Bruton Smith buys NHIS

UPDATE SMI Chair & CEO Bruton Smith has "entered into an agreement to purchase" New Hampshire Int'l Speedway (NHIS) from track Chair Bob Bahre, according to a source. A press conference will be held tomorrow at SMI-owned Texas Motor Speedway. SMI tracks would host 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in ‘08, including September's Sylvania 300, the first race in the "Chase for the Cup" should the deal go through Boston Globe

Bruton Smith

11/01/07 Bruton Smith is up to something, and the absolute truth is I don’t know right now what it is.

Smith, of course, loves that.

Smith did give a couple of interviews on Charlotte radio stations on Wednesday. He told WBT-AM (1110) and WFNZ-AM (610) that he has a “big" announcement planned for 2 p.m. Friday. Presumably, that would come at Texas Motor Speedway, the track he owns near Fort Worth where NASCAR’s top three series will be racing this weekend.

What I called Smith to ask about Wednesday was whether he’d made a deal to buy New Hampshire International Speedway.

Smith told me he has heard that John Henry and Jack Roush, the owners of Roush Fenway Racing (and, in Henry’s case, of the Boston Red Sox) were interested in buying that track. Smith said he has also heard that George Gillett, Ray Evernham’s partner, might want it. Or that Kentucky Speedway owner Jerry Carroll wants it.

What I asked him, though, was whether he’s bought it, or has a deal to buy it.

He tried to change the subject again, then finally said, “It’s unfortunate that you weren’t able to get up with me for a comment today." But he also said that I might be able to reach him later this week.

“Are you going to Texas," he said. I told him I was.

“I am, too!" he said. ThatsRacin.com