NASCAR legends Darrell Waltrip and Sterling Marlin are among those calling for the preservation of Nashville Speedway USA, the 0.596-mile track where they and many other drivers cut their racing teeth. The 106 year old track hosted 42 NASCAR Sprint Cup races from 1958 through 1984 and has been targeted by local politicians for demolition in 2011.

"The race track is a part of Nashville and its culture," said Darrell Waltrip. "Careers have started there and it would be shameful not to allow it to continue. The current vision regarding this historic icon is just wrong. If the same amount of energy was put into making it the facility and draw it could be was equal to the amount given to its destruction, it would be an asset the Mayor could boast about all across the state and country."

The Nashville Metro Council will cast their first of three required votes on December 21, 2010. A public hearing is scheduled for January 10, 2011 followed by two more voting sessions that will determine the fate of the famed speedway that sits on the 117-acre Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The bill that has been introduced to propose the race track destruction also will effectively end the Tennessee State Fair and close the fairgrounds if passed.

"I've got a mayor [Karl Dean], and he don't really care nothing about racing, never has," Sterlin Marlin told NASCAR.com. The Mayor's got it in his head that he wants to spend the taxpayers' money and just tear it down. It's turned into a political deal.

Supporters of the effort to save the track say one of Mayor Dean's promises during his campaign was to preserve the historic facility. Dean won the election by a small margin and began looking at ways to redevelop the fairgrounds and speedway property as soon as he took office. Dean was recently quoted as saying he sees no future for racing at the Nashville Speedway USA and expects it to be demolished.

Waltrip and Marlin have hired the Calvert Street Group, a national land-use and political consulting firm with experience in dealing with Not-In-My-Back-Yard NIMBY) issues, to help the fight to save the speedway. Darden Copeland of the Calvert Street Group has taken the effort to the next level, helping to establish the grassroots organization Save My Fairgrounds.

"Race tracks across the country are under attack," said Copeland. "We need to draw a line in the sand and save the Nashville Speedway. We may not have a Cup series race next year, but this is a farm league where many in NASCAR got their start. Our speedway still provides first class,affordable family-rooted entertainment for all walks of life."

Hardcore Race Fans who want to learn more about how to support the efforts to save Nashville Speedway USA can visit www.savemyfairgrounds.com and/or www.fairgroundsspeedwaynashville.com.

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