1on1: Bruton Smith (cont'd)

Q: Regular fans aren't just invited to an awards event like the Oscars. Would it take away some of the mystique or magic of the NASCAR awards banquet if you'd open something that has been more or less in the family to the rest of the world?

Smith: Absolutely not. I don't think we need to pattern ourselves after something that's been around a long time, and it's usually, when I see it, it's more like a parade of beauties that are dressed in some good-looking gowns, and some not so good-looking, and some that are just pure ugly. Here again, our people would not have to wear these long gowns and parade on a red carpet -- unless you recommend that, and maybe we'll try to get that done.

Race swap

SMI chairman Bruton Smith has proposed a date swap moving the Atlanta Chase race to California and giving Atlanta the Labor Day event.

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Our sport needs recognition. We don't seem to be receiving the applause from New York that we should. They don't seem to care one way or another. Well, I certainly care one way over the other, and I would like to see us right here [in Las Vegas] for the awards banquet.

Q: If the banquet does come to Vegas, would there be Showgirls involved in whatever ceremony is put together?

Smith: Of course. You know, there are a lot of people here who can put shows together. They do it all the time. We've got some of the biggest shows in the world right here in Las Vegas. I could picture a real production.

But don't have it in New York. I mean, there has been an attempt -- but a lousy attempt has been made up there. It's been less than entertaining. No one seems to understand that time is important. You go there and you sit, sit, sit. And then when you can't sit any longer, you leave. I can't go there and sit for five hours. That's just too long. There again, I think if you had some good producers to produce the awards banquet, it would be far superior than anything you've seen before.

Q: What did you think of the parade of NASCAR transporters that was held in downtown Vegas several days prior to last Sunday's event?

Smith: I thought it was very successful. I watched it from down on the strip, with thousands and thousands of people -- and I thought it was just the ultimate success. And I hope it's going to be an annual affair. It was just fantastic. People were lining up two hours before the parade to see it. I think that shows a tremendous interest here in this city for the sport.

Q: So are you confident NASCAR will soon give you a second date for Vegas?

Smith: NASCAR has never promised me another date here. They've never done that. I just say I think we've earned it, now that's up to them. If they want to give us one, that's fine ... wonderful, fantastic. But I want to stress again that they have never, ever, ever given me a date.

Q: Is that fair?

Smith: (smiling) Well, I'll let you judge that.

Q: If you were to get a second date, everyone is wondering where it would come from. You said you "absolutely" will not move one from Atlanta. How about the New Hampshire track you bought not long ago?

Smith: We haven't owned New Hampshire for very long. But I think if you talk to Jerry Gappens [president of New Hampshire Motor Speedway], he's almost sold out already for the June event and he's only about 2,500 tickets short of being sold out for September. Now that's pretty damn awesome.

Q: Auto Club Speedway, previously known as California Speedway, had severe problems recently with water seeping through their track; NASCAR threatened to yank a race from you when that happened in Texas shortly after your track there opened. Do you think California still deserves to have two races?

Smith: I don't think I care to comment on that. But I'm sure that they will go ahead and threaten to take one of their races away. So now I just keep waiting to read in the paper that they're threatening to take one of their races away.

Q: Do you feel like NASCAR is following up on its stated goal to get back to basics?

Smith: I think they are attempting to do that. I don't think they are working hard at it. I would like to see them speed it up. Let's see if they can run much faster laps on that than they've been running to get that done.

Q: Eddie Gossage, who runs Texas Motor Speedway for you, is offering $15,000 to any Cup driver who shows a little emotion and throws a helmet between now and the April 6 running of the Samsung 500 in Texas. Are you willing to match that offer?

Smith: I don't know if I'll match that. I think I'd better save my money for Speedway Childrens Charities. But that's probably not the worst idea that Eddie's ever had. He's had billboard ideas from time to time. There are a lot of things that come out of Texas that I think are extremely clever.

But here again, what we need is for some of these drivers to give us drama. We don't have enough drama. We need someone to get up out of a car and go over and slap somebody. If they'd come over and slap me, at least there'd be a response. That's what we need. We need some of these things happening.

Q: Switching subjects for a minute, you're a big fan of drag racing and have said in the past you had an interest in possibly buying the NHRA [National Hot Rod Association, which runs the top professional drag-racing league]. Are you still interested in the NHRA? And have you made any sort of unsolicicted proposal to buy it?

Smith: I think that might come around again. I'm always interested in that. I'm always interested in an opportunity. ... But we certainly don't want to pay too much. I think your question is, 'Am I interested in buying it?' Yes, I am. But price is the key.

Q: How's the new drag strip you're building in Charlotte going?

Smith: Wide open and belly to the ground. It's going just great. Most of the suites are already sold. That surprised me, that they would go that quick. I think there are 40 of 'em.

Q: What do you think of the current presidential politics taking place in our country as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama battle it out for the Democratic nomination and the right to face the apparent Republican nominee, John McCain, in next November's election?

Smith: I hope John picks Mitt Romney as his running mate. If he does, he's got a winning ticket, don't you think? I would appreciate that if he did. I think this has been the worst assessment of people that want to be president of this big ol' country of ours that I've ever seen in my life. I mean, I'm 39 years old and my goodness.

Q: You seem like a natural-born politician. Why don't you run?

Smith: I'll run for the city limits, but that's about it.