A recent poll of Nashville voters on potential uses for the fairground Nashville found that the majority of respondents returned to the site to oppose the NASCAR race, supporting developments such as parks and affordable housing.

A vote by Gbao Strategies, the Washington, DC Polling and Public Opinion Firm, surveyed 600 Nashvillians from February 13th to 17th. It was funded Fairgrounds Preservation Partnera group that advocates that the site will include rehearsals and performance spaces for music artists, racetrack parks and electric vehicle trucks.

Questions specifically asked about support for NASCAR and revisions that require affordable housing and eliminate races.

In racetrack questions, 46% of respondents said they were opposed to expanding the speedway to allow NASCAR races, while 38% said they were opposed to supporting them.

Rules of three judge panels against the state regarding Nashville Fairground Speedway voting laws

When asked whether they would vote for a Metro Charter amendment to add affordable housing and end stock car racing, 58% expressed some support for it while 37% were against it.

“Obviously, Nashvilians believe that adding affordable housing and cleaning contaminated waterways is far superior to this public property,” says Mike Cop, co-founder of Fairgrounds Preservation Partner. “Now it’s time to stop running figuratively and literally in circles.”

The debate over the best use of the Fairgrounds and Nashville Motor Speedway has been a political hot potato among elected officials in Metro Nashville for many years. In 2011, a citywide referendum codified the existence of fairgrounds, with the majority of voters approved a charter amendment protecting fairgrounds and speedways.

State lawmakers were involved in 2023 and passed the law — eventually fell in court — which would reduce the number of Metro Council votes needed to approve the construction of a new NASCAR-enabled truck.

The last NASCAR race at Fairground Nashville was in 1984.

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