What started in 1997 as a vision to bring top-tier racing in America to Northern Kentucky now sits just off I-71 having not hosted live racing in front of fans for more than five years. Kentucky Speedway, founded by Jerry Carroll and now owned by Speedway Motorsports, is part of a cohort of race tracks around the United States that still exist, but haven’t hosted race weekends in years.
There are plenty of reasons Kentucky Speedway is effectively closed − the COVID-19 pandemic impact on live, in-person sports, NASCAR scheduling and Speedway Motorsports’ allotment of race weekends on the NASCAR schedule being chief among them.
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Speedway Motorsports owns Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Echopark Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, North Wilksboro Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.
The NASCAR Cup Series features races at 24 different tracks and Speedway Motorsports owns 10 of those tracks. The race weekend in Sparta, Kentucky, that used to feature the top three NASCAR Series − Cup Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series – has moved to Echopark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway), which Speedway Motorsports invested significantly in amenities around the track.
More: Kentucky’s NASCAR race has some pretty unique trophies
Will NASCAR return to Kentucky Speedway?
June 7, 2000: Jerry Carroll, Co-owner and Chairman of the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky posed on the finished track Wednesday afternoon during a media event. The track will host it’s inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race June 17, 2000.
When the 2026 NASCAR schedule was released on Aug. 20, 2025, Kentucky Speedway was not listed as a host for any of the top-three national series. Nor was it on the schedule for any other national racing series.
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The Courier-Journal examined the current state of Kentucky Speedway and its impact on the community, but there seems to be no clear future plans for the track in the immediate future.
In a statement sent to The Courier Journal via email, Scott Cooper, the senior vice president of communications for Speedway Motorsports said, “Kentucky Speedway is a modern, multi-use facility which remains open to host music festivals, motorsports events, corporate entertainment and hospitality, driving schools, RV rallies and storage rentals. While there is not a major motorsports event on the calendar for the immediate future, the facility and property is maintained and utilized for track rentals on an annual basis.”
NASCAR Cup Series next generation car
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (78) leads the race with driver Kyle Busch (18) in second during a restart late in the third stage of the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 at the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (78) tallied a victory in overtime after a caution on lap 265.(The Cincinnati Enquirer/Sam Greene)
The NASCAR Cup Series next-generation car, introduced in 2022, has been widely criticized for its aerodynamic package, which leads to racing that’s not conducive to passing. The reason is the aerodynamics create a situation where it’s difficult to pass to due the air coming off a lead car negatively influencing the trail car.
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The best tracks for next-generation car passes and close racing in the Cup Series have been at 1.5-mile tracks like Kentucky – Texas and Las Vegas are the closest comparisons as Echopark has turned into a unique drafting track with pack racing similar to Daytona International Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway, but on a smaller track.
The final races at Kentucky Speedway – all green-white-checker finishes − produced great finishes. The most talked about among them being when Kurt Busch beat his younger brother Kyle Busch by .076 seconds for the closest finish ever at the intermediate track.
A year later, in the last Cup Series race to be held at Kentucky Speedway, Cole Custer won by passing for the lead by going four wide on the final lap of the race.
What will happen with Kentucky Speedway?
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 88, and Carl Edwards, 99, lead the pack to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Quaker State 400, at the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky Sunday June 30, 2013.
NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports schedule the majority of the races at their own tracks with the occasional international or unique street circuit popping up on the schedule.
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It’s unlikely NASCAR will ever bring back its top national series races to Kentucky Speedway, but never say never. A more likely scenario is that the current Speedway profile would eventually be redeveloped into an industrial site given its current infrastructure.
For anyone wanting to keep track of what was NASCAR at Kentucky Speedway, here are the past winners:
Kentucky Speedway Cup Series winners
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Cole Custer (41) wears a mask as he celebrates in the winner’s circle after winning the NASCAR Cup Series 10th Annual Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky., on Sunday, July 12, 2020.
Sunday, July 12, 2020 Cole Custer
Saturday, July 13, 2019 Kurt Busch
Saturday, July 14, 2018 Martin Truex Jr.
Saturday, July 8, 2017 Martin Truex Jr.
