No Winston Cup race for Kentucky...yet

More than 70,000 spectators squeezed into two Busch Series races this season, 60,000 came to a Craftsman Truck Series race and 55,000 to both Indy Racing League races.

"This facility was conceived and built for a Winston Cup race - period,'' said Carroll, "We've already proved we can draw fans and put on huge events. All that's left is for NASCAR to say the word and give us a date.''

However, a spokesman for NASCAR said Carroll would have known early on that a date on the calendar was not likely.

"We would have a hard time expanding the schedule and staying loyal to the people who helped get us to where we are today. And we already have several races in that part of the country - at Indianapolis, Bristol,Tn. and Talladega Al.''

According to ESPN, NASCAR would have to take a race from a track with multiple events - such as Darlington Raceway in Darlington, SC; Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C; or Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va - to accommodate a Kentucky fixture.

Carroll has said he would expand his speedway by 25,000 seats if he was brought into the fold. "We'll get the sponsors and the purse," he said, "It would be huge - the kind of event people would really get excited about. We're ready and people know we're ready.''