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Found this posted on Brand X.
There was a meeting Monday evening in Dayton, at one of Eldora's lodging partners' locations. Emmett Hahn was there, Tony Stewart was not. Stewart had Larry Kemp and Larry Boos there, in addition to one of his business partners. Nichols apparently contacted something like 28 tracks. There was representation from around 10-12, at most. Stewart supposedly mentioned to some people before the meeting and via phone that he might put a team together to run the series, beyond what he currently has on the WoO tour. Steve Kinser is rumored to be the driver. Stewart did not commit Eldora to running any of the races. TSR likely wouldn't pull out of WoO because those teams' sponsorship is contigent on TV races. This meeting was to explore the possibility of running a forty race series with a $5000 to win, $400 to start show that would cost $32,000 overall per race, in a four state area (OH., MI., IN., PA.). A point fund of about $160,000 was discussed. They want to have a Speedweek. There would be a Hoosier right rear spec tire. This meeting came about because of the All Star Circuit of Champions signing with Goodyear. The meeting's leaders insisted that they are not doing this to compete against the WoO, but the All Stars' recent tire decision made that series vulnerable, in their opinion. Bottom line is this...this new series would attempt to schedule races at Hoosier and open tire facilities, with the idea of trying to convert more tracks to Hoosier. No firm committments were made by tracks at the meeting. The organizers gave the track promoters ten days to decide whether or not they'd be behind this new series. That's basically where things are as we speak.
Tony Stewart isn't buying WRG...trust me on that one. We'll just have to see what "big" announcement he actually makes in Charlotte.
Right now, Fremont and Attica are on Hoosier's deal. This week, Sharon, Tri-City and Mercer all went with Goodyear. I'd think it's likely K-C Raceway does the same. The central Pennsylvania tracks aren't interested in any series Emmett Hahn organizes, based on past experience (remember the 358 debacle ?). Port Royal signed with Hoosier but isn't interested in another series, as an example. My sources tell me that no Indiana tracks were represented, although somebody at the meeting mentioned that one of the meeting leaders said that, possibly, three tracks were interested, with Gas City supposedly being mentioned by name. The only PA. track in attendence was Mercer, which signed with Goodyear two days later.
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