Saturday, July 9, 2016 Brad Keselowski
Saturday, July 11, 2015 Kyle Busch
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Saturday, June 28, 2014 Brad Keselowski
Sunday, June 30, 2013 Matt Kenseth
Saturday, June 30, 2012 Brad Keselowksi
Saturday, July 9, 2011 Kyle Bush
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series winners
Thursday, July 9, 2020 Austin Cindric
Friday, July 10, 2020 Austin Cindric
Friday, July 12, 2019 Cole Custer
Friday, July 13, 2018 Christopher Bell
Saturday, September 23, 2017 Tyler Reddick
Saturday, July 8, 2017 Kyle Busch
Friday, July 8, 2016 Kyle Busch
Saturday, September 26, 2015 Ryan Blaney
Friday, July 10, 2015 Brad Keselowski
Saturday, September 20, 2014 Brendan Gaughan
Friday, June 27, 2014 Kevin Harvick
Saturday, September 21, 2013 Ryan Blaney
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Friday, June 28, 2013 Brad Keselowski
Saturday, September 22, 2012 Austin Dillon
Friday, June 29, 2012 Austin Dillon
Friday, July 8, 2011 Brad Keselowski
Saturday, June 12, 2010 Joey Logano
Saturday, June 13, 2009 Joey Logano
Saturday, June 14, 2008 Joey Logano
Saturday, June 16, 2007 Stephen Leicht
Saturday, June 17, 2006 David Gilliland
Saturday, June 18, 2005 Carl Edwards
Saturday, June 19, 2004 Kyle Busch
Saturday, June 14, 2003 Bobby Hamilton Jr.
Sunday, June 16, 2002 Todd Bodine
Saturday, June 16, 2001 Kevin Harvick
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series winners
Saturday, July 11, 2020 Sheldon Creed
Thursday, July 11, 2019 Tyler Ankrum
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Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Ben Rhodes
Thursday, July 6, 2017 Christopher Bell
Thursday, July 7, 2016 William Byron
Thursday, July 9, 2015 Matt Crafton
Thursday, June 26, 2014 Kyle Busch
Thursday, June 27, 2013 Ty Dillon
Friday, September 21, 2012 James Buescher
Thursday, June 28, 2012 James Buescher
Saturday, October 1, 2011 Ron Hornaday Jr.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 Kyle Busch
Friday, September 3, 2010 Todd Bodine
Saturday, July 18, 2009 Ron Hornaday Jr.
Saturday, July 19, 2008 Johnny Benson
Saturday, July 14, 2007 Mike Skinner
Saturday, July 8, 2006 Ron Hornaday Jr.
Saturday, July 9, 2005 Dennis Setzer
Saturday, July 10, 2004 Bobby Hamilton
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Saturday, July 12, 2003 Carl Edwards
Saturday, July 13, 2002 Mike Bliss
Saturday, July 14, 2001 Scott Riggs
Saturday, June 17, 2000 Greg Biffle
ARCA Menards Series winners
Saturday, July 11, 2020 Ty Gibbs 3
Friday, September 22, 2017 Austin Theriault 12
Friday, September 23, 2016 Austin Cindric 3
Saturday, September 26, 2015 Ryan Reed 9
Friday, September 19, 2014 Brennan Poole 8
Saturday, September 21, 2013 Corey LaJoie 13
Saturday, July 18, 2009 Parker Kligerman 2
Saturday, May 9, 2009 James Buescher 1
Friday, July 18, 2008 Scott Speed 6
Saturday, May 10, 2008 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 15
Friday, July 13, 2007 Michael McDowell 2
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Saturday, May 12, 2007 Erik Darnell 5
Friday, July 7, 2006 Brad Coleman 3
Saturday, May 13, 2006 Steve Wallace 1
Friday, July 8, 2005 Chad Blount 2
Saturday, May 14, 2005 Frank Kimmel 17
Saturday, July 10, 2004 Ryan Hemphill 4
Saturday, May 8, 2004 Ryan Hemphill 2
Saturday, May 10, 2003 Kyle Busch 4
Friday, July 12, 2002 Chad Blount 3
Saturday, May 11, 2002 Frank Kimmel 2
Friday, July 13, 2001 Frank Kimmel 1
Saturday, May 12, 2001 Frank Kimmel 1
Saturday, August 26, 2000 Ryan Newman 1
Sunday, July 2, 2000 Tim Steele 2
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Will NASCAR racing ever return to the Kentucky Speedway?
