“Our goal has been - and continues to be - to create one of the “crown jewels ” of Charlotte and the very best Hall of Fame-themed entertainment experience in the world, ” said Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. “This Hall of Fame will expand the dynamic and growing sport of NASCAR racing in a dynamic and growing city. It’s a victory not only for the entire region, but for NASCAR fans across the country and internationally. We look forward to welcoming all fans for a unique and entertaining experience. ”

Mayor McCrory credits the regional effort and broad-based support from the business community, elected officials, the hospitality and tourism industry and NASCAR fans who supported this effort. Mayor McCrory specifically cited the strong leadership from his fellow “Crew Chiefs, ” including Cathy Bessant of Bank of America; Luther Cochrane of BE&K Building Group, as well as John Tate of Wachovia and Tim Newman of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

The Hall of Fame, which will be located in Charlotte’s Center City will be developed, designed, and operated by the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. The total cost of the Hall of Fame is estimated at $107.5 million. This will primarily be funded by a new two percent hotel/motel tax and contributions from the State of North Carolina and the private sector.

The Hall of Fame, which will be open no later than spring of 2010, has been designed in concept by world renowned architecture firm, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. The firm has designed iconic buildings in cities worldwide, including the Javits Convention Center in New York City, the expanded Louvre in Paris, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.

Charlotte is the hub of the NASCAR industry. Currently 82 percent of NASCAR NEXTEL Cub teams, 72 percent of NASCAR Busch Series teams and 55 percent of NASCAR Craftsman Truck teams are based in the Charlotte region. The industry’s current annual statewide economic impact is estimated to be $5 billion.

For more information, contact:
Kerry Tharp, NASCAR Public Relations, (704) 720-3100 or ktharp@nascar.com

“As we move forward in this process, we believe it is necessary to focus our attention on the three cities of Atlanta, Charlotte and Daytona Beach. Based upon the proposals that we have reviewed internally for the past several months, we believe these three cities provide us with the best opportunity to build and develop a world-class NASCAR Hall of Fame for our millions of loyal fans. ”

NASCAR hopes to make a final decision on its Hall of Fame site sometime within the first quarter of 2006.

Thousands are expected to line the streets of Uptown Charlotte tomorrow to welcome the NASCAR delegation as it visits Charlotte on its five-city tour of potential Hall of Fame sites.

In an unprecedented move, Charlotte area television and radio stations have joined together to stage mini-rallies around Center City between 11:30 am and 2 pm. The public is invited and encouraged to wear a yellow NASCAR Hall of Fame T-shirt. Admission is free. Locations for the mini-rallies are listed below.

The public is also invited to line the streets of Center City Charlotte as the NASCAR delegation and Charlotte city representatives tour the area as part of a bus tour. The group will depart the Community Leaders Luncheon and move along a red carpet to begin the tour. The proposed bus route, which is subject to change, begins at the Convention Center at approximately 1 pm and is scheduled to last approximately 30 minutes. The bus route is listed below.

LugNut, the Lowe's Motor Speedway mascot, will join Charlotte Knights' mascot Homer the Dragon from 11:30 am until 2 pm uptown. Rufus Lynx, the Charlotte Bobcats mascot, will make an appearance on The Square at Trade and Tryon from Noon until 1 pm.

Race cars will be on display all around uptown Wednesday. Check out the actual cars used by NASCAR Cup Series Champions Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. The Earnhardt No. 3 car, the Petty car No. 43, the Hendrick car No. 24 and the Gibbs racing car No. 20 will be on display on the Convention Center Plaza. The Hendrick No. 48 car, which was driven by Jimmie Johnson, is also expected to be on display uptown. The Hall of Fame Petition Pace Car will be alongside the MB2/MBV 0-1 Army Show Car inside the Convention Center, and the Lowe's Motor Speedway Show Car will be at the Bank of America Corporate Center on The Square.

Those working in Center City are asked to wear their yellow Hall of Fame T-shirts, which are still for sale for $5 while supplies last. T-shirts are available Wednesday at Main Street Charlotte at 330 S. Tryon Street and the Bank of America Company Store in Founders Hall.

Fans venturing Uptown also are asked to wear Hall of Fame T-shirts. Plenty of parking is available all around the city. To catch all the attractions, park and ride the Gold Rush Trolley line around town. The events are scheduled rain or shine.

For the media only: A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday at 3 pm in Room 207D of the Charlotte Convention Center. Featured speakers include Rick Hendrick and George Pyne, NASCAR's Chief Operating Officer.

NASCAR on Thursday dropped Kansas City and Richmond, Va., from consideration for a project that would draw hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.

That leaves Charlotte, Atlanta and Daytona Beach, Fla., as the final three competitors for a $100 million shrine to stock-car racing, a sport with deep roots in Dixie.

Geography apparently played a big role in the decision. NASCAR was originally eager to consider sites outside the Southeast, in hopes of further expanding the sport's appeal (Detroit was on the list at one point).

But in the end, NASCAR executives decided the hall needed to stay where love for racing runs deepest, said a source with knowledge of the choice. Officials have said repeatedly that long-term sustainability is their biggest consideration.

The cities got the news Thursday from Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president for licensing, who has led the hall of fame process. He said Kansas City and Richmond both had strong proposals. "It had nothing to do with deficiencies in the quality of their bids."

Josh Lief, chairman of Virginians Racing for the Hall of Fame, said NASCAR gave no indication of why his city was off the list. "We knew, going in, there would be four losers," he said.

Dyer wouldn't say what happens next, other than that NASCAR hopes to have a decision within three months. NASCAR had originally wanted to choose by the end of 2005.

"Obviously, we're getting closer," Dyer said. "At some point in the calendar, we have to have negotiations with the one it comes down to."

Charlotte leaders said they're not sure what's next, either. "It's their process," said Tim Newman with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which is leading the effort. "They haven't asked us for anything new."

Speculation over the hall of fame has seesawed, with Kansas City seen as an early front-runner because of its political leaders' strong ties with NASCAR's ownership and the sport's desire to gain more national cache.

More recently, several Atlanta leaders said they believed the choice would come down to their city and Charlotte.

Atlanta wants to put the hall near Centennial Olympic Park, to strengthen a growing tourist district that got national media attention when the new Georgia Aquarium opened just before Thanksgiving.

The Charlotte proposal calls for a $137.5 million building next to the Charlotte Convention Center in uptown.

It would be paid for largely through a 2 percentage point increase in Mecklenburg County's tax on hotel rooms.

Still In the Running

ATLANTA

Money: Planning to raise $92 million for construction, with as much as $30 million from city and state governments and the rest from corporate sources.

Location: Downtown real estate owned by mogul Ted Turner across from Olympic Park.

Spokesman: NASCAR driver Bill Elliott, who hails from nearby Dawsonville, Ga., (known as "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville").

Architects: E. Verner Johnson & Associates of Boston, a prominent museum-design firm whose work includes the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Fla.

Projected visitors: 1 million a year.

Banking on: Corporate ties between local companies and NASCAR.

DAYTONA BEACH

Money: Expecting to spend about $105 million, mostly from private sources.

Location: Near Daytona International Speedway.

Spokesperson: None.

Architects: Three firms collaborating, including Ralph Appelbaum Associates of New York, which worked on the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn.

Projected visitors: 500,000 a year.

Selling point: Home to NASCAR headquarters and the sport's owners, the France family. Proximity to other big Florida tourist draws, such as Walt Disney World.

Charlotte's Pitch

Money: $137.5 million on construction, including private funds and a 2 percentage point hotel tax rate hike approved by lawmakers.

Location: City-owned land next to uptown Convention Center.

Spokesman: NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick.

Architects: Pei, Cobb Freed & Partners of New York, whose work includes Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Projected visitors: 400,000 a year (officials say they're being conservative).

Slogan: "Racing was built here. Racing belongs here."

"In the end, you look at what's going to be best in the long run," NASCAR chairman Brian France told a crowd of about 1,000 people at the city's convention center. "I'm happy to tell you today the NASCAR Hall of Fame is going to be right here in Charlotte, N.C."

NASCAR will get city land on the Hall of Fame site off Brevard Street for $1 per year, plus $4 million in city money toward parking spaces for the 300,000 square foot office building, city and NASCAR officials told the Observer in an exclusive interview before this afternoon's announcement.

The new building would include NASCAR's licensing office and become the home of the sport's media operations. NASCAR's headquarters would remain in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The hall of fame, at the corner of Second and Brevard streets, could open as soon as 2009. The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which will operate the building, will start hiring the hall's top employees soon.

Monday's decision ended a year-long race. Charlotte won over Atlanta, Daytona Beach, Kansas City and Richmond.

Also, after weeks and months of secrecy, city officials unveiled an updated deal with NASCAR and a 300-page contract slated for City Council approval tonight.

The city council discussion and vote will be broadcast live on Channel 16, the government channel, beginning at 6 p.m.

The contract was unavailable until shortly before the 4 p.m. announcement.

Asked to explain the rush, Mayor Pat McCrory said: "We've been working on this for a very, very long time, and we want to begin the process of construction and marketing as soon as possible."

The contract locks the Hall of Fame in Charlotte through 2038 and provides for annual royalty payments to NASCAR.

The updated deal brings the total cost of the hall to $154.5 million, up from $137.5 million. The difference, officials said, is because of increasing construction costs.

The extra money comes mostly from borrowing over a longer period and stretching the city's estimates of how much money a new 2 percent tax on hotel rooms would generate.

The deal also includes financing from Wachovia and Bank of America, which both provided below-market interest rates and promised to absorb any losses if corporate sponsorships and the sale of state-owned land come up short in repaying those loans.

Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president of licensing, said Charlotte won the hall of fame because of several advantages: a bid full of locked-down public money, a sparkling downtown location, support among top drivers and proximity to most race teams.

Those teams will become the center of the hall's marketing effort, an attempt to lure fans to spend several days -- and plenty of money -- in "NASCAR Valley."

"Charlotte did a great job of maximizing the inherent advantage it had, in that the industry basically (is) based here," Dyer said.

• North Carolina's central role in the sport's heritage.

• More than $100 million in up-front hotel tax revenue committed to the project.

• The hall's proposed center city location and nonprofit management structure (some of the other competitors proposed halls located near their speedways).

• Charlotte's relative youth as a major city and fast-growing downtown.

• The commitment of state and local officials that grew out of attempts to keep the annual all-star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

• Support from superstar drivers and race teams, most of which are based in the region.

• The $43 million banquet facility that can be used for induction ceremonies and other NASCAR-related events.

Monday's fast-paced action concluded more than a year of work and weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations and closed-door council meetings.

"I would have liked to have had more time and I frankly would have liked more public discussion," said council member Anthony Foxx. "But once the council majority decided how to proceed, I tried to evaluate the proposal on its merits and it had a lot of positives for the community."

McCrory and several council members reiterated Monday that the hall was an economic development competition. Early disclosure, they said, could have tipped Charlotte's hand to the other cities.

"We have operated in the open as much as we could -- and still protect the interests of the city," said Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess.

McCrory told the Observer he is confident the contract has received proper scrutiny. He cited all the partners at the negotiating table, including the city manager, city attorneys, City Council members and bank executives.

Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president for licensing, said NASCAR did not demand a Monday night vote, but agreed jointly with the city to proceed quickly. The council has no regular business meeting until March 27, and the thought of "another agonizing three weeks" was too much, Dyer said.

Two council members told the Observer that NASCAR rejected attempts to lengthen the process. They would only speak anonymously on that point, saying they wished to avoid appearing critical of NASCAR.

There will be time for public scrutiny of one key piece of the deal -- the 2 percentage point increase in the tax on hotel rooms, authorized by the state legislature last year.

On Wednesday, Mecklenburg commissioners are expected to set a March 21 public hearing on the tax increase. The tax cannot take effect until commissioners approve it.

The council's quick public nod on the hall of fame echoed the city's approval of Charlotte Bobcats Arena, when council members received final contracts just before the vote and later learned of details they didn't like.

"The arena deal was much more complicated, bigger and harder to get your arms around," said council member Don Lochman, who voted against the arena. "This is nothing like that."

He and other council members said they have known the basics of the NASCAR contract for months and had several weeks to review it and suggest changes.

Most of that basic deal was aired in public last summer, shortly after Charlotte submitted its bid to NASCAR. It has not changed substantially since then, said council member Pat Mumford.

Burgess said she established a bottom line -- that no general tax money be used for the hall of fame.

"For me, that was the beginning non-negotiable," she said.

The council met in closed session several times on the deal, reviewing it with the team of lawyers and city officials who negotiated with NASCAR. Two big issues, council members said, were protecting the city from any annual operating losses and reviewing how the hall could use images from race teams, which are not owned by NASCAR.

City Attorney Mac McCarley said Monday that the city used attorneys from two private law firms and from Bank of America to navigate the complex worlds of public-private finance, intellectual property law and sports licensing.

Because some of the bank financing is so unusual, the city created a new, private limited-liability corporation last week, with city finance director Greg Gaskins as the company's president. That private company, created solely for the hall-of-fame deal, allows Charlotte to borrow money from Bank of America and Wachovia in a way that state law does not let the city government do, city attorneys said.

Council member Michael Barnes said he would have liked more public discussion, particularly on how the cost of the hall increased from $137.5 million to $154.5 million. But Barnes, who joined the council months after the city submitted its bid, said he also recognized that public discussions could have given crucial information to Atlanta and Daytona Beach.

"At the end of the day, I realized this isn't a perfect world," he said. "And we kinda have to do the best we can with what we have."

Representatives gathered this week in an effort to collaborate on a Motorsports Agenda that can be shared throughout the Charlotte Region. The meeting was led by Winston Kelley, Duke Power VP of Government, and Business Relations and Humpy Wheeler, President and General Manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

“We are here today to take next steps in a collaborative manner to protect and promote the motorsports industry, ” said Wheeler.

Attendees included representatives from the following organizations: Bank of America, Cabarrus Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte Regional Partnership, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, JHE Production Group, Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina Motorsports Association, Roush Racing and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The group identified existing initiatives and discussed opportunities to work together to demonstrate support on many levels. The initiatives that the group will focus on include tourism and promotion, public policy, workforce development and economic development.

“We will work to ensure that we’re not duplicating any effective efforts already underway and identify areas of common interests that we can work to jointly advance, ” said Kelley. “This is our chance to get behind the sport and industry that many of us have grown up enjoying and we recognize the strong economic impact it has on our region. ”

More than 90% of NASCAR teams are located within 60 miles of the Charlotte region. More than 77% are within the Cabarrus, Iredell and Mecklenburg Counties. The motorsports industry has a statewide impact of more than $5 billion.

