NASCAR makes a move with post-season Cup Series Banquet

By SaJorden Miller, Staff Writer

The Monster NASCAR Cup Awards Ceremony is moving after a 10-year run in Las Vegas. NASCAR announced Wednesday that the 2019 postseason awards gala will be held at the Music City Center in downtown Nashville, Tennessee Thursday, Dec. 5 on NBCSN.

“This year, we set a course to look at everything we do through a different lens, including how we celebrate the champions of our sport,” NASCAR President Steve Phelps told NASCAR.com. “Nashville’s energy, vibrant entertainment scene, and deep-rooted lineage in motorsports informed our decision and we believe our fans and industry will embrace the move to the Music City.”

The formal postseason Awards have been a tradition in NASCAR stretching back to 1981. For a 28-year run, the banquet was held in New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria. The relocation of the awards happened in 2009 when it moved out west to the Wynn Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. And, at least for 2019 Nashville will become the new home for the postseason awards.

Nashville is no stranger to NASCAR. 42 Monster Energy Series races were held at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville. Darrell Waltrip, a Tennessee native, NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee (2012), Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame inductee (2001), Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee (2003), International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee (2005) made Fairground Speedway his own personal playground. The Cup series raced at Fairgrounds Speedway from 1958-1984.

“Nashville’s history with NASCAR is indisputable and coupled with our event experience we are a perfect match for NASCAR Champions Week,” Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming NASCAR back home to Music City.”

Just a few hours northeast of Nashville is Bristol, Tennessee – the home of Bristol Motor Speedway.

The last NASCAR Cup race in Nashville was in 1984, but Speedway Motorsports Inc. and Formosa Productions have been working behind-the-scenes exploring a way to bring major motor sports back to the Nashville track. The two groups announced a partnership in December that would have Bristol Motor Speedway and Formosa working together to get NASCAR back to Nashville.

“From the ‘Birthplace of Country Music’ in Bristol to the home of country music in Nashville, we join all Tennesseans in welcoming the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards Ceremony to the Volunteer State,” Bristol Motor Speedway executive vice president and general manager Jerry Caldwell said in a release from the track. “Music City never misses a beat when hosting high-profile events, and every race fan will want to join in when the stars of NASCAR roar into town for this season-ending celebration.

Happening on the weekend between NASCAR’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Thanksgiving, NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series Awards will be held on Friday, Nov. 22 in Charlotte. The NASCAR Home Tracks Champions Awards will be the following evening.

NASCAR Cup Series Champion’s Week events will be announced at a later date.