 | | Jimmie Johnson (48) and Bobby Labonte raced to the checkered flag like gentlemen. Credit: AP |
By Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
June 2, 2005
11:22 AM EDT (15:22 GMT)
My brain is still flat lining from the Coca-Cola 6000 and my deadline is approaching quicker than Dale Jr. in Michael Waltrip's mirror, so let's get straight to the point: The NASCAR Hall of Fame belongs in Charlotte, NC. Not Kansas City. Not Richmond. Not Atlanta. Not Daytona Beach. All are worthy candidates, mind you. All have submitted sparkling proposals and each has its unique perks. KC's local government is frothing at the mouth over this project. They've aggressively used NASCAR to energize tourism, and will be equally assertive in promoting the Hall of Fame should they win the bid. NASCAR isn't blind to that fact. Richmond's positioning is it's big coup. Just off of Interstate 95, the East Coast's major thoroughfare, Richmond offers potential daily visits by passersby from Manhattan to Miami. Plus, NASCAR readily acknowledges Virginia's fan base. Per capita, Virginia has as many NASCAR fans as any state in the country. According to NASCAR, Atlanta stands second to Las Vegas on the list of convention center cities, and the plan there is to build downtown. Moreover, Atlanta has huge corporate support. Remember, Atlanta is home to UPS, Home Depot and Coca-Cola, all of which already have NASCAR alliances. And when corporate dollars speak, NASCAR listens. Meanwhile, recent reports say Daytona Beach lawmakers are wishy-washy on the project, so it seems NASCAR's corporate home is in for an uphill fight to get the Hall. A recent report in the Daytona Beach News-Journal stated that leaders there are seeking private backing, but a recent proposal for $30 million from the state was refused. That leaves Charlotte. NASCAR lives in Charlotte. Charlotte embraces NASCAR. The very identity of the city is ingrained in professional stock car racing. Plus, cross promotion is an option. Thousands of fans migrate to the city each year to visit race shops, so building the Hall of Fame five miles down the road seems a natural progression. Some are of the mind that the Hall of Fame would be just another NASCAR attraction in Charlotte, that it would get lost alongside the Garage Mahal and Lowe's Motor Speedway. I disagree. Charlotte depends on NASCAR financially more than any city in the country. So it stands to reason they'll work harder than anyone else to ensure it thrives. This project must be well funded, either by its state, city or county. It must be well publicized and cannot get stagnant. Therefore, the city must make a concerted effort from the get-go. Charlotte will do that. In speaking with NASCAR, it seems Kansas City has the inside track. That's just my opinion, and just a vibe I get. But Charlotte is the heart of NASCAR. Charlotte is where the Hall belongs.  |  | | One stop in Pocono? Credit: AP |
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Poc-uno? Nextel Cup drivers Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick commented this week that NASCAR needs only visit Pocono Raceway once during the season. Both tabbed the flat Pennsylvania oval as their choice for the next track to lose a date in the name of big market penetration in New York and the Pacific Northwest. "Pocono? It's the most-boring race there is," Biffle said. "It's a fun racetrack but there's not a ton of fans there." Challenging All-Star Speaking of Harvick, he commented this week that the Nextel All-Star Challenge is a "waste of time," and that it may be pertinent to bag it in the name of adding another points race. "I think we could add another race if we got rid of the All-Star race. I think that's kind of a waste of time," Harvick said. "It tears up a lot of racecars, and really just kind of a waste of a weekend for the race teams. "It doesn't mean anything toward the end of the year, and it doesn't mean anything towards what we do. So I think there are some places that don't sell-out that we could move stuff around. I don't think any more dates is necessarily the answer." Century 21 Unlike fellow driver/TV superstar Kenny Wallace, Michael Waltrip didn't pop out of a cake donning a cheesy cone hat and kazoo, but he did celebrate a landmark birthday last week. Waltrip was dining in Charlotte hotspot Red Rocks Café with wife Buffy and daughter Macy when he was informed that Helen Lingerfelt, an ardent Waltrip fan, was in attendance. And it just so happened she was celebrating her 100th birthday. Waltrip, impressed by Lingerfelt's staunch support and physical fortitude, presented her with a key lime birthday cheesecake, adorned with a single candle, and joined Lingerfelt's family and friends in crooning Happy Birthday. "It was so gracious that Michael was willing to take the time to make Ms. Lingerfelt's birthday so special," Red Rocks owner Ron Herbert stated. It's heartening that such simple gestures can have such a profound effect on people. Imagine if he'd picked up the tab ... |  | | Jimmie Johnson (48) nipped Bobby Labonte at the stripe. Credit: AP |
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Fed-exit Last night on NASCAR Nation I made the comment that if I'd been in Bobby Labonte's seat Sunday evening I'd have taken every possible measure to win that race -- including wrecking Jimmie Johnson. I know it's not kosher. But it's Turn 4 on the last lap of the Coca-Cola 600, man. All bets are off. Labonte needs a win. Joe Gibbs Racing needs a win. FedEx needs a win. That race-like-you-want-to-be-raced stuff that applied 200 laps ago is out the window. Labonte is to be commended for his sportsmanship and devotion to racing the "right way." I don't think I could have done it. It's checkers or wreckers time, man. As soon as I left the studio, e-mails started pouring in. I thought I'd share one with you to send you off into the weekend with a smile. From Sarah in California: MartDawg, I am here watching you on NASCAR Nation and I will never buy another "I agree with Marty" anything! You are one nasty man, I like Bobbie Labonte to, but that was just racing as they say, Jimmie had as much need to win as Bobbie and both did a good job! Jimmie has been criticised enough in the last month and he did a terrific job and he did a great job of getting the win! I know that Bobbie needed the win and IF your were driving as you said, you would have put him in the wall. I consider that very nasty in my opinion, Jimmie did not put Bobbie in the wall or try to wreck him so why should YOU? I hope that you get replaced with some one that is not biased! And that is my opinion! Hay, lets get Ryan Smithson to take YOUR place! He is better looking to! I love it. Y'all have a great weekend. The opinions listed here are solely those of the writer. | 
