![\"Dale](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Nashville-Fairgrounds-Speedway.jpg\")
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DENNY SIMMONS \/ THE TENNESSEAN \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Dale Earnhardt Jr. heads off the track in his No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet after the CARS Tour late model stock car race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, April 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
For more than 40 years,\u00a0NASCAR\u00a0raced at the legendary\u00a0Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway\u00a0with at least one of its major touring series.<\/p>\n
That ended in 2001 when it left the dated facility and instead opted to hold races at nearby Nashville Superspeedway, which had more seating, but sits 40 minutes outside of the city by car, with no public transportation that runs directly to the track.<\/p>\n
The Fairgrounds still host smaller series on a regular occasion, and in 2011 voters passed an amendment to the city\u2019s charter that would protect racing at the location. However, amid talks of a NASCAR return, some in the community are trying to get rid of the speedway for good, and they\u2019re using nefarious means to do so.<\/p>\n
A controversial push to get signatures on a petition to end racing at the Nashville Fairgrounds is raising eyebrows. NC5 Investigates obtained secret recordings of canvassers making what appear to be false claims. @LeviAIsmail<\/a> reports pic.twitter.com\/ckMOQm9QEp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NewsChannel 5 (@NC5) July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n NASCAR Protestors Aren\u2019t Being Honest About Nashville Fairgrounds<\/p>\n An investigation<\/a> by Levi Ismail of station\u00a0News Channel 5\u00a0showed that petitioners hoping to get the speedway shut down aren\u2019t telling the truth to people they\u2019re hoping will sign the petition.<\/p>\n In several recordings caught on hidden cameras, petitioners tell people that the speedway is set to close down whether they sign the petition or not.<\/p>\n But that is not the truth!<\/p>\n Instead, a 2023 proposal shows that NASCAR was cleared to demolish \u201ccertain portions\u201d of the facility. However, the proposal goes on to state that only certain portions of the grandstand would be torn down. And that NASCAR would go on to build newer, safer, and more accommodating grandstands in their place.<\/p>\n However, petitioners claiming they want to replace the track with affordable housing are telling residents that \u201cNASCAR is destroying their old racetrack, so we\u2019re saying we want to at least turn this spot into something that\u2019s for the community.\u201d<\/p>\n In one case, a petitioner told a prospective signee that \u201cthey\u2019re getting rid of the track, but instead of letting corporate buy it, we\u2019re giving people the choice to vote for affordable housing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. That\u2019s confirmed. Either or, it\u2019s getting demolished,\u201d one man said when asked if the track\u2019s demolition was confirmed.<\/p>\n There\u2019s just one problem. That couldn\u2019t be farther from the truth.<\/p>\n NASCAR Wants To Return To The Track<\/p>\n NASCAR cannot demolish the track because it does not own the track. The track is owned by the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. In fact, NASCAR has discussed returning<\/a> to the track if it can update the grandstands.<\/p>\n