‘asinine’ overlapping schedules for NASCAR and F1 in Texas

Today, NASCAR and F1 are racing in the same state, 3 hours apart

In Fort Worth, Texas there sits a 1.5-mile paved oval. This weekend, Texas Motor Speedway hosts race number two in the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs.

222-miles and nearly exactly 3 hours to the South, sits Circuit of the Americas. The 20-turn road course stretches 3.426-miles over the Austin, TX landscape.

This weekend, both tracks are hosting races on the same weekend. NASCAR for Texas Motor Speedway. F1 for Circuit of the Americas.

Who’s messing up the scheduling?

In the 2013 season, Texas Motor Speedway hosted their NASCAR race on November 3. The F1 race was scheduled for the 17th of November that year

In 2014, F1 moved their race to the same weekend at the Texas NASCAR race.

In 2015, the F1 race was moved to the end of October. They’ve avoided conflict in the past few years as a result.

In 2019, F1 has once again moved their stop to COTA, on top of the NASCAR weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

Twice, F1 has moved their trip to COTA during the same weekend that NASCAR is in the same state.

“Shame on Formula One for doing this to the fans,” Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage commented on the 2019 schedule release back in 2018.

“Fans have recognized this as the NASCAR date on this weekend since its inception long before Circuit of the Americas was built. I would think a lot of fans – myself included – would enjoy going to both races.”

“Now Formula 1 is making fans choose only one. Yet another bad call by Formula 1 showing their infamous indifference toward the fans.”

“Obviously they don’t care. And that is bad for – stay with me now – both F1 and NASCAR. That’s a situation that nobody wins and everybody loses because both are less than they could be as a result,” Gossage concluded in 2018.

Tony Stewart in a NASCAR race car at Circuit of the Americas
Tony Stewart in a NASCAR race car at Circuit of the Americas

Tony Stewart on Texas Motor Speedway and COTA on the same weekend

“I think it is asinine,” Tony Stewart said this week. “I think there are two promoters who have their heads up their asses to book it that way.

“Why would you not take the opportunity to book them on separate weekends and have the opportunity to have the people stay for a week and enjoy two totally different forms of major motorsports?”

This isn’t the first time these two events have clashed on the schedule.

“Yeah and you would think they would learn the first time. So it shows how big idiots they are.”

COTA NASCAR Race Wanted by Circuit of the Americas
Circuit of the Americas
NASCAR at COTA

On Thursday, Tony Stewart brought a NASCAR race car to COTA. He made some exhibition laps in the machine along with Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

COTA has also expressed interest in hosting a NASCAR race weekend.

“It’s something fans are asking for in droves,” COTA Chairman Bobby Epstein said in 2017. “We hear it, and I’m assuming (NASCAR) hears it, too. They are continuing to tweak their product, looking for new ideas. This would be something different, a change of pace.”

“I’d be pretty optimistic it could happen because NASCAR said they want more road courses, more non-ovals. Now that they’ve said that, this is the best one in the country. So if enough fans want them here, I think they’ll be here one day,” Epstein concluded.

Days later, Eddie Gossage responded to their interest.

“I don’t blame them for wanting NASCAR races, it’s just that they’re 20 years too late. I don’t think they know the business, or they wouldn’t be saying such things,” Gossage responded to the request back in 2017.

Tony Stewart in a NASCAR race car at COTA
Tony Stewart in a NASCAR race car at COTA

Should NASCAR head for COTA?

Tony Stewart responded, “Absolutely. Don’t tell Eddie Gossage [Texas Motor Speedway president]. He will get mad at me!”

“I think NASCAR is actually looking to run some more road courses and I think this would be…after driving it, there are some really good passing opportunities on this track for our cars and I think it will be a lot of fun. Let’s see a race here!”

“I’d think it would be very realistic and very easy for NASCAR to come here. The facility is already set up for it, obviously. Driving the track, there’s five legitimate solid passing opportunities here. That’s plenty to have a really good race here,” Stewart concluded.

More

F1 and NASCAR visit Texas on the same day in 2019

COTA expresses interest in hosting a NASCAR race; Texas Motor Speedway says no

Tony Stewart set to run demo laps in a NASCAR race car at Circuit of the Americas

Dirt Racing on NETFLIX

Stewart punches nagging dirt racing fan after race (Video)

Tony Stewart says drivers with personalty and some dirt tracks would help NASCAR return to popularity

Tony Stewart says it’s hard for NASCAR to stay ahead of the teams in regards to rules and policing the rule book

Stewart comments on the future of NASCAR

Links

Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Eddie Gossage | Circuit of the AmericasTexas Motor Speedway | NASCAR

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