Erik Moses: Revitalizing Nashville Superspeedway and NASCAR’s Diversity Efforts

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Nashville Superspeedway reopened in June 2021 and was on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule for the first time this past season. Leading the track’s renaissance both within the Nashville and NASCAR communities is Erik Moses, a longtime leader in mid-Atlantic sports and entertainment circles with an extensive background in sports tourism as senior vice president at Events DC for more than a decade, He also worked as CEO of the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission and as president of the XFL’s DC Defenders. SportsTravel Senior Editor Matt Traub talked with Moses during the Sports ETA Annual Symposium about building back Nashville Superspeedway’s reputation, planning a NASCAR weekend in the midst of the ongoing pandemic and the sport’s diversity efforts with Moses being the first Black executive of a track.

Among the topics featured in this episode:

• What made him interested in taking the job as Nashville Superspeedway president (2:00)
• Nashville’s reputation not only as a NASCAR market but as an overall auto racing destination (3:12)
• How NASCAR and IndyCar are able to cross-market themselves in Nashville for fans (4:05)
• The nerves and excitement in being able to host a NASCAR Cup Series event in Nashville for the first time (5:15)
• Building back the NASCAR brand within the Nashville community ahead of its first Cup Series race (6:38)
• Making a NASCAR weekend affordable and safe for fans during the pandemic (8:21)
• Being able to capitalize on club spaces and high-dollar activations while making sure the race experience is still affordable (10:04)
• Transforming a once-shuttered venue in Nashville Superspeedway and improving technology and fan experience areas (11:52)
• Having to make multiple plans for health and safety protocols depending on ever-changing regulations (14:10)
• The state of NASCAR and how it has “right-sized” itself as a sport after dramatic growth a few decades ago (16:05)
• Being the first Black man to lead a NASCAR track and what it means for the sport’s diversity efforts (18:20)
• The significance of Bubba Wallace’s first Cup Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway during the 2021 season (20:07)
• Looking ahead to what Nashville Superspeedway will be able to do for its 2022 Cup Weekend of activities (21:24)

This episode is sponsored by: