Kansas City's "Heartland of America" location makes this region of the country the most centralized of all five bidders for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Kansas City is also headquarters to Sprint Nextel, the series sponsor for NASCAR's premier Cup division.

Kansas City Speedway is one of NASCAR's newest tracks added to the Nextel Cup Series schedule, hosting events starting in 2001. "It's incredible what's gone on here when you look at where this property [the Kansas Speedway] was before the track opened, and where this property is today," NASCAR chief of operations George Pyne said. "If you were here seven or eight years ago, you would almost be in disbelief at what's gone on here. This has been a great success story for NASCAR and for Kansas."

* - Metro population numbers based on 2000 census