For more information, contact:

Winston Kelley, Duke Power, (704) 382-5783

Humpy Wheeler, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, (704) 455-3239

Jerry Saunders, Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, (704) 782-4000

Bob Morgan, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, (704) 378-1300

Scott Carlberg, Charlotte Regional Partnership, (704) 347-8942

Tim Newman, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, (704) 339-6038

Melanie O’Connell Underwood, Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce, (704) 664-6922

If that sounds like a big duh, it's more profound than you think.

Charlotte, like Atlanta, has struggled for years to determine what makes it stand out from the pack.

Yeah, it's a big banking town, but can you really sell that as a tourist attraction?

What about spotlighting the city's shopping? OK, it's pretty good, but isn't the Gap pretty much the same everywhere?

No, it's racing that makes Charlotte unique, say boosters, who for years eschewed that down-home history to tout the city as a center of modern commerce.

Today, they are counting on the planned NASCAR hall of fame --- recently snared from rivals Atlanta and Daytona Beach, Fla. --- to drive that message home.

"When people ask, 'So what do you do in Charlotte?' the hall of fame will help us answer that question," said Tim Newman, chief executive officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

Being able to answer that question is good for business.

Hospitality is Charlotte's second-largest industry at $3 billion annually, and having a destination-worthy attraction probably would mean more tourist dollars.

Plus, it could help define the city for visitors, who locals say constantly confuse it with other "C" cities like Charleston, S.C., and Charlottesville, Va. That mix-up has even found its way into whimsical art in a downtown park that gives directions to all the other Charlottes in the world.

Heywood Sanders, a public administration professor at the University of Texas-San Antonio, thinks the NASCAR museum will create destination appeal for Charlotte but wonders whether it has legs. It may drive business in the first year, he said, but what happens when all those who want to see it have done so? Or what happens if interest in the sport cools, as it did with the once-hot hockey?

Sanders, who studies cities' attempts to draw conventioneers, said Charlotte is not alone in this predicament. Like an amusement park, cities across the country are constantly trying to reinvent themselves to keep people coming back.

"It is a continuing quest," Sanders said. "When one public project fails to work, it generates another and then another."

Otis White, president of the Atlanta-based public policy firm Civic Strategies, said the NASCAR move is smart for another reason: US Airways, the major player at the city's airport, is struggling and any help Charlotte can give it keeps the airline there.

"They desperately need to build more business to hold onto that hub," said White, whose firm does research for cities throughout the country.

The NASCAR win also comes at a time when Charlotte is on a roll, Newman said.

The downtown area where the hall will be built --- known both as Uptown and Center City --- is booming. Gleaming office towers are being joined by new hotels under construction. At least five condo high-rises are planned, which will provide more neighbors for the 10,000 people who call the Center City home.

The city also has won a white-water attraction that will both be a training facility for the U.S. Olympics team and open to visitors.

Add to that a new basketball arena for the Bobcats, new restaurants along Uptown's tree-lined boulevards and a burgeoning arts community, and you've got a city that doesn't roll up at 5 p.m. as it used to.

"Ten years ago I'm not sure a family would drive downtown and have much to do," said Rob Odum, a spokesman for Children's Theatre of Charlotte, which recently moved its offices to the new ImaginOn complex in Center City. "Today they have lots of options."

NASCAR shyness gone

You wouldn't know it from the all-out battle Charlotte waged for the NASCAR hall, but there was a time when its leaders were not exactly keen on capitalizing on the sport.

But two years ago, hospitality officials visited Nashville and changed their thinking. The Charlotte leaders, who visit a competing city once a year, were impressed at how the Tennessee capital embraced its image as the center of country music and how that translated into business benefits.

"That was a wake-up call for a lot of people," Newman said.

It may have taken city leaders awhile to get it, but not fans, tourists or conventioneers, said Scott Cooper, a spokesman for Lowe's Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR's main racetracks. The speedway had about 1.2 million visitors last year, and the many racing teams that call Charlotte home --- from Jeff Gordon's to Jimmie Johnson's --- have attracted hundreds of thousands more.

In fact, Lowe's is so popular, it has become a must-visit site for convention and trade-show groups looking for a little excitement in much the same way the Georgia Aquarium has become a draw for convention-goers here.

Lowe's visitors are taken for rides around the track at 160 mph, try their pit crew skills in simulated races and, of course, get to watch the competition if a race is being held.

"This [NASCAR racing] is a $5 billion industry for North Carolina," Cooper said.

That financial power should make the hall of fame perform better than other museum attractions like the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, said Tim Calkins, a branding expert and marketing professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

"It's not going to transform the city," he said. "One attraction doesn't make a city appealing. But it certainly helps, though, because it is something that is different and unique."

Even those not intimately involved in promoting the city know NASCAR is where it's at in Charlotte.

Toni Freeman, director of project research for the nonprofit Duke Endowment, said the sport has put the city on the map.

"The NASCAR hall of fame just recognizes Charlotteans' contributions to the industry," she said. "I can't imagine they would have put it somewhere else."

Bank chief overhauled city

Charlotte, named for Queen Charlotte, the German-born wife of King George III, was a gold rush town in its early years, which gave way to manufacturing and agriculture, which evolved into banking.

The bankers helped foster Charlotte's recent interest in reviving its downtown. In the early 1990s, NationsBank leader Hugh McColl helped bring the arts downtown, and planted the idea for broad boulevards lined with high-rise residences as well as offices.

His vision is coming to pass, but at a cost. The city has been criticized for leveling so many buildings so fast that downtown lost a feel of history.

"We are probably guilty in tearing down too much of the old to get to the new," said Charlotte Chamber of Commerce President Bob Morgan.

City leaders also have moved faster than was warranted in other ways: A retail project called Cityfair failed in the '90s because there were not enough people living downtown, the CRVA's Newman said.

"Retail follows rooftops," Newman said.

Still, the city continues to take risks to remain forward-thinking, Morgan said. Charlotte is building a light rail system to address future traffic volume before it has the kind of woes that are plaguing Atlanta. The business community operates a free trolley system that takes visitors around Center City.

And a huge bus terminal with shops and restaurants was built to direct the city's transportation away from its main downtown streets. That has helped Charlotte earn a reputation as a walkable city, industry experts said.

Tim Ray, visiting the science center Discovery Place with his 8-year-old daughter, Tabitha, recently, said Charlotte has made strides in making itself a destination.

"There are so many things for families to do here," Ray, the owner of a Chick-fil-A franchise in Hickory, N.C., said among the clatter of hundreds of children. "The experience here is great."

But there is more to be done, Newman said. On his wish list is a minor league baseball stadium and a large city park.

Charlotte has to close down its major Center City thoroughfares to have the kind of big events held at Atlanta's Piedmont Park.

Jamie Banks, a spokeswoman for the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, said she sees Charlotte's potential and how rapidly it is meeting it.

"We are an infant," she said, "but we're growing up."

FAST FACTS
Atlanta
Number of people living downtown: 25,000
Metro area: 4.7 million
Convention center: Georgia World Congress Center, 1.3 million square feet of exhibit space
Downtown attractions: Georgia Aquarium, World of Coke (new building in 2007), Inside CNN, Imagine It (the children's museum of Atlanta)
Sports venues: Philips Arena, Georgia Dome, Turner Field, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Source: Central Atlanta Progress, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
---
Charlotte
Number of people living downtown: 10,000
Metro area: 1.5 million
Convention center: Charlotte Convention Center, 280,000 square feet of exhibit space
Downtown attractions: NASCAR hall of fame (2009 or 2010), Discovery Place, Levine Museum of the New South, ImaginOn, North Carolina Blumental Performing Arts Center
Sports venues: Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Bank of America Stadium, Lowe's Motor Speedway
Source: Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority

The NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge is the only event of its kind officially sanctioned by NASCAR, and pits the nation’s favorite over-the-wall athletes against each other in seven head-to-head skills contests designed to showcase the talents of NASCAR’s top crew members.

Tickets for the NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman go on sale Monday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m. Seating is general admission and ticket prices are $10.00 (plus applicable convenience fee). Tickets will be available online at CharlotteBobcatsArena.com, or by calling 1-800-495-2295. Tickets also can be purchased in person at Charlotte Bobcats Arena box office and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center ticket outlet.

Participating NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge teams will hold open practice sessions at Cabarrus Arena and Events Center in May. The practices, which are open and free to the public, will take place Monday, May 8 from 2 - 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 10 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Charlotte Bobcats Arena, located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, opened in fall 2005 and is home to the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, WNBA’s Charlotte Sting, and ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers. The state-of-the-art arena will host more than 125 events a year including sports, concerts and family entertainment. Charlotte Bobcats Arena also provides Print and Park, an online, advance purchase parking program where arena guests are able to purchase parking up to 48 hours in advance of the scheduled event time in lots that are a 5, 10 or 15 minute walk from the arena. Guests can access Print and Park up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled event time by visiting CharlotteBobcatsArena.com.

CONTACT: Jamie Banks, Charlotte Bobcats Arena, (704) 688-8789 (o); (704) 258-3901(c); jbanks@BobcatsSE.com.

France, who has flirted with the notion of relocating the Nextel All-Star Challenge in recent years, said reinvigorated corporate and community support for the race has put it on more solid ground. The all-star race has attracted crowds of 120,000 to 140,000 in recent years. This year's race is May 20.

"I think the all-star race has done very, very well here," France said during the speech in front of more than 1,000 civic and business leaders gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center. "Historically, big events tend not to move around much unless they're not working well. (Charlotte civic leaders) have started to rally around the (motorsports) industry and the all-star race. Community leaders have sorted (an earlier lack of attention) out."

The NASCAR chairman also said the uncertainty of moving events around on the schedule is a "bad business model" because it discourages track operators from investing in their events and venues. A recent higher profile for the all-star race and related events has made France more bullish on having it in Charlotte: "I hope we'll be able to keep it here."

Even France's endorsement included a bit of wiggle room. He reiterated his stance that every race is subject to re-evaluation on a yearly basis. Still, the positive comments on the all-star race in Charlotte represent France's strongest public backing of keeping it in place.

Retaining the all-star event is crucial -- for the speedway and for the local tourism sector. The race generates $94 million in economic impact, according to speedway-funded research.

"It takes a lot of energy to keep (the all-star race) here," says Humpy Wheeler, president at Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns and operates Lowe's Motor Speedway. "It's so important for the (following week's) Coca-Cola 600 to have it here and it helps build momentum."

Corporate and political leaders began rallying around the all-star race when NASCAR officials began discussing a possible relocation of the event in 2004. Since then, a local organizing committee has been formed with state and local government agencies contributing money to create ancillary events tied to the race.

This year, for example, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Train will perform at the track and a pit-crew skills competition will be staged at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The events are being staged by lead NASCAR series sponsor Sprint Nextel and the local organizing committee.

Sprint Nextel spends $1 million to $2 million annually on all-star activities, industry experts estimate. The local organizing committee carries an annual $545,000 budget, with $250,000 contributed by the state and $295,000 from various local and regional governmental agencies.

Beyond the all-star race, France discussed a number of crucial issues in NASCAR, including the $107.5 million NASCAR Hall of Fame opening in Charlotte in 2009; a new TV deal with ESPN beginning next year; safety and competition improvements anticipated by a more streamlined race-car prototype and a continued emphasis on increasing diversity throughout the sport.

"(Diversity) is a significant issue for us to tackle correctly," he said. "We know we're America's sport and we have to be more reflective of America as we go forward."

Contact media and sports business reporter Erik Spanberg at espanberg@bizjournals.com or (704) 973-1116.

A recent study headed by John Connaughton, economics professor at UNC Charlotte, shows the value of goods and services produced by the industry is growing at 5.85% per year compared with a recent growth in the state economy of 3.4%.

Despite impressive recent growth, there doesn't appear to be any signs of a bubble when it comes to the impact of motorsports on the state's economy.

A recent study headed by John Connaughton, economics professor at UNC Charlotte, shows the value of goods and services produced by the industry is growing at 5.85% per year compared with a recent growth in the state economy of 3.4%.

That annual pace is expected to hold steady between 5% and 6% over the next five years, generating annual employment growth of 3% to 4% into the future, he estimates.

The study estimated motorsports' impact on the N.C. economy last year at $5.9 billion, with the industry employing 27,252. A 2003 study put the economic impact at $5.1 billion and employment at 24,000.

"There's so much in the way of new things that are going on that are basically going to generate that kind of growth," Connaughton says. New network television contracts that begin next year, as well as NASCAR's hopes of moving into new markets such as New York City and the Pacific Northwest, will help fuel the growth. He also cites growing diversity efforts that could increase the size of the fan base. "All these things are going to lead to bigger TV contracts and bigger advertising and sponsorship numbers."

While the funds from television contracts are split between NASCAR, tracks and teams, bigger contracts lead to more money for teams based in the state. That allows them to boost payrolls, which are already healthy. The study finds the direct compensation per job in the industry is $72,337 annually, roughly double the state's average salary.

Toyota is making the move to Nextel Cup and Busch Series competition next year and that should have a positive impact on the state, according to Connaughton.

"They're not coming in to be an also-ran. As a result, they will add another vehicle or several that will be competitive," he says. "Ultimately, it will change the level of sponsorship (needed) to be competitive. And that brings more money (to teams) and more people will be hired to get an edge."

Last month's announcement that the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be built in Charlotte won't by itself have a major impact on the state's economy, Connaughton believes, but he says it will be a factor in future growth.

"On the scale of a $4.5 billion local industry, $60 million in impact is not enormous," he says, referring to the effect of spending by hall visitors. "However, as a colleague of mine said, 'It's kind of the cherry on top of the sundae,'" Connaughton says.

"What it says is that NASCAR, the sanctioning organization, is invested in Charlotte. So the level of activity that NASCAR has in Charlotte already is likely going to increase as a result of that. That's a very important signal in terms of defining Charlotte as the center of the NASCAR business."

Geoff Smith, president of Roush Racing, which fields teams in each of NASCAR's top three series, isn't surprised by the amount of growth, and believes the industry is poised for expansion as suppliers and other ancillary businesses move into the area.

There are manpower shortages in certain areas, such as machinists, that could lead to employment growth, Smith adds.

"The people that are in the sport now all have capabilities of contributing to a broader economic expansion in North Carolina that is based in part on having this type of skilled-labor pool in the area," Smith says.

But with only 43 starting spots available in a race, Smith says there's a limit to the number of teams that will compete.

