"This isn't about kicking a racetrack when it's down" - my reaction: oh, really! - "We all make mistakes and MIS has certainly had past issues with traffic. And it isn't about trying to sway a Kentucky Speedway ticketholder to come to Michigan, though we will be happy to treat them the way they should be treated should they want to give us a chance" - me, again: sell, baby, sell - "It is bad enough [Kentucky] went into the weekend knowing traffic was going to be worse than they previously had. But to think [track owner] Bruton Smith made light of it with the media, and then pointed the finger at the state of Kentucky [regarding] traffic questions is unfathomable."
Grant Lynch, president of Talladega Superspeedway, also chimed in: "After hearing how rough the fans had it at Kentucky, I wanted to let them know we're ready to show how a race weekend is supposed to run.
In case you're thinking Curtis and Lynch just devoured some bad BBQ, here's the basis for their salvos: International Speedway Corp. (aka, the France family) owns their tracks, while Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. owns Kentucky.
Attempting to soothe furious fans who missed the race because of traffic problems, the track is offering free tickets to remaining races this season at SMI's tracks. That's fine, but if I were a fan stuck in traffic Saturday, I'd want to know what will be done next year to assure smooth flow in and out of the track on race day.
Before these two companies took control of most NASCAR tracks, owners and promoters were more congenial. They often exchanged ideas and pleasantries. Now that they are rivals, it's no holds barred.
