The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • A1

The Tennessean THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2011 NASHVILLE Back-to-school savings A GANNETT COMPANY ONLINE President Obama turns 50 today. GotoTennessean.com to see what other celebs hit the milestone this year. Cost-conscious shopping meets tax-free holiday. In IN LIFE AND BUSINESS March 8, 1999: Legislation clears the way for the construction and financing of a racetrack in Wilson County. Aug.

25, 1999: Developer Denis McGlynn announces the track will be named Nashville Superspeedway. Jan 22, 2001: Superspeedway tickets go on sale for the first time. April 13, 2001: Ken Schrader wins the track's inaugural race, the ARCA REMAX Series PFG Lester 150. July 21, 2001: Buddy Lazier wins Harrah's Indy 200, the track's NASCAR's future in Nashville may hinge on reviving fairgrounds track By Tom Kreager Gannett Tennessee The long-range future of Nashville Superspeedway and NASCAR-sanctioned racing in Middle Tennessee is clouded in uncertainty today, but the short-term future for both is clear. They do not exist.

Nashville Superspeedway is closing its doors, and NASCAR the National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing apparently will be disappearing from the area landscape for the first time since 1958. Financially troubled Dover Motor-sports, parent company of Nashville Superspeedway, announced Wednesday that it will not seek to host NASCAR-sanctioned races in 2012, effectively ending its operation as a racing facility. And shortly after its announcement, it reduced its website to one page, carrying the announcement un Fans cheer during driver introductions before the 2006 Firestone Indy 200 race. July 23, 2011: Carl Edwards wins the track's last race, the first Indy event. Taxpayers won't have to pay track's outstanding debt By Duane Marsteller The Tennessean LEBANON Nashville Super-speedway had been coasting on financial fumes in recent years, but on Wednesday any hope of it fulfilling the economic promise its owners envisioned sputtered to a halt amid weaker sales and a dwindling payroll.

But local officials say the decision by the track's corporate owner, Dover Motor-sports to let the facility go dark won't leave taxpayers on the hook for a remaining $21 million in outstanding bond debt issued 12 years ago when the speedway was first being developed. Crowds at the 1.33-mile track's events, even for the second-tier NASCAR races that it staged, had been declining since 2007. So, too, had the track's staff, slipping from 35 employees in 2009 to just 10 as of Wednesday. "If you have tuned in to any NASCAR race, you can see holes in the grandstands everywhere," said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports. He said the national economy has hurt.

IMPACT, 7A Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300. Aug. 3, 2011: The track announces it will close in 12. Unique trophy: Sam Bass-designed Gibson Les Paul guitar Notable winners: Greg Biffle, Clint Boyer, Kyle Busch, Scott Dixon, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Brad Kese-lowski, Buddy Lazier, Joey Logano, Michael Waltrip. der the heading, "Thanks for all the Memories!" "I think this is a bad day," said former Sprint Cup driver Sterling Marlin.

"I had been hearing through the grape Kyle Busch won his third guitar at the track in April. TENNESSEAN FILE PHOTOS vine that they had been having trouble getting people in the stands." SPEEDWAY, 6A KEEPING TRACK Watch Tennessean.com for Nashvillians head to polls today After months of campaigning by more than 100 candidates, Nashville's election day is here. Here's what to look for today and tonight: updates throughout the day, and see JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJfl HBb POLLS ARE OPEN: 7 a.m. -7 p.m. WHERE TO VOTE: Go to http:findwhereivote.nashville.gov and type in your address, or call the Davidson County Election Commission at 615-862-8800.

IF YOU SEE PROBLEMS: Call Breaking News Editor Cindy Smith at 615-259-8098 or email her at csmithtennessean.com. Michael Cass www.ten nessean election to compare candidates and read previous coverage. OPINION See The Tennessean editorial board's endorsements on 8A. ON THE BALLOT: Voters will elect the mayor, vice mayor and all 40 Metro Council members 35 district representatives and five countywide members for the next four years. They'll also decide whether to change the Metro Charter to make it more difficult to redevelop the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Mayor Karl Dean and Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors are expected to win re-election. The big question is whether Dean gets a more comfortable council majority to work with in his second term when he might try to tackle a new baseball stadium, a downtown amphitheater and a significant expansion of mass transit or a larger group that's willing to challenge him. RUNOFF AHEAD: Leading candidates who don't win more than 50 percent of the votes in their districts or more than 10 percent in the at-large race will have to go to a runoff election against their closest challengers Sept. 15. Clair Mendes, 8, joins her dad.

Bob, as he voted early on Saturday, john PARTIPILO THE TENNESSEAN LIVE TRAFFIC Tennessean. comtraffic for current road conditions THINGS TO DO Tennessean.comcalendar WEATHER 8B 9676, Partly sunny AT KROGER SHELL TOO! when you redeem up to 1,000 fuel points! At Kroger Fuel Centers and participating Shell locations. Restrictions apply. See associate for details or visit kroger.comfuel TN-00 00725356 Tennessean on the go Keep up with local news, traffic, weather and sports. Find things to do and get the latest in entertainment news.

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