There have been ‘conversations’ about holding a NASCAR race in Philly, Gov. Shapiro says
“The days of just building a rural track are over,” NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said, adding that Franklin Field was a “place we looked.”
While attending the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway over the weekend, Gov. Josh Shapiro hinted that the state could get another NASCAR race. But instead of traveling to a rural location like the Poconos, the event could find a home in Philly.
“There’s some conversations,” Shapiro said Sunday in Long Pond, Pa., according to the Associated Press. “First and foremost, we don’t want to do anything that undermines Pocono. But as [Pocono Raceway president Ben May] says, the more NASCAR, the better. The more racing, the better. The more we can turn people on in communities that haven’t been to Pocono yet, to get excited about racing, and then make that trip to Pocono next year, the better. I want to see more NASCAR, more racing. I also just want to see more sports in general.”
Pocono Raceway has been hosting NASCAR races dating back to 1974. Sunday marked its third consecutive sellout crowd. Now the motorsports organization is thinking about expanding to new race venues. NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell told Pocono Record it is considering a race in Philadelphia, including a potential stop on the campus of Penn.
“Pocono has delivered for us in terms of fans, but when you look at opportunities, one of the places we looked was Franklin Field,” O’Donnell said. “It was one of the only places we could’ve put a racetrack inside. Those are the types of things that, within a city, we’re going to look at.
“The days of just building a rural track are over, but if we can build a track with some real estate development around it and partner with some people, we’re going to look at major cities and bring the product to the fan base within the city as well.”
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A NASCAR Cup Series race in the city would add to an already busy sports schedule in Pennsylvania in 2026, with the state already hosting the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, the World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field, the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, and the NFL draft in Pittsburgh.
“I worked my [expletive] off to bring that to Pittsburgh, together with the Steelers,” Shapiro said. “I’m excited for them.”