1on1: Smith ready to put on another really big show (cont'd)

Q: Just as a casual observer of what happened at Talladega recently, when driver Carl Edwards' car nearly sailed into the frontstretch grandstands, do you think they need to do anything there to address that?

Smith: Yes, I do.

Q: What do they need to do?

Smith: They need to fix it, because the sport is at risk.

Q: Can you elaborate?

Smith: You know, there are different kinds of cables. They're just like fishing lines ... We need to make sure we have the strongest there is at every race track. And I prefer to use welded wire. We should never, ever use any of this wire that is used to build [regular] fences. You need a welded wire which is 10 times stronger than a chain-link fence. A chain-link fence, you might think it's strong, but it's not. I saw a wheel go through one once as if you might throw a ball through a rotted [piece of paper] or something. That proves to me that you don't have much strength there.

You could also make the fences higher. We changed ours to 21 feet here [at LMS following a 1999 tragedy when three spectators were killed and eight injured during an Indy Racing League event]. My understanding is that theirs was 7 feet shorter than that.

Q: Are your fences like that at all the SMI tracks?

Smith: I'm changing them right now in New Hampshire [which SMI bought in 2007].

Q: Should NASCAR mandate that all tracks change their fencing to meet uniform standards?

Smith: I think so. If I can ever assist NASCAR in any of this stuff, I would be thrilled to death to do so.

Q: Will the changes be in place in time for the next race in New Hampshire on June 28?

Smith: Yes, they will.

Q: As a track owner, how do you balance safety vs. pleasing fans who don't want anything to change because they like the racing how it is? Isn't that kind of a tightrope you must walk?

Smith: No sir, I don't think so. When it comes to safety, with all due respect to the fans, the fans cannot say don't do this or don't do that. You have to think of safety. That's important.

And, of course, if you're the owner of Talladega, that's what you need to do. You need to think of the safety of the fans. I think we have a strong responsibility to do that. We're there putting on a show, and we have to protect these people.

Q: Sonic Automotive is a huge part of your business empire, as well. How concerned are you about the auto industry these days?

Smith: I'm surprised that your President is getting into the automobile business. I never looked at him as a competitor, but it looks like he's trying to get into the automobile business. I think what they proposed, where they are trying to put the UAW ahead of secured creditors ... I think there will be a lot of lawyers in a lot of courthouses before that thing is settled. That's my opinion.

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Q: Do you see the situation with Chrysler taking longer than 30 or 60 days to be resolved, as is being mandated by the federal government?

Smith: I don't think it will be done in that short a period of time. I think what will happen will be a bunch of lawsuits, because there are going to be a lot of interests there that will need to be protected. ... After all, from everything I've seen in my long business career, secured creditors are secured creditors. You don't put a union ahead of secured creditors.

Q: Do you think it will have any effect on NASCAR in any way?

Smith: No, I really don't.

Q: What would you do to make today's racing better?

Smith: Well, you can't design a race. You can get the enthusiasm part from the drivers. We're promoting this hard enough and the drivers like it enough that I think you'll see a great race here [this Saturday]. ... This is the largest All-Star event in the world that I know of. If anybody knows any different, I'd like to hear about it. As a matter of fact, I think we'll pull more fans for our event than just about every other All-Star event added together. I'm proud of that.

Q: Anything else?

Smith: You've got to think about the fans. They're the ones who pay the bills. You have to make sure you're giving them what they want.

Joe Menzer is the author of "The Great American Gamble: How the 1979 Daytona 500 Gave Birth to a NASCAR Nation." Click here to purchase.