Now that the HD Partners deal to purchase the assets of the NHRA is in the tank, SMI CEO Bruton Smith has no problem discussing his desire to discuss a possible purchase of the drag racing entity.

Would Smith be willing pony up the same dollars involved in the HD Partners deal?  No.

“It comes down to the bottom line,” Smith said. “You have to look at the property and what it's producing to determine the price you are willing to pay.”

While Smith doesn't see a value of $120 million in the NHRA, he does see potential and its the potential that keeps him interested. Interested enough to spend in excess of $30 million to build a state of the art drag racing facility on his racing complex in Concord, North Carolina.