Connaughton's economic-impact study was part of a broader effort to analyze steps the state could take to protect the industry. Originally commissioned to determine the need for a state-funded testing facility, it determined that such facilities are best left to the private sector.

But it suggested other ways to help motorsports retain its stronghold in the Piedmont.

Part of the motivation for greater public involvement stems from the perceived threat of other regions that would like to attract industry participants.

Connaughton says it's no secret that Indianapolis would love to lure a top Nextel Cup team to a region dominated by open-wheel race teams. To keep that from happening, he says the state "simply needs to keep its eye on the ball (and) recognize that this is an important industry with quality jobs. It's a growth industry. And make sure their economic-incentives package is competitive with those states that are trying to lure Cup teams away."

Smith says his operation located in North Carolina due largely to a labor pool that's familiar with the business, as well as the fact that the area works well logistically for races in the Southeast. But with the sport's expansion to tracks in the West, other locations could prove viable. Smith is glad North Carolina officials are considering economic relief to the help keep the industry entrenched. An exemption is already in place for the North Carolina tax on jet fuel, which provides some relief for constantly traveling team members.

The industry would like to see the state copy Indiana in exempting car parts from the sales tax.

The state study doesn't offer many concrete steps for retaining the industry. One recommendation is to better publicize university programs that train students for motorsports.

"Race teams have become so technologically advanced and engineering-driven that primary advances in performance come not from parts and systems so much as from the engineering thinking and skilled craftsmanship of the work force that precedes them," the study states.

Its researchers found pressing need for trained fabricators, assemblers, mechanics and machinists. "Team management, marketing, logistics and track management are additional disciplines in demand," the study says.

The study doesn't include recommendations for additional economic incentives for motorsports. "North Carolina has competitive economic incentives today, although the playing field is changing. This is an area that should be watched closely and steps taken if necessary," the study concludes.

Mark Ashenfelter is an associate editor at NASCAR Scene magazine and can be reached at (704) 973-1320 or mashenfelter@streetandsmiths.com.

The commitment to the facility totals $154.5 million, with much of the cost to be covered by a hike in lodging taxes.

That commitment would have been unthinkable in the early days of the sport, when the relationship between the city, business leaders and motorsports wasn't so cozy.

When the track now known as Lowe's Motor Speedway opened in 1960, auto racing was barely a blip on the radar of local officials. Charlotte Motor Speedway, in fact, fell into bankruptcy in 1961, and attendance at the track waned.

For the first two decades of the track's existence, it held a "very distant relationship" with local business and public officials, says veteran motorsports marketing executive Max Muhleman.

"It was not accepted nearly as widely as a sport, particularly not accepted as a big-league sport," recalls Muhleman.

But in the last 20 years, a variety of factors have changed the attitude of local leaders toward the sport.

Foremost is the growth of racing itself. Where NASCAR once was considered a Southern pursuit shown sparingly on television, it has become well-established on the national sports scene, with every race carried on national broadcasts.

"A similar thing happened in Nashville when country music was called mountain music or hillbilly music," says Humpy Wheeler, Lowe's Motor Speedway president and general manager. "When money started flowing in and NASCAR's popularity grew, more and more people in leadership started embracing it."

Muhleman says a key point in the city's acceptance of motorsports occurred when attendance at Lowe's reached 100,000, which occurred in the early 1990s.

"A hundred thousand is kind of a magic number, and it clearly jolted a lot of the community into the recognition that, 'Hey, this is something special, this NASCAR thing,'" he says.

In 2001, NASCAR inked a television contract worth an estimated $2.8 billion over six years. Almost immediately, TV ratings rose. Ratings for the 2001 Daytona 500 increased by 20% over the prior year's race. NASCAR soon became the No. 2 sport on television, trailing only the National Football League.

The acceptance of the sport faced a critical test when Nextel succeeded R.J. Reynolds as sponsor of NASCAR's top series in 2004. The change in sponsor was announced the previous year, and rumors surfaced that NASCAR's all-star race would move from Lowe's Motor Speedway to another track.

But the public sector responded with more than $500,000 in subsidies for the race.

"The corporate community started to get involved more heavily with the efforts around the Nextel All-Star Challenge," says Tim Newman, chief executive at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. "Over the last three or four years, those efforts have grown. That really set the stage, in my mind, for our ability to pull together a successful team to go after the NASCAR Hall of Fame bid."

The threat of losing the race became real. Lowe's hosted two NASCAR Nextel Cup races, and the all-star race was a third major event.

The city had already lost a major sports franchise when the NBA's Hornets left for New Orleans in 2002, and replacing them with another franchise was an expensive proposition.

"Any time you are trying to grow your destination appeal, you want to keep the things you have and grow them in addition to trying to bring new things in," Newman says. "If you lose something, it's awfully hard to get it back. I was interested in keeping the All-Star Challenge because of the great event that it is. And in that very same vein, with the schedule of Nextel Cup racing, for the Hall of Fame to be in another location, that would be easy for some of the race teams to look at the center of gravity moving away from Charlotte. We would not want to see that happen."

Fortunately for Charlotte, the all-star race has remained, and the hall of fame landed here, too. The hall of fame effort was won by a coalition of bankers, public officials and the hospitality industry, which supported an increase in the local room occupancy tax to 8% from 6%. The tax is projected to provide $120 million in funding for the complex.

Wachovia Corp. and Bank of America Corp. helped win the hall by offering to lend $41.5 million for land, construction and other expenses at 4%, well below the 7.5% prime rate. Representatives from the rival banks joined forces to craft the financing plan.

It's readily apparent why motorsports would attract such support. Local economic impact estimates for having the hall of fame here range from $60 million to $100 million annually.

With its numerous race teams and ancillary businesses, motorsports had grown to a $5.9 billion industry in North Carolina in 2005, according to an economic-impact study conducted by UNC Charlotte economics professors John Connaughton and Ronald Madsen.

"We'd lost a lot of our traditional industry -- textiles, tobacco, furniture," Wheeler says. "We need to help everybody that's left to expand and take up the slack here. They've really, really come forth in a strong way."

The recognition of motorsports converged with Charlotte's successful bid for the hall of fame. Will it continue? Newman expects the hall to anchor efforts to attract tourists. Plus, city leaders will need to work to keep the Nextel All-Star Challenge.

"The long and short of it, now with Nextel and Sprint coming together and Sprint having a lot of new people who will be seeing the All-Star Challenge for the first time, we want to continue to tell them how important it is to us and continue to tell NASCAR how important it is to us," Newman says. "We want that event to stay here in Charlotte, where we think it makes the most sense for NASCAR and for the industry."

Muhleman says the city has done "an outstanding job" promoting motorsports.

"There's no other sizeable city in the country you could compare what Charlotte's doing, other than Indianapolis," Muhleman says. "It's time to recognize that we're doing a lot. The Charlotte community is doing well and is very much at the high end of the ladder in terms of appreciating its NASCAR and its racing.

"Can they do more? I'm sure Humpy can give you a better answer to that than anyone. From the point of view of where I am -- doing business in sports all over the country -- I'm pretty impressed with what we're doing."

Wheeler has been impressed, too, even though he believes the area can do more.

"They need to continue to stay behind the all-star race," Wheeler says. "That should be another reason to push for the completion of Interstate 485. There are a lot of things like that that not only affect us but affect the citizens of Mecklenburg County. But right now, I'm satisfied with the way they've reached out."

Lee Montgomery is a staff writer and associate editor at NASCAR Scene who can be reached at (704) 973-1311 or lmontgomery@bizjournals.com.

“This is a crucial appointment for us as we head into the design and creative process for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, ” said Tim Newman, CEO of the CRVA and one of the main drivers of the huge economic attraction coming to the Charlotte area. “Not only are the skills and management background important, but this person will need to be experienced and knowledgeable in several areas including overall NASCAR operations and events, executive level and/or facility management and also understand the complexity of sales and marketing ”, added Newman. “To say the least, we don’t expect too many resumes that fit all the requirements of this position, and we’re looking forward to a thorough and successful process. ”

The CRVA is responsible for the overall management and operation of the new Hall of Fame that has an opening timeframe of late 2009 or early 2010. Together with the City of Charlotte and NASCAR, the marketing of the new Hall has already begun with a groundbreaking expected as early as spring of 2007.

Deadline to apply is Tuesday, May 16, 2006. Interviews will be conducted during the week of May 22, 2006. Forward resume (with salary requirements) to: HR Representative, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), 501 South College Street, Charlotte, NC 28202; or fax (704) 339-6035 or email to hr@crva.com. The full job description and application for employment can be found on http://www.crva.com/hr.aspx.

The mission of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority is to effectively market and promote the region as a successful travel and tourism destination, and to efficiently and prudently manage publicly owned physical and financial assets, resulting in maximum sustainable economic impact and the finest quality of life. Accomplishing this mission requires developing short and long-term integrated strategies for marketing and sales, asset utilization, regional stakeholder coordination and customer satisfaction, as well as appropriate performance measures.

CONTACT: Molly Hedrick, Senior Director of Communications, CRVA, molly.hedrick@crva.com.

National Tourism Day, scheduled for May 19th, will involve events at the North Carolina Welcome Center I-77 north and Main Street at Visit Charlotte (331 S. Tryon Street).

The day will kick off at the Welcome Center with a Pit Stop for travelers from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. They will be greeted with area food samples, giveaways and visitor information on the Charlotte region from participating attractions and accommodations.

Locally, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. that day, the Visitor’s Information Center (331 S. Tryon St.) will hand out survival tote bags that are filled with fun places to go, things to see and plenty to do. Visitors and residents will have chances to win tickets to area attractions or Charlotte “gear ” from the Main Street at Visit Charlotte gift shop.

Special guests and exhibits include Nickelodeon character favorites from Paramount’s Carowinds, the new U.S. National Whitewater Center and LUGNUT, the official mascot of Lowe’s Motor Speedway. For the kids, there will be racing-themed coloring tables and racing-related appearances and events are also planned.

Visit Charlotte will also travel to Raleigh on May 16 to participate in their ‘Tourism Day Extravaganza’ by presenting Charlotte’s regional attractions and visitor opportunities.

“See America Week ” was established by Congress in the early 1980’s to celebrate the tourism industry’s contribution to the US socially, culturally, and economically. Travel and tourism is a $950 billion industry in the United States. The travel dollar creates about 7.2 million direct travel-generated jobs and generates $95 billion in tax revenue for local, state, and federal governments. Tax dollars generated by travel fund vital educational programs; build roads, hospitals, and schools; and support social and community projects.

Visit Charlotte, a division of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, has promoted the Charlotte region for over20years as a destination for tourists, a host city for meetings and conventions and a site for sporting events.employs a staff of approximately 40 that includes satellite sales offices in Chicago and Washington, DC.

For more information regarding Visit Charlotte, visit www.visitcharlotte.com.

CONTACT: Delilah Counts, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, delilah.counts@crva.com.

• Trackside at The Nextel Experience
• Participating Nextel retail locations
• The Nextel Racing Experience Events
• Online at www.nextel.com/allstar
• Through their Nextel phones by texting "STAR" to 7827

Fans are also encouraged to visit www.nascar.com

CONTACT: Molly Hedrick, CRVA, 704-339-6120; molly.hedrick@crva.com.

Also announced at Thursday's press conference was the addition of Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) as the Hall's exhibit designer.

Kelley is vice president of economic and business development for Duke Energy Carolinas. Kelley joined Duke Energy in 1979, and after a series of promotions he was named vice president of business and community relations in 2002. Kelley, who was named to his current position in April 2006, has an extensive NASCAR background as he has served as a race reporter for MRN Radio since the late 1980s. In addition to a lengthy radio career, Kelley's NASCAR background includes several years as a race statistician and public address announcer at Bristol Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway.

"With Winston Kelley, the NASCAR Hall of Fame has a recognized NASCAR personality who has industry contacts that would take a NASCAR novice years to develop," said Tim Newman, CEO of the CRVA. "In addition, his outstanding reputation as a manager at Duke Energy makes him a great fit for this position."

Kelley, who graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina State University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in business management and economics, is active in numerous community and civic organizations and serves in several leadership roles. He currently serves on the Charlotte Regional Partnership Executive Governing Committee and board of directors, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Charlotte Center City Partners Executive Committee and board of directors and the 600 Festival Executive Committee and board of directors.

"Everyone in the NASCAR community knows Winston has 20-plus years of experience in the sport, but he also has more than 25 years of business and management experience," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president of licensing and consumer products. "Winston has tremendous credibility and an abundance of contacts in the Charlotte region's business community. When you add all that to his love for the sport, he's the perfect choice to lead our NASCAR Hall of Fame."

The NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will be a state of the art facility capturing the spirit of the sport, will honor NASCAR icons and create an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others who have impacted the sport in the past, present and yet to come. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will be built in downtown Charlotte, is expected to include exhibit space, a Great Hall, a Hall of Honor, interactive entertainment restaurants, retail outlets and a state-of-the-art media center for the industry.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will be a special place that brings NASCAR's history to life and preserves that history in the appropriate environments. The new facility will allow longtime fans to have the opportunity to relive NASCAR's greatest moments and for new fans to learn about them. Design work will continue through 2006, with ground breaking ceremonies scheduled for spring 2007. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is expected to open as early as fall 2009.

RAA, a museum design firm with a large portfolio that includes such projects as the National Constitution Center and the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, will be instrumental in the design and development of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

"As one of the world's premier exhibit designers for museums and entertainment attractions, Ralph Appelbaum Associates will make a great addition to our team as we seek to make the NASCAR Hall of Fame the finest sports hall of fame attraction in the world," Newman said. "This firm is truly world-class, as is our lead architect Pei, Cobb, Freed & Partners. Together, they will do a great job in designing a great hall of fame experience."

Reported by NASCAR.com

Now that the hall of fame is in the planning stages for a 2009 opening, leaders across the region, including Cabarrus County, have just one question: What can Charlotte do for me?

It's a question politicians, tourism executives and racing officials believe can be answered with resounding success stories. Having the hall of fame in uptown Charlotte and much of the motorsports industry based in Cabarrus and Iredell counties allows for collaboration aimed at bringing NASCAR fans to both locations.

"I think the counties are committed to working together and developing plans to build tourism in this region," says Humpy Wheeler, president at Concord-based Speedway Motorsports Inc., whose holdings include Lowe's Motor Speedway. "The trick is finding an interesting and effective way to market this thing."

Wheeler says one strategy being discussed is targeting out-of-state fans who buy many of the tickets for NASCAR races at the speedway. These include residents of Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio.

