According to a report in RACER, NASCAR is pursuing the contract to headline the Grand Prix of Long Beach, which has been the second largest event (behind only the Indianapolis 500) on the IndyCar Series schedule since 1985.
From the report:
Multiple sources tell RACER that NASCAR has been actively pursuing the 50-percent stake in the Long Beach race — a staple on the IndyCar calendar since 1984 — that became available for acquisition last year by the estate of the late businessman Kevin Kalkhoven.
RACER.com
Before becoming an IndyCar mainstay, the California street race was on the Formula 1 World Championship from 1976 to 1983.
The Kalkhoven estate still owns 50 percent of the event and its the other half that NASCAR is reportedly interested in acquiring. NASCAR has a void in Southern California due to the demolition, and potential renovation of Auto Club Speedway in Fontana into a short track, and the final year of the Clash at the Coliseum taking place in February.
NASCAR declined comment on the matter and the Grand Prix Association that manages the event told the website that ‘I’ve not been notified that that portion of ownership has been taken by anything.’
RACER says that IndyCar is efforting to ‘block’ NASCAR’s efforts to acquire the rights to run races at the event but also added a no comment alongside the other no comments.
The next IndyCar Long Beach of Grand Prix is scheduled for April 19-21.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.