Atlanta Motor Speedway loses Camping World Truck Series date for 2013

NASCAR unveiled its highly-anticipated schedule for the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. As expected, big-time stock car racing's return to dirt was announced, as Eldora Speedway will host an event on June 24. The legendary Ohio oval, owned by three-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, will host the first major race sanctioned by NASCAR on dirt since 1970.

In addition, the trucks will race on the Mosport circuit in Ontario on Labor Day Weekend. It is the first Truck Series race on road courses since 2000.

Obviously, with the Camping World Truck Series racing north of the border on September 1, they will not be joining the Sprint Cup and Nationwide tours in the Biggest Labor Day Weekend Party in the USA at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ty Dillon, grandson of legendary team owner Richard Childress and son of former racer Mike Dillon, claimed the final truck checkered flag at Atlanta this past September after outdueling Cup superstar Kyle Busch.

The trucks first traveled to the venerable old Speedway in 2004. That inaugural event was won by the late Bobby Hamilton in a thrilling duel with Mike Skinner. The following season and for the three subsequent years, Atlanta hosted a pair of races for the division and built a reputation as one of the Trucks' best venues. The track returned to a once-annually spot on the circuit's schedule, where it remained through this season.

Busch led all drivers with four wins in the series at Atlanta, with Ron Hornaday Jr. winning twice. Skinner, Todd Bodine, Mike Bliss, Ryan Newman, and Kevin Harvick all claimed one win each in the 200-milers.