New owner has big plans to revive Nashville Superspeedway, may bring back NASCAR and IndyCar

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Racing fans in and around Music City may soon be singing a happier tune if Robb Sexton has his way.

Sexton is the new owner of Nashville Superspeedway, having recently purchased it for $45 million from Dover Motorsports Inc. (owner of Dover International Speedway).

Sexton has lots of plans for the Gladeville, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville) facility that saw racing suspended there three years ago and no longer hosts any NASCAR events, yet is still very popular as a test track for NASCAR teams.

And potentially bringing back NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series, the Nationwide Series and even the Verizon IndyCar Series is on Sexton’s long-range wish list.

“Never say never,” Sexton, 60, told LebanonDemocrat.com’s Larry Woody when asked if he would try to bring back NASCAR and IndyCar.

“It’s a great facility and we’re going to put it to use,” Sexton added. In addition to giving a rebirth to racing there, NSS may also become an entertainment venue for potential things as concerts (a natural for Music City) and other events.

NASCAR ran both Trucks and Nationwide cars at the 11-year-old NSS for nearly a decade, while the IndyCar Series called the 1.3-mile track home for eight seasons before it also departed.

Founder and CEO of technology company NeXovation Inc., Sexton told Woody that he may even break out blueprints that were drawn up several years ago to add a drag strip, short track and dirt track to the complex.

“We plan to develop the entire facility,” Sexton said. “We have a comprehensive business plan that involves using the track 52 weeks a year, with a primary emphasis on the motorsports community. Our focus is on a motorsports identity.

“This is not just a lark, thinking that maybe we can make it work,” he said. “For two years we have taken a hard look at it, formed a business model, and concluded that it is do-able.”

Sexton isn’t stopping at just buying NSS. He also wants to purchase Germany’s famed Nurburgring facility.

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NTT re-signs as IndyCar title sponsor in multiyear deal starting with the 2024 season

James Black/Penske Entertainment
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The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.