Wheeler also believes fans in New England, far removed from the sport's inner workings, would have strong interest in vacation packages encompassing the hall of fame and race-team operations.

Racing already accounts for many of the area's top tourism draws. Hendrick Motorsports, which straddles the Cabarrus-Mecklenburg county line, attracts 165,000 visitors annually to its racing museum, while Roush Racing, near Concord Regional Airport, brings in 100,000 fans each year. The speedway brings in 1.25 million guests and Dale Earnhardt Inc., in nearby Mooresville, hosts 230,000 fans annually.

The mission now is to build on that foundation using the appeal of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

"The hall of fame creates the energy," says John Cox, chief executive at the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce. "Then you want to make sure you get them out into the region to see the infrastructure of the sport."

Tying the hall to Cabarrus will be a focus for chamber and economic-development officials, as well as race shops, the speedway, hotels and restaurants. The Cabarrus Convention & Visitors Bureau has moved aggressively to take advantage of its motorsports ties in recent years by creating package tours for vacationers.

The packages include "Race Country Pit Pass," which offers three-day trips to Cabarrus County starting at $399 for a family of four. The package bundles a number of attractions, offering discounts at team race shops, track tours, coupons and food vouchers at Concord Mills and optional upgrades to participate in the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

A smaller initiative, dubbed "The Dale Trail," was created by the Cabarrus CVB to steer Dale Earnhardt fans to his favorites haunts while growing up in Kannapolis.

'On the same page'

"All of these things tie back to us needing to fill up hotel rooms and restaurants," Cox says. "If we do well, Charlotte does well and when Charlotte does well, so do we. Everybody is on the same page."

For now, definitive plans have not been hammered out, though the major players are in constant discussion about marketing the region as a motorsports destination. The effort also includes state tourism officials.

From the beginning, hall of fame backers pledged cooperation across the region. Much of the case made to NASCAR for locating the $107.5 million hall of fame in Charlotte centered on the close proximity to race shops, the speedway and related attractions.

Tim Newman, chief executive at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which managed the bidding process and will oversee the hall of fame, says regional cooperation was paramount to landing the facility and will be equally important in attracting visitors.

He points to earlier collaboration on the Nextel All-Star Challenge as a signal of willingness to work together. That effort, launched in 2004, includes state and local funding sources, including Charlotte and Cabarrus County. The local organizing committee carries an annual $545,000 budget, with $250,000 contributed by the state and $295,000 from local governments.

Doug Stafford, who held tourism and speedway posts and now runs two hotels near the race track, says Cabarrus stands to reap significant tourism rewards when the hall of fame opens.

"We have so many teams based here, from Hendrick and Roush to (Chip) Ganassi (Racing), we have the speedway -- there is no question you would want to come here to immerse yourself in the sport and the culture," he says. "I think you have to be smart about it. You offer packages, you look at marketing (online) and you go after the race fans, the people who are most inclined to come and see these things."

Much like Wheeler, Stafford says the Ohio Valley and New England, as well as the Midwest, could be fertile marketing grounds for attracting visitors.

"Everybody thinks all the racing fans are in the Southeast," Stafford says. "They're not."

Getting the word out

Newman envisions a heavy mix of online- and print-based promotion that would tout the region's assets. In addition, a touring NASCAR Hall of Fame exhibit will debut at Nextel Cup races in 2008.

The CRVA's advertising agency, Boone/Oakley, is responsible for creating an awareness campaign promoting the hall and the region's role as NASCAR's de facto headquarters.

Last summer, as Newman's group pursued the hall, Mayor Pat McCrory and other boosters began touting the region as "NASCAR Valley."

That slogan is under review after NASCAR officials expressed concerns over making the sport's brand name a generic term available for widespread (and potentially unauthorized) use. Still, Newman and other leaders hope to reach a compromise on branding the region as a racing mecca.

Senior Staff Writer Erik Spanberg can be reached at (704) 973-1116 or espanberg@bizjournals.com.

Szeto (pronounced "Zee-toe") joined Pei, Cobb in 1977 after graduating from Harvard design.

When local bidders for the $107.5 million NASCAR Hall of Fame enlisted Pei, Cobb last year, Szeto took on the role of project manager. Her initiation included attending a stock-car race for the first time -- in spring 2005 in Talladega, Ala. -- and visiting NASCAR team shops around Charlotte.

Earlier this year, NASCAR awarded the project to Charlotte with an anticipated 2009 opening. The rapid turnaround means Szeto is already immersed in tweaking the original renderings, adapting her original artistic vision to meet construction (and budget) realities. That vision began with Szeto trip to the Talladega race last year with Charlotte officials. From there, Szeto and her colleagues built on a theme of speed and spectacle.

The veteran architect, whose previous projects include a role remaking the Louvre in Paris, recently discussed Pei, Cobb's vision for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, as well as the challenges of delivering a signature design for uptown Charlotte. Following are excerpts, edited for length and clarity:

What aspects of the design convey speed and spectacle to you?

I think most clearly is the imagery of enveloping the building with the silver ribbon, and the silver ribbon envelopes not only the hall of fame, but also the convention center ballroom, so that the whole building acts as one composition.

It is a sloping, curving form and this sloping, curving form also twists right over the entry, sort of signifies entry.

Now that this is reality, with the project being built here, how much will the design change as you begin to work with the contractors and look more at the interior of the building?

Well, the initial vision was done without having the opportunity to speak with clients. And now we are able to speak to the city and speak to the convention center more about their ballroom, speak to NASCAR about the programming for the hall of fame, so currently we are in a programming phase -- we are speaking to all the users of this facility.

We had just imagined certain things when we did that design, but now we have to validate the numbers of square feet for each and every function.

Does that change the overall look that we've seen in the renderings? Will the heart of that still emerge in the final vision?

I think the heart of that will still be similar. There are certain things in the programming that we're interested to explore.

How the building now connects to the city. There has always been the intention to have a studio on the plaza, that was always our idea, modeled after (NBC's) Studio 1-A at Rockefeller Center.

We want to capitalize on the fact that 90% of the race shops are in Charlotte, so what is the programming for this studio? NASCAR has the idea that there might be a media center connected to the studio. And how could we capitalize on the fact that there could be very interesting things -- that drivers, team owners and crews (could) be coming (to the hall of fame) for pre-race or post-race interviews on the plaza -- things that will really make this live.

The contractor has been selected. Have you worked with this company before?

Yes, we've worked with Turner (Construction) on many projects before, and particularly, we worked with them on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. We also worked with them on the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Do you have any research left to conduct?

We have been taking some steps in visiting other halls of fame as sort of making benchmarks by visiting: baseball, basketball. Yesterday we were at the Hockey Hall of Fame, and we've also been to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It's important to do, to benchmark what this should be.

Of those you just listed, do any elements stand out that you particularly liked?

There are different aspects to each one. It's interesting how they are different. The Baseball Hall of Fame is very much designed as a cathedral to the sport.

In fact, the architecture is very much like a church, and there is a central nave and side aisles, so it's interesting to find out what the right typology is for NASCAR.

Certainly it should be reverential to the heroes of the sport, but whether it should be a cathedral is a question mark.

On the other extreme, when you go to the Basketball Hall of Fame, (it) is actually within a dome, shaped very much like a basketball. It's much more informal, and people are honored as a ring around the bottom of the dome, the heroes are honored in that way.

So we're absorbing all of this and trying to figure out, what is the right thing for NASCAR?

What do you like about this project?

For architects, I think that museums are very enjoyable, and it's different than designing an office building or a corporate headquarters. This really is a public building, and it will be speaking to the sport, and it's about the integration of telling a story about the sport.

Senior Staff Writer Erik Spanberg can be reached at (704) 973-1116 or espanberg@bizjournals.com.

The deal to bring the hall of fame to uptown gave NASCAR 180 days to tell the city and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority whether it wants to build the 300,000-square-foot office tower. That decision is expected early this month.

"It's our intention to make that work," says Scott Warfield, public relations manager for NASCAR's Charlotte division. "We're confident there's going to be something done and it's going to be a go."

Groundbreaking for the $107.5 million hall of fame is expected next spring, with an opening date of no later than March 31, 2010.

Winston Kelley, executive director of the facility, says the design work is still conceptual.

"We have talked about meeting space, about being able to host corporate meetings or motorsports events," he says. "We hope to be able to host events of varying sizes in conjunction with the convention center."

Kelley hopes race teams will be among the businesses using any hall of fame meeting space. "I think they host events at various places now. I think there would be quite a bit of interest."

Patrick Perkins, director of marketing for Hendrick Motorsports, agrees.

"We do a lot of conferences and events with sponsors, and having those facilities -- especially a place that focuses on the sport -- as a resource would be fantastic," he says.

For example, he says, the hall of fame would be ideal for the company's twice-a-year sponsorship conferences, each drawing about 70 guests.

"Historically we have it (at our headquarters) or a hotel, but I could easily see holding it at the hall of fame with the theme of the sport, the history of the sport and maybe some of the technology right there," he says.

The hall also has great potential as a hospitality site, Perkins says, hosting receptions even if business meetings are held elsewhere.

Although it's unclear what kind of meeting space the hall will contain, the city plans to build a ballroom that would connect the Charlotte Convention Center with the facility. The city will build and own the new ballroom and the hall, which the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority will operate.

The new facilities will be on the block bounded by Stonewall, Brevard, Caldwell and Second streets, directly east of the convention center.

The convention center ballroom is about 35,000 square feet and has a seating capacity of about 2,000.

"That's an important number for a lot of conventions," knocking Charlotte out of contention for large gatherings that need to seat up to 3,000 attendees, says Tim Newman, chief executive of the visitors authority, which also operates the convention center.

The new ballroom could be about half-again as large, or around 55,000 square feet. The details are in flux.

"It depends on how much space the office tower takes up," Newman says. "If they do build it, it affects things one way. If they don't, it affects it another."

He declines to describe either scenario in detail, but says the ballroom would seat at least 2,500. Tying the ballroom into the hall of fame's non-exhibit area also allows the convention center to handle bigger crowds, he says.

"We have two major national conventions looking at Charlotte for 2010 only because the hall of fame is coming to Charlotte," he says.

Although the additional meeting and ballroom space is important, the hall is the real draw, Newman says.

"If we were just building a new ballroom, it would not be as enticing to folks," he says. "The last thing a market needs to do is add more space just to add new space."

The hall is being designed by New York architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. The project manager, Yvonne Szeto, says the silver, swooping "ribbon" along the outside of the hall will also wrap around the new ballroom, uniting the two facilities.

Julie Bird is a Belmont-based free-lance writer who can be reached at hedline@carolina.rr.com.

Who? Sponsored by the City of Charlotte, CRVA/NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR
- Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will lead the forum
- Ralph Applebaum of Ralph Applebaum and Associates (RAA), exhibit designers and Yvonne Szeto of Pei, Cobb & Freed, design architects, will provide overviews of their work to date

When? Tuesday, December 5, 2006
6:30pm - 8:30pm

Where? Charlotte Convention Center
501 S. College Street
Room 217

Parking? FREE parking is available in the Brevard Parking Lot on the corner of Stonewall and Brevard Streets. Gates will be open after 5:00pm. For additional parking information and directions, see details below.

RSVP’s are welcomed by calling (704) 331-2729 or e-mailing the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority at lee.gaddis@crva.com.

Media Contact Information:
Scott Warfield
NASCAR Inc.
swarfield@nascar.com

Julie Hill
City of Charlotte
jehill@ci.charlotte.nc.us

Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
molly.hedrick@crva.com

CHARLOTTE CONVENTION CENTER AREA PARKING
Where is parking available?
· Just for the Public Forum on December 5, free parking is available in the Brevard Parking Lot on the corner of Stonewall and Brevard Streets. Gates will be open after 5:00pm.
· Parking is also available at prevailing rates in parking lots and towers surrounding the Charlotte Convention Center.
· The Westin Charlotte hotel offers more than 1,600 spaces, conveniently located adjacent to the Charlotte Convention Center.
· Additionally, metered parking is available along many of the main streets in Center City. The majority of parking garages allow free parking after 5:00 pm.
· For additional information, visit http://www.charlotteconventionctr.com/directions.asp

The council unanimously approved NASCAR's 99-year lease of the site, at Stonewall and Caldwell streets uptown. It also approved other agreements with NASCAR, tower developer Lauth Property Group of Charlotte and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which would operate a parking deck there.

City and tourism officials consider the tower a complement to the $154.5 million hall of fame, scheduled to open in late 2009.

They believe the tower will generate about $1.2 million per year in combined city and Mecklenburg County property taxes and help spur other development in the Second Ward area of uptown, said Assistant City Manager Ron Kimble. City leaders also like the parking deck, which will include up to 1,060 spaces that the public can use along with visitors to the hall and the Convention Center, Kimble said.

glacour@charlotteobserver.com

MRN Radio works closely with NASCAR, though it isn't directly affiliated with the organization. It's considering leaving NASCAR's home city in Florida to be closer to drivers and teams, the majority of which are located in the Charlotte area.

The likelihood of a presence up there (in Charlotte) is strong, said MRN Radio President David Hyatt. To put it quite simply, while the headquarters are in Daytona, the hub is in Charlotte.

Hyatt said the network is studying whether it will move all or part of its network to Charlotte. MRN Radio has 40 employees and 25 other contract personnel.

MRN Radio also produces racing-related talk shows, news shows and other programming. It would be easier to create some of that programming with local staff.

Hyatt said it's possible the network could eventually move into the 19-story office tower that's being built next to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte. But MRN Radio might also just establish a small satellite office here.

MRN Radio broadcasts NASCAR races at most tracks, though Performance Radio Network broadcasts races that take place at tracks owned by Concord-based Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns Lowe's Motor Speedway.

MRN Radio is a subsidiary of Daytona Beach-based International Speedway Corp, controlled by NASCAR's founding France family.

Steve Harrison 704-358-5160

Construction of the 19-story NASCAR Plaza office tower is to start by March and will be completed in early 2009, pending final approval by NASCAR.

Lauth Property Group, owner/developer, plans a 390,000-square-foot building to be integrated into the adjoining NASCAR Hall of Fame, across Caldwell Street from the Charlotte Convention Center.

The project will include a 1,000-space parking deck serving the three facilities and connect to the convention center via a skybridge.

NASCAR will lease about 110,000 square feet, including a TV production studio. The remainder will be speculative space.

Flint McNaughton, Lauth's Southeast regional partner, said the Class A space is available to any user, but he thinks it will appeal especially to motorsports businesses, luring nontraditional tenants to the urban core.

