The NASCAR schedule is becoming less predictable each season, as evidenced by the sport’s first street course race next weekend in Chicago. Former Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski knows what he wants to see next.
“I’ve been pretty steady on this, I think, for a number of years, but we have to get to Canada,” Keselowski said Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway. “There is a big market for us there. We need to get to Canada and on an oval in Canada.
“I think that particular market is underserved and full of a ton of NASCAR fans that would help us branch out somewhat internationally while in a manner I think could control costs for the owners in a respectful way.”
NASCAR visited Montreal, Canada, from 2007 through 2012, with the Xfinity Series running at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Craftsman Truck Series also visited Canadian Tire Motorsports Park from 2013 through 2019, and the race even once served as a playoff race.
But Keselowski notably said an oval race.
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“I think the layup for us as a sport is to find these road courses in different countries, and that’s better than nothing,” Keselowski said, “But it’s not the way I would prefer to show what NASCAR’s capable of.”
NASCAR’s top stars running an oval race in Canada would not be completely new. Buddy Shuman won a Grand National race at Stamford Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 1952. While it was an oval race, it should be noted it was a half-mile dirt track that was mostly used for horse racing.
The race at Stamford Park is said to be the first NASCAR race run outside of the United States.
Lee Petty won a Grand National race in 1958 at Canadian Exposition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario — a 0.333-mile paved oval.
NASCAR’s current presence in Canada is through the popular Pinty’s Series. The schedule features a mix between ovals, road courses, and dirt tracks.
Keselowski’s support of Canada comes from first-hand knowledge. Once a full-time Xfinity Series driver for JR Motorsports and Team Penske, Keselowski ran three races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and saw how it was a good market for NASCAR.
“Just the passion out of the fans,” Keselowski said of what stood out. “When I go to races, go through the infields over the years, meet our fans, there’s just a significant fan base in Canada that I think just has a big desire to be a part of our sport and would embrace it in a way that we really need.”