NASCAR launches new race series in Canada

NASCAR launches new race series in Canada

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
September 13, 2006
10:08 AM EDT (14:08 GMT)

NASCAR announced Tuesday it has purchased CASCAR (Canadian Association for Stock Car Racing) and has formed a new racing series.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series involves a multiyear sponsorship from Canadian Tire and will kick off in May 2007. The 10- to 12-race schedule will run from May to October.

The series will use drivers and teams from the former CASCAR Series. NASCAR said the official schedule, points fund and tracks would be announced at a later date.

Tony Novotny founded the CASCAR Series, the first major stock car sanctioning body in Canada, in 1981. He has run the organization with his wife, Linda, for 25 years.

"We've been talking to Tony Novotny for several years," Jim Hunter, NASCAR vice president of corporate communications, said Tuesday. "NASCAR has always been in and out of Canada, and this was an opportunity for us to actually take over an existing tour."

The reason for the CASCAR acquisition by NASCAR is simple, according to Hunter.

"It's no secret that we have a strong fan base in Canada, with almost six million fans, that's one out of every four [Canadians], and they've been following the sport for quite a while," Hunter said. "Its pretty much coast to coast from British Columbia all the way out to Quebec to all the Atlantic provinces."

Several months ago, NASCAR officials confirmed there would be a Busch Series race in Canada in the near future, but Hunter stressed the CASCAR deal is totally separate from the Busch Series race.

"We've met with the folks, we know we want to go there," Hunter said. "We're just waiting now to work out all the details with the sanctioning agreement."

The questions concerning a Busch Series race in Canada, at least in 2007, should be answered when the Busch Series schedule is released within 30 days, Hunter said.

"We had hoped to have it by now," Hunter said. "But some of the sanctions are still being fine-tuned."