The $100 million project is to be finished almost a year ahead of the hall of fame.

McNaughton said NASCAR was looking for office park space when he showed Chairman Brian France the proposed hall of fame site uptown.

After seeing it, France switched gears and decided the office building should go there, too, McNaughton said.

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners did the conceptual design, and LS3P Associates Ltd. is the project architect.

Turner, Thompson, Davis and Lauth Construction will handle general contracting.

Doug Smith 704-358-5174; dougsmith@charlotteobserver.com

Construction of the 19-story NASCAR Plaza office tower is to start by March and will be completed in early 2009, pending final approval by NASCAR.

Lauth Property Group, owner/developer, plans a 390,000-square-foot building to be integrated into the adjoining NASCAR Hall of Fame, across Caldwell Street from the Charlotte Convention Center.

The project will include a 1,000-space parking deck serving the three facilities and connect to the convention center via a skybridge.

NASCAR will lease about 110,000 square feet, including a TV production studio. The remainder will be speculative space.

Flint McNaughton, Lauth's Southeast regional partner, said the Class A space is available to any user, but he thinks it will appeal especially to motorsports businesses, luring nontraditional tenants to the urban core.

The $100 million project is to be finished almost a year ahead of the hall of fame.

McNaughton said NASCAR was looking for office park space when he showed Chairman Brian France the proposed hall of fame site uptown.

After seeing it, France switched gears and decided the office building should go there, too, McNaughton said.

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners did the conceptual design, and LS3P Associates Ltd. is the project architect.

Turner, Thompson, Davis and Lauth Construction will handle general contracting.

Doug Smith 704-358-5174; dougsmith@charlotteobserver.com

Scott Warfield
NASCAR Inc.
(704) 348-9650
swarfield@nascar.com

Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
(704) 339-6120
molly.hedrick@crva.com

Marc Lotter
Lauth Property Group
Owner/Developer of NASCAR Plaza
(317) 663-6449
mlotter@lauth.net


PARKING NEAR NASCAR HALL OF FAME AND NASCAR PLAZA SITE:
Parking is available at prevailing rates in parking lots and towers surrounding the Charlotte Convention Center and near the site of the future NASCAR Hall of Fame….

• The Westin Charlotte hotel offers more than 1,600 spaces, conveniently located adjacent to the Charlotte
Convention Center.
• Additionally, metered parking is available along many of the main streets in Center City.
• For additional information regarding Charlotte Center City Parking, visit the Center City Partners website
http://www.charlottecentercity.org/nav.cfm?cat=19&subcat=108&subsub=27


DRIVING DIRECTIONS
For more information, visit http://www.charlotteconventionctr.com/directions.asp

From I-85

Driving South from points North of Charlotte.

• Take Brookshire Freeway (Highway 16 South), Exit 36.
• Merge right onto the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
• Take Stonewall Street, Exit 1E.
• Turn left on Stonewall Street and proceed 2 blocks.

Driving North from points South of Charlotte.

• Take Little Rock Road, Exit 32.
• Turn right at the bottom of the ramp.
• Turn right at the first traffic light.
• Turn left at the 2nd traffic light onto Wilkinson Boulevard (Hwy 74 East).
• Follow Wilkinson Boulevard as it becomes the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
• Take College Street, Exit 1E.
• The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street, proceed to 2nd Street and take a right.
• The site will be two blocks on your right.

From I-77
Driving South from points North of Charlotte.

• Take the 1-277 loop (John Belk Freeway), Exit 9.
• Take College Street, Exit 1E.
• The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street, proceed to 2nd Street and take a right.
• The site will be two blocks on your right.

Driving North from points South of Charlotte.

• Take the 1-277 loop (John Belk Freeway), Exit 9B.
• Take College Street, Exit 1E.
• The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street. Proceed to 2nd Street, take a right and the site will be on your right in two blocks.

From US Highway 74 (Wilkinson Boulevard on the West and Independence Boulevard on the East)

Driving East from points West of Charlotte.

• Follow Wilkinson Boulevard (Hwy 74 East) as it becomes the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
• Take College Street, Exit 1E.
• The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street.
• Follow directions as above.

Driving West from points East of Charlotte.

• Follow Independence Boulevard (Hwy 74 West) and merge left onto the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
• Take Stonewall Street, Exit 1E.
• Turn left on Stonewall Street and proceed 2 blocks.

Winston Kelley, who is leading development of the $155 million facility for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, was the featured speaker for the 58th annual meeting of the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce Thursday night. "We truly look at it as an amenity for the whole community and the whole region," Kelley told a crowd of about 135 gathered for dinner at Thomasville Furniture Industries' central office on Main Street.

Economists are estimating the NASCAR Hall of Fame to generate more than $60 million of economic activity annually, he said.

Prior to landing what he calls his 'dream job,' the Concord native spent 27 years in business management, public relations and economic development with Duke Energy, the company that sponsored the chamber event.

But Kelley grew up in a racing family and has been passionate about motorsports since he attended his first Daytona 500 in 1964. His father, Earl Kelley, was a public relations director for Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the younger Kelley has been a radio broadcaster with the Motor Racing Network since 1988.

Using a short promotional video and a detailed computer slide show, Kelley explained how Charlotte edged out five other cities to win the project last year. "The biggest thing we thought we had to offer was the synergy with the existing NASCAR teams," he noted. With nine out of 10 NASCAR racing teams based in the region, Kelley expects hall of fame visitors to tour those sites as well. He described how a typical day trip might end at the Childress Vineyards winery in Lexington, where tourists will be able to enjoy dinner and spend the night in the adjacent hotel.

The hall of fame's uptown Charlotte site is owned by the city and will be managed by the CRVA, which also operates the Charlotte Convention Center, Ovens Auditorium, Cricket Arena and a portion of the nearby Charlotte Bobcats Arena. In addition to the exhibit area itself, plans for the facility include a new 100,000-square-foot ballroom, high-rise office tower and parking deck, all interconnected to the convention center. Nearly two-thirds of the project's cost will be funded by a new 2 percent hotel occupancy tax.

Kelley said he is working to make the NASCAR Hall of Fame Charlotte's 'signature tourist attraction.' "We hope that when people think of Charlotte, they'll think of the hall of fame," he said, describing the way people associate Nashville with music and Cooperstown with baseball as his goal.

The architectural firm Pei, Cobb and Freed Partners is designing the buildings. Among its many notable projects are the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City and an expansion of The Louvre in Paris.

Ralph Appelbaum Associates, the largest museum design firm in the world, is creating the exhibit space. The firm's work includes the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn., and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C. "These folks are truly world-class," Kelley observed. Visitors will begin their tour of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in a multimedia theater, possibly with live links to radio communications between drivers and pit crews during races, Kelley said. Afterward, they will get to see what a 35-degree banked racetrack looks like up close.

Groundbreaking is expected in the first quarter of this year, Kelley announced, with construction expected to take about 30 months.

Winston Kelley, who is leading development of the $155 million facility for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, was the featured speaker for the 58th annual meeting of the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce Thursday night. "We truly look at it as an amenity for the whole community and the whole region," Kelley told a crowd of about 135 gathered for dinner at Thomasville Furniture Industries' central office on Main Street.

Economists are estimating the NASCAR Hall of Fame to generate more than $60 million of economic activity annually, he said.

Prior to landing what he calls his 'dream job,' the Concord native spent 27 years in business management, public relations and economic development with Duke Energy, the company that sponsored the chamber event.

But Kelley grew up in a racing family and has been passionate about motorsports since he attended his first Daytona 500 in 1964. His father, Earl Kelley, was a public relations director for Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the younger Kelley has been a radio broadcaster with the Motor Racing Network since 1988.

Using a short promotional video and a detailed computer slide show, Kelley explained how Charlotte edged out five other cities to win the project last year. "The biggest thing we thought we had to offer was the synergy with the existing NASCAR teams," he noted. With nine out of 10 NASCAR racing teams based in the region, Kelley expects hall of fame visitors to tour those sites as well. He described how a typical day trip might end at the Childress Vineyards winery in Lexington, where tourists will be able to enjoy dinner and spend the night in the adjacent hotel.

The hall of fame's uptown Charlotte site is owned by the city and will be managed by the CRVA, which also operates the Charlotte Convention Center, Ovens Auditorium, Cricket Arena and a portion of the nearby Charlotte Bobcats Arena. In addition to the exhibit area itself, plans for the facility include a new 100,000-square-foot ballroom, high-rise office tower and parking deck, all interconnected to the convention center. Nearly two-thirds of the project's cost will be funded by a new 2 percent hotel occupancy tax.

Kelley said he is working to make the NASCAR Hall of Fame Charlotte's 'signature tourist attraction.' "We hope that when people think of Charlotte, they'll think of the hall of fame," he said, describing the way people associate Nashville with music and Cooperstown with baseball as his goal.

The architectural firm Pei, Cobb and Freed Partners is designing the buildings. Among its many notable projects are the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City and an expansion of The Louvre in Paris.

Ralph Appelbaum Associates, the largest museum design firm in the world, is creating the exhibit space. The firm's work includes the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn., and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C. "These folks are truly world-class," Kelley observed. Visitors will begin their tour of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in a multimedia theater, possibly with live links to radio communications between drivers and pit crews during races, Kelley said. Afterward, they will get to see what a 35-degree banked racetrack looks like up close.

Groundbreaking is expected in the first quarter of this year, Kelley announced, with construction expected to take about 30 months.

Winston Kelley, who is leading development of the $155 million facility for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, was the featured speaker for the 58th annual meeting of the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce Thursday night. "We truly look at it as an amenity for the whole community and the whole region," Kelley told a crowd of about 135 gathered for dinner at Thomasville Furniture Industries' central office on Main Street.

Economists are estimating the NASCAR Hall of Fame to generate more than $60 million of economic activity annually, he said.

Prior to landing what he calls his 'dream job,' the Concord native spent 27 years in business management, public relations and economic development with Duke Energy, the company that sponsored the chamber event.

But Kelley grew up in a racing family and has been passionate about motorsports since he attended his first Daytona 500 in 1964. His father, Earl Kelley, was a public relations director for Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the younger Kelley has been a radio broadcaster with the Motor Racing Network since 1988.

Using a short promotional video and a detailed computer slide show, Kelley explained how Charlotte edged out five other cities to win the project last year. "The biggest thing we thought we had to offer was the synergy with the existing NASCAR teams," he noted. With nine out of 10 NASCAR racing teams based in the region, Kelley expects hall of fame visitors to tour those sites as well. He described how a typical day trip might end at the Childress Vineyards winery in Lexington, where tourists will be able to enjoy dinner and spend the night in the adjacent hotel.

The hall of fame's uptown Charlotte site is owned by the city and will be managed by the CRVA, which also operates the Charlotte Convention Center, Ovens Auditorium, Cricket Arena and a portion of the nearby Charlotte Bobcats Arena. In addition to the exhibit area itself, plans for the facility include a new 100,000-square-foot ballroom, high-rise office tower and parking deck, all interconnected to the convention center. Nearly two-thirds of the project's cost will be funded by a new 2 percent hotel occupancy tax.

Kelley said he is working to make the NASCAR Hall of Fame Charlotte's 'signature tourist attraction.' "We hope that when people think of Charlotte, they'll think of the hall of fame," he said, describing the way people associate Nashville with music and Cooperstown with baseball as his goal.

The architectural firm Pei, Cobb and Freed Partners is designing the buildings. Among its many notable projects are the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City and an expansion of The Louvre in Paris.

Ralph Appelbaum Associates, the largest museum design firm in the world, is creating the exhibit space. The firm's work includes the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn., and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C. "These folks are truly world-class," Kelley observed. Visitors will begin their tour of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in a multimedia theater, possibly with live links to radio communications between drivers and pit crews during races, Kelley said. Afterward, they will get to see what a 35-degree banked racetrack looks like up close.

Groundbreaking is expected in the first quarter of this year, Kelley announced, with construction expected to take about 30 months.

What? NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza Groundbreaking

This highly anticipated groundbreaking will be the ‘grand finale’ of the annual NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Media Tour hosted by Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Join us and numerous NASCAR officials and drivers, team owners and elected officials as we celebrate this historic event.

When? Thursday, January 25, 2007
3:00pm

Where? Site of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza bordered by Brevard, Caldwell, Stonewall Sts. and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Directions / Parking? See information below

Media Contact Information:
Julie Hill
City of Charlotte
(704) 336-4098
jehill@ci.charlotte.nc.us

Scott Warfield
NASCAR Inc.
(704) 348-9650
swarfield@nascar.com

Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
(704) 339-6120
molly.hedrick@crva.com

Marc Lotter
Lauth Property Group
Owner/Developer of NASCAR Plaza
(317) 663-6449
mlotter@lauth.net

PARKING NEAR NASCAR HALL OF FAME AND NASCAR PLAZA SITE:
Parking is available at prevailing rates in parking lots and towers surrounding the Charlotte Convention Center and near the site of the future NASCAR Hall of Fame...
• The Westin Charlotte hotel offers more than 1,600 spaces, conveniently located adjacent to the Charlotte Convention Center.
• Additionally, metered parking is available along many of the main streets in Center City.
• For additional information regarding Charlotte Center City Parking, visit the Center City Partners website
http://www.charlottecentercity.org/nav.cfm?cat=19&subcat=108&subsub=27

DRIVING DIRECTIONS
For more information, visit http://www.charlotteconventionctr.com/directions.asp

From I-85

Driving South from points North of Charlotte.
- Take Brookshire Freeway (Highway 16 South), Exit 36.
- Merge right onto the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
- Take Stonewall Street, Exit 1E.
- Turn left on Stonewall Street and proceed 2 blocks.

Driving North from points South of Charlotte.
- Take Little Rock Road, Exit 32.
- Turn right at the bottom of the ramp.
- Turn right at the first traffic light.
- Turn left at the 2nd traffic light onto Wilkinson Boulevard (Hwy 74 East).
- Follow Wilkinson Boulevard as it becomes the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
- Take College Street, Exit 1E.
- The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street, proceed to 2nd Street and take a right.
- The site will be two blocks on your right.

From I-77

Driving South from points North of Charlotte.
- Take the 1-277 loop (John Belk Freeway), Exit 9.
- Take College Street, Exit 1E.
- The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street, proceed to 2nd Street and take a right.
- The site will be two blocks on your right.

Driving North from points South of Charlotte.
- Take the 1-277 loop (John Belk Freeway), Exit 9B.
- Take College Street, Exit 1E.
- The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street.
- Proceed to 2nd Street, take a right and the site will be on your right in two blocks.

