Fourteen tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit enjoy the use of lights to illuminate their surfaces for night racing.
Michigan International Speedway, the 2-mile track the Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series race at this weekend, is not among those.
Michigan, which began hosting NASCAR races in 1969, is one of nine tracks on the circuit that doesn’t have lights. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, track president Roger Curtis said lights are not in the future for MIS, which is more concerned about improving the race weekend experience for fans.
“We are not even remotely talking lights,” Curtis told the newspaper. “There are so many other things we continue to build on out here like garages, restrooms and the Wi-Fi service.”
Curtis said it would cost around $17 million to light MIS, surrounding tram routes and roads leading to the track.
“We’d have to light two lanes out,” Curtis said. “Going east on U.S. 12 is curvy between here and Clinton. I don’t see the (Michigan Department of Transportation) and the police making it happen.”
MIS is owned by International Speedway Corporation. ISC just completed a $400 million renovation of Daytona International Speedway and is expected to make changes to Phoenix International Raceway and Richmond International Raceway.
Here are the Sprint Cup tracks that do not have lights:
Martinsville Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Dover International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Michigan, Sonoma Raceway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International.