Molson may help build oval for NASCAR in Calgary

While there have been rumors that a new Ontario oval race track capable of playing host to a top NASCAR event is on the drawing board, no concrete or pavement has been poured or laid.

But yesterday a source close to Molson — which is the biggest race promoter in Canada — said that the company is in deep discussions to build such a track in Alberta.

Original plans for Molson and NASCAR to hold a Craftsman Truck Series race in Calgary using the Stampede grounds as a temporary race course have changed significantly, the source said.

"Molson is beyond just preliminary talk about building a track in Alberta," the source said. "The company isn't planning to build it by itself but with partners like the province of Alberta and the city of Calgary."

That would most likely mean a permanent, purpose- built oval track on the site of the Stampede grounds.

And it's also likely, the source said, that it would be its new corporate partner Coors Light — a big backer of NASCAR in the U.S. — that would be the brand that would be front and centre in any deal in Canada.

"Molson wants to keep its ties with Champ Car," the source said. "But it wants to be a part of any NASCAR business coming to Canada as well." Toronto Sun