From US Highway 74 (Wilkinson Boulevard on the West and Independence Boulevard on the East)

Driving East from points West of Charlotte.
- Follow Wilkinson Boulevard (Hwy 74 East) as it becomes the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
- Take College Street, Exit 1E.
- The Charlotte Convention Center will be on your right after you cross Stonewall Street.
- Follow directions as above.

Driving West from points East of Charlotte.
- Follow Independence Boulevard (Hwy 74 West) and merge left onto the I-277 loop (John Belk Freeway).
- Take Stonewall Street, Exit 1E.
- Turn left on Stonewall Street and proceed 2 blocks.

What: NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza Groundbreaking

When: Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 3:00pm

Where: Site of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza bordered by Brevard, Caldwell, Stonewall and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Parking: One lane of Brevard St., on left side of street, between Stonewall and MLK, Jr. Blvd. will be reserved for MARKED media vehicles only.

IF you are going live, you need to let us know so we can reserve a spot for your satellite truck in an appropriate space. Otherwise, first come, first serve. If you run cable, you must reduce trip hazards with yellowjackets or other means.

Other vehicle parking can be accommodated in the “Caldwell ” parking lot; entrance on Caldwell.

Setup: After 9:00am on Thursday, media can begin setup when needed.

There is a tent set up on site. There will be three media risers, with one each on stage left and stage right (including three levels on each). Sight lines should be excellent.

Other media, such as writers, reporters, and some still photography, will be seated in the middle audience section; there will be guides to show you the correct seating area. Please make sure you have your media credentials with you.

Interviews: Following the Groundbreaking ceremony, many of the speakers and officials will be available for interviews. There will be a brief break after the ceremony to allow time for audience members to leave the area, and then individual interviews will be provided.

Media Contact Information:
Julie Hill
City of Charlotte
(704) 336-4098
jehill@ci.charlotte.nc.us

Scott Warfield
NASCAR Inc.
(704) 348-9650
swarfield@nascar.com

Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
(704) 339-6120
molly.hedrick@crva.com

Marc Lotter
Lauth Property Group
Owner/Developer of NASCAR Plaza
(317) 663-6449
mlotter@lauth.net

The city of Charlotte, NASCAR, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and the hall's main developer will host a 3 p.m. groundbreaking at the site, bordered by Stonewall, Caldwell and Brevard streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The public is invited.

For that matter, the public is actively courted. Organizers, while releasing few details, said they plan an event to accompany the usual officials-with-shovels photo opportunity that will honor NASCAR's storied past.

Such notables as Richard Petty, Ned Jarrett, Bobby Allison and NASCAR President Mike Helton are expected, along with N.C. Gov. Mike Easley and Mayor Pat McCrory. Current stars Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were invited, but are preparing for this weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona race, said CRVA spokeswoman Molly Hedrick.

"The one message we're trying to send with this is that this is about the history of the sport ...and the ceremony will honor that," Hedrick said. "We're trying not to give too much away, though."

The hall is scheduled to open in early 2010.

Want to Go? What: Groundbreaking for the NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza. When: 3 p.m. today. Where: The site bordered by Brevard, Caldwell and Stonewall streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in uptown.
Directions: See www.charlotteconventionctr.com/directions.asp or call the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority at 704-339-6040. Parking: Visitors can park in pay lots uptown, in metered spaces or at the Westin Charlotte hotel next to the Charlotte Convention Center.

Greg Lacour: 704-358-5067 or glacour@charlotteobserver.com

“Today was a special day, ” NASCAR President Mike Helton said. “We set out several years ago with a goal to create a NASCAR Hall of Fame to preserve and honor our past as well as give a glimpse into the future. Today, we took a very important step forward in making that goal become a reality. ”

As shovels - shaped like pit crew gas cans - were put into the ground, engines roared from historic stock cars driven by seven-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. Fans cheered loudly for NASCAR legends in attendance including the sports all-time ‘winningest’ driver and still one of the sports all time favorites, Richard Petty. Rick Hendrick joined the groundbreaking team not only as a championship car owner in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series, but as the Honorary Grand Marshal of the bid to bring the NASCAR Hall of Fame to the Charlotte region. Video and audio showcasing the past eras of racing gave an exciting background to the photo opportunity of the year.

“We wanted to be sure we accomplished a couple of things with this groundbreaking: first, that it was like no other, just as unique as the future NASCAR Hall of Fame will be and second, that the history of NASCAR was front and center, ” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. We believe our unique format modeled after a NASCAR pre-race ceremony and having more than 30 competitors and members of the NASCAR community representing all decades and touring divisions of NASCAR racing certainly achieved those goals. We are particularly grateful for the tremendous support from both the NASCAR and greater Charlotte community. ”

"When people think of NASCAR, we want them to think of Charlotte," Mayor Pat McCrory said. "Racing was built here. Most of today’s top teams call the Charlotte region home and as the site of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, we are establishing our place in the history and as the future of the sport."

Robert Lauth, chairman of Lauth Property Group, participated in the event by officially breaking ground on NASCAR Plaza, a 19-story, 390,000 square foot office tower. Approximately one-third of NASCAR Plaza will be leased by NASCAR Licensing and NASCAR Images. Lauth will lease the remaining office space to other tenants. “For the past 30-years Lauth has built a nationwide reputation for quality and trust, ” said Bob Lauth. “We are proud to begin construction of NASCAR Plaza, Charlotte’s most recognizable business address. ”

On March 6, 2006, NASCAR announced its decision to choose the Charlotte region as the site for this once-in-a-lifetime attraction. With the estimated completion date being the first quarter of 2010, this state-of-the-art facility will honor the NASCAR icons and create an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have impacted the sport in the past, present and yet to come. The Hall will include:
- approximately 40,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space;
- numerous elements honoring the history and heritage of the sport;
- educational components and interactive exhibits highlighting current race week experiences from the competitors’ perspective;
- a state-of-the-art theatre;
- a hall honoring inductees;
- television and radio studios;
- a high tech, comprehensive media center;
- and a retail outlet and restaurant.
The complex also includes a 100,000 square foot convention center expansion that includes a new 40,000 square foot ballroom that can seat up to 2,500 people. ” For more information, visit www.belongshere.com.

"I want some autographs," Hendrick said. "I've never seen an assembling of history like we have here today."

All of which prompted the question: Who will be in the Hall of Fame's first group of inductees? NASCAR retains control over the nomination and election process but has not announced specifics.

"I certainly don't think that first class will be all drivers," said Hall of Fame candidate Ned Jarrett. "(NASCAR founder) Bill France should be the first man inducted because if it had not been for him, we wouldn't be here today and the sport where it is today."

The project, which includes a 19-story office tower, some 40,000 square feet of exhibition space and a 100,000-square-foot convention center expansion, is expected to open early in 2010.

Helton said the Hall's mission will be to "preserve, protect and present" the complete history of the sport. NASCAR decided to put its Hall of Fame in the heart of stock car country last March when it selected Charlotte over Atlanta; Daytona Beach, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; and Kansas City, Kan.

The event was a formal groundbreaking Thursday for the NASCAR Hall of Fame project in uptown Charlotte. But before the shovels were passed out, about 40 of the people who built the sport -- drivers, crew chiefs, team owners, promoters -- were summoned to the stage and introduced.

Among them: Raymond Parks, a Georgia car owner who won his first race in 1938; Ned Jarrett, the former driver and beloved broadcaster from Hickory; and, of course, the sport's iconic figure, Richard Petty.

"I want some autographs," Rick Hendrick, the owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said when his turn came behind the microphone. "I've never seen an assembly of history like we have here today."

Then he turned to NASCAR President Mike Helton, sitting with the rest on stage. "Mr. Helton," Hendrick said, "you wouldn't have 10 percent of these folks in Atlanta, Georgia."

The crowd of about 500 whooped and applauded. Atlanta was Charlotte's main competitor for the hall.

"Charlotte is the place. That's where it started," Petty said.

NASCAR considered proposals from not just Atlanta but Daytona Beach, Fla., Richmond, Va., and Kansas City.

Not everyone in Charlotte is thrilled about the hall, scheduled to open in late 2009 or early 2010. Minutes after the ceremony, the conservative John Locke Foundation sent a mass e-mail criticizing the controversial hotel-motel tax hike providing much of the project's funding.

Fans, though, said they see something that'll last for years and cement Charlotte's status as the hub of motorsports. David Buchner, a 43-year-old stock trader, drove from Asheville with his 5-year-old son, Bradley.

"I wanted to just be part of the history of the hall of fame, to see something he'll spend the rest of his life coming to," said Buchner, whose son wore a tiny Jeff Gordon jacket. "It'll be fun, like Disney World for NASCAR fans."

When it came time for the breaking of ground, two cars on each side of the stage -- a 1972 Dodge Charger of Petty's and a 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo once driven by the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. -- were cranked up and revved.

Appropriately enough, you could barely hear yourself think.

"What distinguishes athletes in other sports is when you're in the hall of fame," broadcaster and former championship driver Darrell Waltrip said. "It's going to be grandioso, and that's good. I like big."

Hall of Fame Figures

$154.5 million: Overall cost of the project.

$102.5 million: Amount contributed to the project by the hotel-motel tax increase.

130,000: Square footage of the hall.

2,500: Number of people the new, $43 million Charlotte Convention Center ballroom, to be built as part of the hall project, will seat. The current ballroom, which will remain, seats about 1,500.

1,060: Parking spaces slated for an adjacent office tower.

Reach Greg Lacour at glacour@charlotteobserver.com

- Bobby Allison, 1983 NASCAR Cup Champion and winner of 84 races in NASCAR's elite division;

- NASCAR President Mike Helton;

- Mark Dyer, Vice President of Licensing and Consumer Products;

- Cathy Bessant, Bank of America and Hall of Fame recruiting crew chief;

- Tim Newman, Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority;

- Winston Kelley, Executive Director, NASCAR Hall of Fame/Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority; and

- Members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Advisory Board and recruitment team

What:

- Unveiling of the NASCAR Hall of Fame logo

When: Wednesday, May 16, 2007
5:00pm (before the NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge presented by
Craftsman)

Where: Charlotte Bobcats Arena, 5th Street Lobby

Contact Information:

Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
704-331-2737
molly.hedrick@crva.com

Scott Warfield
NASCAR Inc.
704-348-9650
swarfield@nascar.com

McKim, working in the pit stall next door, picked up the piston and asked Petty's brother, Maurice, if he could keep it.

"He said, `It's no good.' So I brought it home," McKim said. "Richard was already a star. I thought it'd be a good souvenir."

Thirty-seven years later, McKim is historian for Charlotte's NASCAR Hall of Fame. Now with the facility set to open by March 31, 2010, he'll have to find thousands of more souvenirs -- each with a story about the sport and its culture.

"We want the hall to tell the whole story of NASCAR," said McKim, former chief archivist for Daytona, Fla.-based International Speedway Corp., owner of Daytona International Speedway and other tracks. "There is so much more history than just the (Nextel) Cup, Busch (Series) and (Craftsman) Truck."

Search for the `holy grail'

Starting from scratch, McKim wants "actually raced" cars from each NASCAR era. He wants helmets, suits, boots and gloves of famous drivers, and posters from legendary races. He wants trophies from races in Hawaii, South Dakota and Oregon, or other oddball venues such as football stadiums, fairgrounds and a mile-long horse track in Las Vegas. Treasured would be the Jaguar that Al Keller drove in 1954 to win NASCAR's first road race at the Linden, N.J., airport -- the only time a foreign-built car has won a top-division race.

So, too, would an artifact from NASCAR's first race -- on a dirt track off Charlotte's Wilkinson Boulevard. In that June 1949 race, Lee Petty, Richard's father, flipped a borrowed Buick that brought out the sport's first caution flag.

Even more cherished would be the gold-plated "Number 1" membership card that NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. gave to Red Vogt, an Atlanta engine builder who in 1948 coined the name National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.

"That would be the holy grail," said McKim, hired in February by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which will run the $154.5 million, oval track-shaped facility that the city is building and will own in uptown Charlotte.

The hall, he said, won't ignore the sport's distant origins in moonshine running during Prohibition. "Moonshine did not beget NASCAR," he said. "But some early drivers were rum runners. The sport used a lot of the technology found on their cars.

"We're beginning to figure out what artifacts will tell the story most graphically and correctly with the greatest impact. Then we'll go out and pursue them."

Cover all angles

That pursuit will begin in earnest at summer's end, though McKim and hall executive director Winston Kelley have already begun approaching or fielding calls from collectors and race teams wanting to collaborate.

The hall doesn't plan to buy artifacts, but acquire them through donations or loans.

"We don't want to get into bidding situations," Kelley said. "We're about honoring and preserving the sport's history."

Just last week, Kelley was approached by a former driver offering items.

The hall, he said, will talk with team museums or other racing museums about rotating exhibits and designing tours where fans visit the hall, then team operations and museums.

"There is clearly an interest in collaborating," Kelley said.

Many similar museums, including ones honoring basketball, and country and rock 'n' roll music, get most of their artifacts through donations or loans.

"Most collectors or families want to donate artifacts to honor famous figures," said John Rumble, a senior historian at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn. "They recognize and appreciate that when they donate an artifact to a museum that, in essence, everyone owns it."

The Internet and foreign collectors have driven up artifact prices, and a bidding war could chew up operating budgets.

When Rumble's museum has needed an expensive artifact -- such as Maybelle Carter's Gibson guitar -- a "wealthy supporter" has donated money to the nonprofit Country Music Foundation for the museum to buy it.

The country music hall has more than 750,000 artifacts.

The NASCAR hall won't require nearly that many, since most exhibits will rotate in and out, said project director Dennis Cohen of the New York-based Ralph Appelbaum Associates, which is designing the hall's interior.

"There may be area collectors who are interested in loaning their collections -- many of them idiosyncratic with their own curator," Cohen said. "We want to tell the right story. We want to cover all angles and show all the connections that NASCAR has had with American culture."

Have History?

If you want to discuss donating or loaning artifacts to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, call historian Buz McKim at 704-339-6109 or e-mail buz.mckim@crva.com.

Reach Davis Perlmutt at dperlmutt@charlotteobserver.com

The recent promotion of Paul Brooks from NASCAR's Daytona Beach, Fla., headquarters to its Charlotte office represents the most significant power shift yet as the sport deepens its roots here.

The presence of a majority of NASCAR teams in the Charlotte area has long made this region the hub for the sport. Charlotte is where NASCAR does business: 82% of the Nextel Cup teams, 72% of the Busch Series teams and 55% of the Craftsman Truck teams call this area home.

