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MADISON, Ill. — Officials with Dover Motorsports, Inc., the owners of Gateway Int’l Raceway, have announced that they will not seek NASCAR Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series dates from NASCAR in 2011.

“This was a difficult decision in light of the many years of earnest and continued efforts on everyone’s part to develop a viable market for these events in one of our nation’s greatest cities,” said Terry Harmeson, vice president and general manager of Gateway Int’l Raceway. “We remain committed to fulfill the balance of our 2010 schedule including our October 23rd NASCAR Nationwide race which will provide our fans the opportunity to see Danica Patrick compete here for the first time. We also plan to explore various ways to change the economics at Gateway both from the revenue and expense side.”

Gateway Int’l Raceway has hosted NASCAR-sanctioned events since 1997, when Elliott Sadler won the first NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at the facility. The track added a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event to its schedule the following year.

The track added a second Nationwide date this season when Dover Motorsports shut down Memphis Motorsports Park in Tennessee prior to the start of the season.

“We have a group of extremely dedicated and talented employees who make Gateway a great destination and we deeply appreciate all the support we have had from the racing community over the years — from racing fans and drivers to sponsors, team owners and sanctioning bodies,” said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “However, economics dictate that we evaluate all of our options for this facility, including its possible sale.”

Most recently the track played host to a NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series doubleheader, which ended with a controversial last-lap crash during the Nationwide Series race that saw Carl Edwards hook Brad Keselowski into the outside wall on the front stretch as the pair raced to the checkered flag on the last lap.