Which ISC Track Will Lose a Date in 2010?

Earlier this week, word came out the the head of International Speedway Corporation, Lesa France-Kennedy, was looking to expand operations at the company's Kansas Speedway.

In other words, she wants a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series date for the mid-west 1.5-mile cookie-cutter track as part of the deal to woo a Hard Rock Casino & Hotel to just outside the track's Turn 2:

As part of their proposal, Kansas Speedway announced International Speedway Corporation ("ISC") will petition NASCAR for a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series date for the track if Kansas Speedway and The Cordish Company are awarded the casino management contract for Wyandotte County (Kan.).

While the "petition" to NASCAR hasn't gone through yet, I'm willing to bet that the casino is a sure-bet to come to the area. (Ha, get it?)

And once that casino goes through, ISC's move to ask NASCAR for a second race date that comes at the expense of one the other race dates in the company's portfolio will go through faster than a stack of chips next to a degenerate gambler.

Of course, it makes things a little easier when ISC and NASCAR are owned by the same people.

The tracks that are under ISC's belt with two race dates include Auto Club (California), Daytona, Martinsville, Michigan, Phoenix, Richmond, and Talladega.

If I'm a betting man (tired of the gambling references yet?), then I'd say that Martinsville Speedway in Virginia and Michigan International Speedway (home of this weekend's race) are the most viable candidates for losing a date at their venues.

Overall, I'm not a big fan of giving Kansas a second race date. The track is just too bland and the circuit already races on too many tracks that are oh-so-similar.

But if it's got to happen, I hereby nominate Auto Club Speedway to lose both race dates -- one for Kansas and one just so we don't have to watch any more racing there. One race date at Phoenix is enough, too.