So it only makes sense that NASCAR's administrative chiefs follow.

"It's a certification, if you will," says longtime Charlotte sports marketer Max Muhleman. "New York is the media capital of the country. Every network is there. It's where an industry migrated for its biggest operators. In a way, that's what has happened to make Charlotte the NASCAR business capital, and why not a home for the sanctioning body?"

Despite the office tower, NASCAR makes it perfectly clear its Daytona Beach headquarters is not moving. There are no plans to pull up stakes from where NASCAR was born in 1948.

In fact, NASCAR's home office will move into the Daytona Live complex following its completion in a few years.

What's clear, though, is that NASCAR sees a need to be close to its constituents. More of the decisions that impact the business of NASCAR will be made out of the Charlotte office.

When the Hall of Fame and office tower open in early 2010, NASCAR officials will occupy more than 100,000 square feet of the 390,000-square-foot, 20-story building.

"With the exclamation mark being the Hall of Fame and office tower, NASCAR now has that much more of a magnified presence in Charlotte," says Hunter Nickell, president of Speed, the News Corp. motorsports network based in south Charlotte. "Charlotte is the headquarters for this industry."

Much of the NASCAR-occupied space in the tower will be devoted to its media group, an amalgamation of several NASCAR units that will oversee rights management, content production, distribution and entertainment. Brooks has been named president of the media group and charged with the task of bringing together all of those functions.

Within the media group will be the NASCAR Images, broadcasting, new media and digital entertainment divisions. The Los Angeles office will report to Brooks in Charlotte.

NASCAR's proximity to the teams will pay off for the media group when staffers need access to drivers for footage, interviews and information.

Brooks also will head up NASCAR licensing, which was run out of the Charlotte office by Mark Dyer, who left in June to become president and chief executive of Motorsports Authentics in Concord.

Brooks' move and the formation of the media group signals a reorganization for NASCAR's media units and establishes its strongest power base in Charlotte to date.

"Charlotte has played a significant part in NASCAR's history and will continue to be an important part of its future," Brooks says from his new office on the 39th floor of the Wachovia Center on College Street. "This is the hometown to our industry. Drivers, teams, licensees, sponsors and the business structure of the sport has a significant presence here. Any employer or business relies on a strong partnership with its community, and we're very fortunate to have that in Charlotte."

Additionally, NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Brian France recently bought a home in Charlotte, which has sparked speculation about growth in NASCAR's presence in the area. But France also owns homes in Daytona Beach and Los Angeles.

"I don't think that Brian's residence is an indicator of anything, but businesses need to be near their customers and that's certainly the case with NASCAR," says Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

In addition to the Hall of Fame and office tower, NASCAR built its research and development center north of Charlotte near Concord Mills. That's where the sanctioning body works with race teams on safety, engineering and other initiatives.

As office space in the tower hits the market, Brooks expects many motorsports-related businesses to sign leases. Some NASCAR teams might find the location attractive for their sales and marketing staffs.

David Jessey, vice president of sales and marketing at Gillett Evernham Motorsports, has said he'll likely move out of the team's Statesville headquarters into an office in Charlotte so he can be closer to the businesses and marketing agencies that work with the racing industry.

It wouldn't be surprising to see others follow.

"We need a strong presence in Charlotte to support our most important partners," Brooks says. "Teams, drivers, licensees, sponsors -- they all have a presence in this area. And now with the media group, some of the fragmented pieces are going to be able to come under one roof."

Michael Smith is a staff writer for SportsBusiness Journal, a sister publication. He can be reached at msmith@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

Friday morning, The NASCAR Shop will open at the Charlotte airport, offering millions of travelers the chance to buy official NASCAR merchandise before, after or between flights.

Saturday night, the Charlotte Bobcats will host NASCAR Night, with players wearing racing-themed jerseys and fans getting a chance to win collectible Bobcats diecast race cars.

Those are just two ways in which the nation's most popular racing association has tried to keep interest high -- and fans buying merchandise -- in the weeks leading up to the start of the 2008 season next month in Daytona Beach, Fla.

"It's really a year-long venture," said Tom Sullivan, NASCAR's manager of business communications.

More than $2 billion in NASCAR merchandise is sold each year -- less than the NFL's more than $3 billion but still a significant amount of spending by race fans.

Although the ribbon cutting is Friday, the seed for the airport store was planted years ago.

Charlotte/Douglas International Airport regularly works with HMSHost, a Maryland-based concessions company, on ways to include local themes in airport concessions, said Haley Gentry, an airport spokeswoman. The airport gets a percentage of vendor sales.

After Charlotte was named as the site of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, she said, the idea of a NASCAR store gained steam. There's also a historical connection: The first NASCAR race was held in 1949 off Little Rock Road -- "practically on airport property," Gentry said.

"This was a natural fit," she said.

The 723-square-foot store is in the former Travelers Treasures in the airport atrium, near the food court. "We expect to see a lot of traffic through that area," Sullivan said. "This is kind of a perfect connection for (travelers) when they land."

At the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, the NBA team will hold its second NASCAR Night during Saturday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Along with the jerseys and diecast cars, fans will get a look at the 2007 Nextel Cup trophy, full-size race cars, a handful of drivers -- including Denny Hamlin -- and Chad Knaus, the crew chief for Jimmie Johnson.

Last year's event drew almost 13,000 people but didn't include a trophy presentation, said Cindy Carrasquilla, a spokeswoman for Bobcats Sports and Entertainment.

Another change this year, she said, is that the team's racing-themed jerseys will be sold during a silent auction, with money going to the Bobcats Youth Foundation.

Basketball and racing may not seem a natural fit, but Sullivan said NASCAR Night allows the organizations to share fans.

By doing that, he said, the Bobcats and NASCAR each could win new fans from the other's core group, although Sullivan didn't know of any measurement to see if that happened last year.

While the 2007 event was in March -- after the racing season started -- Saturday's NASCAR Night will be a prelude to this year's Daytona 500, which kicks off the Sprint Cup season Feb. 17.

"This kind of event," Sullivan said, "says that in a couple of more weeks, we'll be back in action."

The race, previously know as the Challenge, will now be called NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race XXIV. Officials decided to call it what it is -- a race.

The race involving drivers not already qualified for the event, previously known as the Nextel Open, will now be called the Sprint Showdown.

While the all-star race will still feature four segments, the former 20-lap segments have been lengthened to 25 laps each, giving drivers more time to actually race.

According to Scenedaily.com, a sister publication of the Charlotte Business Journal, the walls for the event will still be painted yellow. And the race, held annually at Lowe's Motor Speedway, appears to be staying at the track for some time.

Dean Kessel, Sprint Cup director of marketing, says he and Lowe's Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler have been in discussion about the 2009 race, which will be the 25th anniversary of the event.

Does that comment mean the all-star race, rumored to be relocating each season, will be staying in Charlotte?

"Every year it comes up, and every year we answer it sort of the same way," Kessel said Tuesday. "We're not having any conversations about moving it. I like to get out in front of things, and our team likes to get out in front of it. We have to plan that way if we're going to be here. Never say never, but there's no conversation going on about moving it."

Wheeler hopes the race remains at his track, especially now that the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be in Charlotte.

"Hopefully with the hall of fame thing here, the all-star race will stay here permanently," he says. "That's the first time I've said that. I've always been an advocate of that. At the same time, we understand that other people want it. But the Pro Bowl has been in Hawaii forever now, so why not leave things be?"

Visitors authority Chief Executive Tim Newman, who is attending the race in Daytona to meet with industry executives, recently discussed NASCAR and its impact with the Charlotte Business Journal. Following are excerpts:

Will you be promoting the hall of fame this year on the NASCAR circuit?

Right now, the main promotional elements are the Web site and apparel that is being sold at the NASCAR Shop at the Charlotte airport. Mobile marketing and brick-paver programs, things of that nature, are all being developed this season. The timelines are not yet set. We're not focused as much on marketing as we are on exhibit design, keeping the building on time and on budget. The exhibit design is key to what you try to market.

Would a mobile marketing national campaign then begin in 2009?

Correct. How prevalent and what it looks like are going to be developed over the course of this year so that the tour would be done during 2009 leading into a 2010 opening. We're looking at a variety of options for doing that.

With the hall of fame seeking corporate sponsorships, how much concern do you have over the slowing economic conditions?

As we are now talking with those folks we hope to have involved, the uniqueness of this asset and the opportunity to be in front of a large number of loyal fans will be strong selling points.

There may be some economic impact, but we're not as concerned about that as if we were trying to sell a product off the floor in 2008.

How are you using the hall of fame to attract conventions and other events?

It's an integral part of the sale. We'll have a ballroom large enough to seat 2,500 people, which has been a big issue, and we will have an amenity on site that adds to the attractiveness of the convention center.

A lot of people who previously wondered, "What are we going to do if we book a convention in Charlotte?" are starting to know about the hall of fame. Increasingly, they're starting to know about the whitewater center, the Billy Graham Library and the Wachovia cultural campus.

The tourism authority in charge of promoting and operating the $157 million project has set an ambitious agenda to generate millions of dollars in sponsorship sales and fan support long before the doors open in early 2010. This week, officials at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority outlined a set of goals for reaching those benchmarks by July 2009. Hospitality taxes on hotel rooms account for the majority of financing for the construction of the hall of fame.

Raising sponsor dollars now will help CRVA pay off a $21.5 million loan from Bank of America Corp. and Wachovia Corp. while also affording the NASCAR museum a chance to invest more in exhibits. Exact figures have yet to be determined, but the CRVA wants to raise at least half of the projected sponsorship revenue by July 2009. The program includes a target of $4 million to be generated by the sale of commemorative bricks to fans.

CRVA has hired industry consultant Just Marketing Inc. to handle sponsorship sales. The strategy includes landing eight major corporate partners while also selling an undetermined number of smaller sponsorships. A specific sponsorship goal should be in place this summer, organizers say.

Prices for the commemorative bricks, to be located along the hall of fame's plaza, will also be set in the next couple of months. Selling personalized bricks to fans has become common at stadiums and arenas across professional and college sports in recent years.

"We feel good about where we are on the hall of fame," says Tim Newman, CRVA chief executive. He expects commemorative hall of fame bricks to go on sale this fall, likely around the October race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The hall of fame will be operated by Newman's agency but owned by the city of Charlotte. The city is presiding over construction, which is under way next to the convention center uptown.

Plans for promoting the hall of fame are also taking shape. Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, says a traveling mini-exhibit is slated to roll out in time for the 2009 Daytona 500 in February. It will visit races within a 700-mile radius as well as county fairs and festivals in anticipation of the hall opening. Kelley says requests for proposals for the hall of fame caravan will be issued later this year.

The hall of fame was a major factor in the decision by the Shriners Imperial Council of North America to hold its 2012 convention here, while the cultural campus was a particular draw for the 2012 return of the National League of Cities convention.

Visit Charlotte, which markets the convention center, is already 2% over its fiscal 2008 goal for room-nights booked at local hotels, says Mike Butts, executive director. But it's not just the individual attractions that are helping Visit Charlotte recruit conventions. The $157 million hall of fame project also includes the addition of a 40,000-square-foot ballroom to the convention center to supplement its 35,000-square-foot facility.

Butts says the city would not have won the National Rifle Association conference in May 2010 without that new ballroom space. The event is expected to bring about 45,000 visitors.

"Just the new ballroom alone gives the city a whole lot more leverage in selling the convention center to groups," says Sid Smith, executive director of the Charlotte Area Hotel Association, an organization of uptown's full-service facilities.

But it's definitely the synergy between the additional space, hall of fame and cultural center that is closing the deal on convention bids.

"Because of the new visitor assets, more things to do and additional ballroom space, we're negotiating with groups that we have typically not been able to book," Butts says. "They add to the allure of the city. We're not just a corporate city anymore -- we're a destination."

The larger ballroom and hall of fame were important factors in the Shriners' decision to come to Charlotte. Charlottean and national board member Al Madsen will be installed as president at the event.

He expects about 50,000 attendees because of the NASCAR-related offerings and because Charlotte is a "nice Southern city that's centrally located." The city is also home to one of the largest Shrine chapters in North America.

But there were other factors as well. "Visit Charlotte bent over backwards to work out the details and sweeten the pie," Madsen says. "We just didn't get the same 'warm fuzzies' from Tampa and Baltimore."

Operating in a highly competitive business, Visit Charlotte has been aggressively marketing the city's new offerings since they were announced.

Two years ago, it created a marketing piece titled "What's New in Charlotte?" that outlined new and upcoming projects in the area, such as the light-rail line, the trolley, U.S. National Whitewater Center, the EpiCentre complex and the Billy Graham Library, in addition to the hall and cultural campus. Whenever there's a new announcement, an insert is added to the booklet.

"We use every bullet available when we go hunting," Butts says. He adds that includes venues and offerings throughout the region, ranging from the Brattonville historic site to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden -- "whatever distinguishes us and fits a group's needs."

Smith praises Visit Charlotte's ability to get through "the clutter out there in front of event planners." He cites the Visit Charlotte Web site and calls "brilliant" its distribution of iPods to the top 100 meeting planners in the country. The planners could use them as they wished, but during a two-year period, five podcasts touting Charlotte were electronically sent to them.

That campaign has ended and will be replaced this summer with a new marketing campaign, "Charlotte's Got A Lot!"

The selling gets more pointed when event planners and association representatives visit Charlotte. Then, Butts says, they not only see the hall and cultural campus coming out of the ground, but they can also see their proximity to the convention center. "They often tell us they had no idea we had so much or that the city had become so cosmopolitan."

Still, things could be better. For the fiscal years ending in June, Visit Charlotte is at 69.7% of its goal for convention center bookings in 2009 and 2010, although Butts says that figure is much improved from earlier in the year.

Those years "still look light, and I wish they'd work more on getting groups here then, even if it means having to discount them -- we'll make up for that with occupancy taxes," Smith says.

"They need to be a bit more creative and aggressive. The hotels are doing that to sell and book meetings in their own facilities."

The slowing economy is also a concern to the industry, but Butts says it might not impact large conventions as much as business travel, the mainstay of Charlotte's hotels, where occupancy rates are near record levels.

"Corporations will cut back on the number and size of their meetings and will be more prudent in their negotiations," he says. "But national associations will still have to have their national meetings. And the religious market -- always a reliable market -- is making a resurgence in Charlotte."

Still, the economic uncertainty is casting a shadow.

"We've got a wary eye on the travel budgets for businesses. So far, they are holding up," Smith says. "But if there's another change in economic conditions, all bets are off."

