Ally 400

The Ally 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee. The first race will take place in 2021, the first Cup event in the Nashville area since 1984.

Ally 400
NASCAR Cup Series
VenueNashville Superspeedway
LocationLebanon, Tennessee
Corporate sponsorAlly Financial
First race2021
Distance400 mi (640 km)
Laps300[1]
Stage 1: 90
Stage 2: 95
Final stage: 115
Circuit information
SurfaceConcrete
Length1.333 mi (2.145 km)
Turns4

The NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will provide support races.

History

The Cup Series last raced in the Nashville area in 1984 at Fairgrounds Speedway.[2][3] Nashville Superspeedway, a 1.33-mile (2.14 km) oval in Lebanon, opened in 2001 with the NASCAR Busch Series conducting the inaugural event. NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. was present at the track's opening on April 11, while Cup drivers Dale Earnhardt, Bobby Hamilton, Sterling Marlin, and Darrell Waltrip were honorees.[4] Seating capacity was 50,000, which was not considered enough for a Cup crowd at the time, though Denis McGlynn of track operator Dover Motorsports noted in 1999 that the stands could be doubled or tripled should it receive a Cup race.[5]

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Re/Max Series, and IndyCar Series would also race at the track during the 2000s.[6] However, the superspeedway struggled with attendance and lost its NASCAR races after the 2011 season.[7][8] Nashville's post-NASCAR use would be limited to stock car driving experiences and car storage by Nissan as the manufacturer had a plant in nearby Smyrna;[9] Dover Motorsports placed the track on the market and attempted to close sales several times but saw each attempted sale fall through.[6]

Starting in 2019 there was discussion that NASCAR would return the Cup Series to Fairgrounds Speedway, with Speedway Motorsports negotiating to promote the event;[10] NASCAR's other major series, the then-Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series, had last run there in 2000.[6] However, on June 3, 2020, in what was considered a surprise announcement,[11] Dover Motorsports announced the superspeedway would join the Cup Series schedule for the first time in 2021, replacing a date at Dover International Speedway on a four-year agreement.[3][9] Nevertheless, negotiations continued for a race at Fairgrounds Speedway, possibly beginning in 2022.[12]

On January 19, 2021, Ally Financial announced it acquired the naming rights for the race, dubbing it the Ally 400.[13] The event is scheduled to be part of a tripleheader with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series;[14][15] the Cup Series race is scheduled to be broadcast on NBCSN.[16]

Past winners
Year Date No. Driver Team Manufacturer Race distance Race time Average speed
(mph)		 Report Ref
Laps Miles (km)
2021 June 20 Report [16]

References
  1. "Stage lengths for 2021 NASCAR season". NASCAR. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  2. Yarbrough, Corby A. (July 9, 2000). "Off and (nearly) running". The Daily News Journal. Murfreesboro, TN. Retrieved January 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Humbles, Andy (June 2, 2020). "Nashville Superspeedway will reopen in 2021, host area's first NASCAR Cup race in 37 years". The Tennessean. Nashville, TN. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  4. Pogue, Greg (July 9, 2000). "Racing icons honored". The Daily News Journal. Murfreesboro, TN. Retrieved January 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Woody, Larry (August 27, 1999). "New Nashville track ready to increase seating". The Tennessean. Nashville, TN. Retrieved January 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "NASCAR set to return Cup Series race to Nashville Superspeedway in 2021". WKRN. Nashville, TN. September 30, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  7. White, Ben (June 9, 2020). "A tale of two Nashville tracks". The Dispatch. Lexington, NC. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  8. "Nashville Superspeedway to close, won't hold NASCAR races in 2012". The Republican. Springfield, MA. Sporting News. August 4, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  9. Albert, Zack (June 2, 2020). "NASCAR Cup Series to race at Nashville Superspeedway in 2021". NASCAR.com. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  10. Weaver, Matt (February 14, 2020). "Nashville Reaches Deal for MLS Stadium, NASCAR Could Be Next". Autoweek. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  11. Hixson, Steve (June 3, 2020). "NASCAR Cup Series Coming To Nashville Superspeedway In 2021". The Chattanoogan. Chattanooga, TN. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  12. Gallgaher, Michael (December 21, 2020). "Mayor Cooper, Speedway Motorsports discussing NASCAR return to fairgrounds". Nashville Post. Nashville, TN. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  13. Morris, Chuck (January 19, 2021). "Ally Financial to sponsor NASCAR's return to Nashville Superspeedway". WSMV. Nashville, TN. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  14. "NASCAR triple header at Nashville Superspeedway next June". Lebanon Democrat. Lebanon, TN. November 21, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  15. Organ, Mike (December 8, 2020). "Nashville Superspeedway launches new brand, website, merchandise; sets ticket sale dates". The Tennnessean. Nashville, TN. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  16. Long, Dustin (January 18, 2021). "2021 NASCAR start times, TV network info". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
Previous race:
Toyota/Save Mart 350		 NASCAR Cup Series
Ally 400		 Next race:
Pocono Organics 325
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