Kansas Speedway and International Speedway Corp. announced today that NASCAR has approved a request for a second weekend of Sprint Cup Series racing at the track in Kansas City, Kan.

The first of the speedway’s 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends will be June 4-5, and the second event weekend, Oct. 8-9, will be the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

In December, Kansas Gaming Facilities Review Board unanimously approved a management contract for a state-owned casino at the Kansas Speedway to a partnership between the Kansas Speedway and Penn National Gaming. Part of the Speedway’s proposal to land the state contract included a promise to try to entice NASCAR officials to bring a second Spring Cup Series Race to Kansas City, Kan.

“This is an exciting announcement for Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas, and the state of Kansas,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “Our fan support for the past 10 years has been tremendous, and as a result of that support and the new Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, we are fortunate enough to gain an additional NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race starting in 2011. We will continue to offer our fans the best guest experience in motorsports.”

“The Kansas City region is an important one for the NASCAR racing teams and marketing partners, and the Hollywood Casino project will make Kansas Speedway two of the most anticipated stops on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule,” said Lesa France Kennedy, CEO of International Speedway Corp.

Speedway officials said 2010 Kansas Speedway ticketholders would have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the new June race. Tickets for the 2011 events will go on sale after Kansas Speedway’s 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend in October.

This fall, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods will be Oct. 3 at the Speedway; the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kansas Lottery 300 will be Oct. 2; and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Qualifying Day is Oct. 1. The Kansas Lottery 150 ARCA Racing Series is set for Thursday, Sept. 30.

Tickets continue to be available for all four race days.