Breaking: National writer says Kentucky should give up 2012 Cup date

A lot of angry fans have vented about Kentucky Speedway’s horrific parking and traffic issue. Remember, this isn’t the first time Kentucky speedway has had a parking and traffic issue.

In their inaugural NASCAR event, a Craftsman Truck Series event in 2000, a traffic scene not unlike the one that unfolded Saturday marred the race.

So why doesn’t Kentucky take a year off, completely revamp their facilities, and give it another go around in 2013?

Reid Spencer of the Sporting News suggested just that when he opined that the 2012 Cup date everyone assumes will return to Sparta, should not. (Read Spencer’s article here: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar/feed/2011-07/quaker-state-400/story/commentary-perhaps-kentucky-should-forgo-its-2012-cup-date)

“Give the 2012 Kentucky date back to Atlanta Motor Speedway and give Kentucky a year to work out the problems with local government and law enforcement, another sector that wasn’t blameless in the fiasco,” Spencer wrote. “If not, then proceed on the current course, and do as little as possible to assuage inconvenienced fans, and let the attrition begin.

Come to think of it, that’s probably the surest way to guarantee there won’t be a traffic problem next year.”

Matt Kenseth's No. 17 Crown Royal Ford makes a lap at Kentucky Speedway during testing on Thursday

Bruton Smith sank way too much money (between $80 million and $100 million) into the Kentucky Speedway to give up the Sprint Cup date, but the PR nightmare that has been dubbed as “carmageddon” by some has put a huge black eye on an event that was otherwise pretty good.

And if anyone can learn from a neighbor about screwing an event up, Kentucky needs to look no further than the closest track to it that holds Sprint Cup racing.

Spencer put the spotlight on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s attendance issues after the 2008 Goodyear tire debacle that has cut attendance at IMS by nearly 100,000 fans. He noted in 2008 there were 240,000 folks for the 10-lap, caution-filled parade that was the Brickyard 400, and at last year’s 400-miler, there were just 140,000 fans.

“Unless SMI comes up with a meaningful way to compensate all fans who sat in traffic for hours, whether or not they eventually got to the race, Kentucky Speedway will lose the public relations war, and it’s already getting bloody,” Spencer wrote.

Gentlemen, start your apologizing.