The Southern California market is waiting to be tapped by NASCAR following the removal of Auto Club Speedway and the L.A. Coliseum from the Cup Series calendar. It could soon happen with San Diego touted as a potential destination to hold a street race akin to the one held on the streets of Chicago.<\/p>\n
The 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney gave his take on this in a recent episode of the Team Blaney podcast. He said, \u201cWe\u2019ll see if it does happen or not. But, yeah, I think that\u2019s fine. I mean, I think they\u2019ve proven that they can go to these street races and build racetracks and put on great shows. I think it\u2019s a good market for us out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like many of his fellow competitors, Blaney was a big fan of Auto Club Speedway. He would just be glad to have it back in some form. NASCAR has expressed interest this year in exploring \u201cunique and new\u201d street course circuits. Despite being plagued by rain, the first two Chicago street races were reported to have a significant economic impact.<\/p>\n
NASCAR was also very pleased with how the inaugural race in Mexico City unfolded. Riding a streak of bold and well-received schedule moves, the expectation is that the next step will be a solid one as well. Competing with San Diego for a position on the calendar are Montreal, Philadelphia, and Denver. It remains to be seen which city will grab the prize.<\/p>\n
A source told<\/a> the San Diego Union-Tribune last week, \u201cSchedule negotiations are one of the best-kept secrets in NASCAR. There is always speculation at this time of year as to where NASCAR is going. But no one knows.\u201d\u00a0In the organization\u2019s eyes, San Diego is a destination similar to Las Vegas. This is what makes it more attractive than the other options out there.<\/p>\n Also, this is the final year of the contract that NASCAR signed with the city of Chicago to hold races on its streets. If the papers aren\u2019t re-signed, the Cup Series might race at the Chicagoland Speedway. Blaney<\/a> is one driver who would be extremely thrilled if that came to be.<\/p>\n