Road construction alters his way, not fear of being followed. Yet the building's location remains secret because of its valuable stash.

Once there, McKim unlocks a door to enter the building and faces a second door.

"Look at this," he says, as he unlocks and opens the second door.

Here, in a windowless space the size of a conference room, NASCAR history resides. McKim is its caretaker. The historian for the NASCAR Hall of Fame searches for racing artifacts and stores some here until the hall is constructed.

Consider McKim the Indiana Jones of NASCAR history, minus the chases and fedora. Like the movie character, McKim uses ingenuity and gusto to find historic objects. Like Jones, McKim has an enemy: time. The hall won't open until spring 2010, but the interior design team needs to know within six months what McKim has collected so displays can be built.

The hall will contain about 40,000 square feet and showcase about two dozen cars. But McKim searches for smaller items, making phone calls and trekking across the Southeast.

This is a job the 56-year old has waited for his whole life. He has never been far from racing. His father was a track announcer. McKim raced briefly and later designed the paint schemes for the Daytona 500 winning cars of David Pearson and Benny Parsons.

But it was days at the Museum of Speed, located a short drive from Daytona International Speedway, that had the most impact. He was a museum volunteer at 13. McKim studied the vehicles, relished their history and admired their drivers, fueling his passion.

Those feelings remain. As he recently showed items that could be displayed in the hall, McKim introduced many items by saying, "I love this," then explained their significance.

There's a Bobby Allison racing uniform under plastic. Nearby is pair of dirt-stained white pants Fireball Roberts wore when he raced. There's Marvin Panch's 1956 contract with Ford that called for him to receive 60 percent of his race winnings as driver and $500 per month as a mechanic.

Among the items McKim brings to the building is a red Bill Elliott helmet from earlier this decade. McKim places it near a collection of racing seats. One seat was made for Alan Kulwicki, who was to have picked it up the day after he returned from the Bristol spring race in 1993. Kulwicki died in a plane crash heading to that track. It's near a pair of wingtip shoes Dave Marcis wore when he raced.

Newer items such as Elliott's helmet aren't hard to find. Older items intrigue McKim. He seeks objects from competitors including Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly, and looks for items from long-deceased tracks such as those in North Wilkesboro and Greensboro.

McKim wants personal items, things drivers or car owners touched or were a part of cars, pieces with a special story to tell.

Like Ray Fox's watches. Fox was a car owner from 1962 to 1974 and had seven of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers race for him: Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Buck Baker, Buddy Baker, Fred Lorenzen and LeeRoy and Cale Yarborough.

Fox had watches -- silver and shaped like a steering wheel -- made for his team in 1963. Its face had a No. 3 in the middle and a cartoon Fox on it. Only problem was the watches were stolen before the team received them.

McKim found one with the help of a collector, marking an item off his wish list. That list remains long. McKim's "holy grail" is the gold-plated NASCAR membership card -- card No. 1 -- Bill France Sr. gave Red Vogt, a co-founder of NASCAR.

"I'd love to find that," McKim says. "It's disappeared."

McKim has spent eight years searching, but like Indiana Jones, not all paths lead where one expects.

McKim recalls a time when he was told NASCAR had a truckload of confiscated parts.

"We went up there salivating; opened the door and there were like four pieces left," he says. "Someone had hauled everything off.

"People can say, 'I got this' and 'I got that,' but until we can actually see it, touch it or at least get a picture, we can't take anything for granted."

So McKim keeps searching, collecting and dropping items off at this building.

As he leaves, he locks both doors, heads back in his SUV and slips through traffic back toward the city where rising from a dirt floor soon will be NASCAR's hall and its treasures.

On Monday, City Council plans to vote on a $32 million boost to the $163 million budget. Hotel taxes provide the bulk of the funding. This month, members of city staff, the visitors authority and the hall of fame asked for the additional money, with more than half — $17 million — targeted for spiffier exhibits. As part of the arrangement, NASCAR and primary lenders Wachovia Corp. and Bank of America Corp. offered to defer royalty and loan payments.

NASCAR awarded the hall of fame to Charlotte in 2006. The deal boils down to a licensing agreement for NASCAR, which will offer assistance promoting and designing the 150,000-square foot tribute to stock cars.

The city’s visitors authority will manage the hall of fame while the city owns the building.

Several council members have been sharply critical of the request for more funding.
For NASCAR, the controversy overlooks the racing group’s larger commitment in Charlotte. This week, NASCAR Senior Vice President Paul Brooks discussed the hall of fame and other issues from his 39th-floor office in the One Wachovia Center. Following are excerpts:

Why does this request make sense?

One thing that we need to explain better ourselves is that none of that (the office tower and related projects) would be happening had the hall of fame not been here. Because of the hall of the fame and because of how the city embraced not only that project but NASCAR and our industry, it caused us to shift our strategy at NASCAR.

All of our interactive media, broadcast operations, all of those elements were in our Los Angeles office. We had others in our Daytona Beach office. We made the strategic decision to shift all of that to Charlotte, to create this NASCAR Media Group.
The opportunity came with (office-tower developer) Lauth (Property Group) for this NASCAR Plaza, which is a $105 million investment they’re bringing. NASCAR will be spending $45 million. That is sure to go up a little bit. You’re talking about a $150 million investment separate from the hall of fame.

But NASCAR benefits too, right?

It’s good for NASCAR, no denying that. But because of how the city embraced us, we shifted strategy. None of that was promised or even discussed when this hall of fame process started.

We believe it is so critical that we all deliver on the original promise of a world-class attraction. Yes, the costs have escalated, but we do not think that the incremental money is out of line.

I think you recently said there will be 250 NASCAR jobs here by April 2009. Is that number correct?

It’s actually more than that. If you look here in this office, it houses our licensing, our automotive aftermarket. We have the NASCAR Foundation in close proximity. We have our brand marketing. Our research group is here. Then (across town, there’s) NASCAR Images. And we’re bringing all of these employees together.

All of that will consolidate into the NASCAR Plaza. At that time, we’ll have over 250 people in there.

TV ratings are slightly up and attendance is slightly down this season for NASCAR races. How do you view the sport’s potential for growth and the impact on interest in the hall of fame?

There’s been some softening at the events. On the TV side, we’ve clearly reversed the trends there and stabilized the ratings. That had a lot to do with our broadcast partners getting back to the basics, if you will, and focused on the core fan.

There were so many distractions the last few years. I think this year we’re back to racing. That’s the focus. The TV partners have had a great success on the ad sales side. We’re at record numbers on sponsorship and sponsorship value with teams. We’re optimistic because the fundamentals of the sport, even in a really bad economic environment, are healthy.

• Ceremonial Plaza at NASCAR Hall of Fame to Showcase Thousands of Personalized Bricks

• Fans’ First Opportunity to Personally Honor the History of NASCAR

The history of NASCAR was built hero by hero, moment by spectacular moment.  And it has taken some five decades to create the legacy that will become the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Spring 2010.  Now, NASCAR fans and community residents can take part in creating this tribute to the sport and its stars with the new NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program.

Beginning October 10, 2008, NASCAR fans and Charlotte community members will be able to help lay the foundation for the NASCAR Hall of Fame with a personalized brick at the NASCAR Hall of Fame that celebrates their memories of the sport and recognizes their favorite drivers, champions, stars and races.  The bricks are available on a limited basis while supplies last and installation will be completed in time for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s grand opening in the Spring of 2010.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame commemorative bricks are a perfect way to honor a special person or memory, as each brick can be inscribed with a customized message.  The NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program also allows NASCAR fans to celebrate their favorite NASCAR stars with their likeness inscribed on the bricks, or to include the logos of their favorite racetrack or team. 

“NASCAR fans are the most passionate sports fans anywhere, and we want to celebrate their role in making NASCAR the incredible sport it has become by providing an opportunity for them to have their very own place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  “The NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program gives NASCAR fans an opportunity to show their pride in honoring the history of NASCAR, its legends, champions and stars.”

Fans Have Many Options to Show Their NASCAR Pride

NASCAR fans and community residents have several unique ways to be a part of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  The NASCAR Hall of Fame commemorative bricks are available in two sizes – 4x8 and 8x8 – which will be placed in the plaza and outdoor areas surrounding the NASCAR Hall of Fame facility.  The 4x8 brick will allow up to three lines of customized inscription.  The 8x8 brick can accommodate up to six lines of text or four lines of text plus a driver likeness or team or track logo.

The customized inscription can recognize a friend or family member, celebrate a racing moment, show support for a particular event or honor a favorite NASCAR star.  This makes it an ideal and lasting holiday gift for December, Father’s Day, birthdays and more.

There are currently more than 40 drivers participating in the NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick program, including NASCAR Grand National, Busch and Sprint Cup champions. The offering will include early stars such as Tim Flock and Fireball Roberts, legends like David Pearson, Richard Petty, Buddy Baker and Dale Earnhardt and today’s stars such as Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Participating tracks include ISC and SMI properties. The available team logos include most of the current racing organizations.

Fans can order a replica of their distinctive brick for their NASCAR collection or to give to the person they’ve recognized.  Each replica brick features the identical inscription to the brick that will be installed in the Ceremonial Plaza.  Display cases to hold and showcase replica bricks will be available for sale through the NASCAR.com Superstore.

NASCAR Hall of Fame Bricks an Ideal Gift, Affordable Collectible

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program offers an affordable way for fans to mark their place in the history of the sport, and the bricks are priced in line with other collectible and commemorative merchandise.  The 4x8 bricks are $150 and the replica brick with the customized inscription is available for $65.  The 8x8 bricks are $300 with customized text and $325 with drivers’ logo/likeness.  The replica 8x8 bricks are $125 and $150, respectively.

A portion of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program purchase is tax-deductible.  The NASCAR Hall of Fame commemorative bricks can be purchased with most major credit cards.  A payment plan is also available with three equal monthly installments. 

The NASCAR Hall of Fame commemorative bricks can be ordered online at www.NASCARHall.com/brick or at 888.NHF-BRKS (888.643.2757).

About the NASCAR Hall of Fame

NASCAR has chosen Charlotte to be the site for this once-in-a-lifetime attraction for the State of North Carolina and the entire country.  The state-of-the-art facility will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR, serve as an educational platform of the tremendous impact NASCAR has had on American culture and provide an enduring tribute to those who have impacted the sport in the past, present and yet to come.  Scheduled to open in the spring of 2010, the NHOF will offer extensive exhibit space, interactive entertainment and educational experiences, a Hall of Honor for inductees, a state-of-the-art-theatre, and a restaurant and retail outlet.  The NASCAR Hall of Fame will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.  For more information regarding the NASCAR Hall of Fame and CRVA, please visit www.NASCARHall.com and www.CRVA.com.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program is managed by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Foundation, which provides it 501(c)3 tax exempt status.  For NASCAR Hall of Fame Foundation information, visit (TBD).

Media Contact:
Deborah Robinson
312.505.4336
drobinson@vmg1.com

Pictured above: Winston Kelley, left, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Jimmy Spencer, center, former NASCAR driver and SPEED television announcer, and Mike Joy, NASCAR race announcer, helped launch the NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program Wednesday (10/1/08) in uptown Charlotte, NC. The program gives NASCAR fans a chance to purchase a personalized brick that will be part of the final construction of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. Photo courtesy of Victory Management Group.

Commemorative Brick Program Announcement

Commemorative Brick Program Fact Sheet

Brick Program Images 

On Wednesday evening, he had bricks on his mind.

Spencer was invited to the Charlotte Convention Center to help introduce the commemorative brick program for NASCAR's Hall of Fame, which is being built less than 100 yards from the convention center.

His passion and humor brought life to a fundraiser that will allow everyone from the casual fan to the top driver to be part of the shrine that is scheduled to open in 2010.

"I look over [at the display of bricks] and I see, 'To the best wife ever. Thanks for all your sport,'" the former Cup driver known as "Mr. Excitement" said. "I never thought of making a brick for your wife. You'd think it was a tombstone."

The crowd laughed, but Spencer continued to make his point.

"The point of the story -- I'm racing at Riverhead [Speedway] and Thompson [Speedway], and you know who was running my business?" Spencer asked. "My wife. And I'm going to buy a brick saluting my wife. That's a great idea.

"Now, that's a helluva idea. Put your wife, your father … how about some of the great owners you drove for? So many people will stop and think about people to put on these bricks."

Here's the way it works. A 4-by-8-inch brick costs $150, and an 8-by-8 brick costs $300. The prices include customized text, anything from your name to your favorite driver's name to what you had for lunch. A duplicate 4-by-4 brick to showcase at home or the office can be purchased for $65, with the 8-by-8 replica running $125.

If you want an 8-by-8 with a driver's logo, that will be $325, with the replica running $150.

The bricks will be used to pave the plaza in front of the Hall. Depending on how many of each size are purchased, it will take 50,000 to 100,000 bricks to complete the plaza. Should more be purchased, they will be displayed at other areas around the $195 million project.

Spencer plans to buy several bricks. He suggested one for each of the owners he drove for, which could become quite expensive. He drove for 11 owners in Cup alone.

"Buddy Baker, Junior Johnson, Bobby Allison … it goes on and on," Spencer said.

And so did Spencer on this night.

But he went on and on with a purpose, promoting a Hall he believes is long overdue to educate the Charlotte community and the rest of the country on the history and importance of stock car racing.

"I don't think the community realizes how strong NASCAR is," he said. "When we're at New Hampshire, San Francisco … all the way to Miami in a few weeks, we don't get the credit for being a nationalized sport."

The project hasn't gone without a few bumps in the road. Organizers recently had to ask the Charlotte City Council for an additional $32 million to build more interactive exhibits, increase the building's energy efficiency and pay for unexpected construction costs.

Winston Kelley, the Hall's executive director, said that the situation caused some concern under a tough economic climate and that it could have been handled differently. He also said most of the feedback he has received has been positive, with people saying, "Get it right the first time."

Kelley said the brick program will be used to help pay off bank loans and sponsor costs, and "additional dollars will help supplement the exhibit funds."

"That's been a part of the concept since before Charlotte was awarded the Hall of Fame," he said.

The program officially kicks off Oct. 10. Bricks can be purchased at www.NASCARHall.com/brick or by calling 888-643-2757.

Spencer is so excited he might purchase a brick for Kelley, a longtime member of the MRM Radio broadcast team for Cup races.

"I could put, 'That dumb broadcaster didn't see what happened in Turn 3 at Martinsville, 'cause he said I spun a guy out one day,'" Spencer said. "When I said, 'Winston, that is not true,' he said, 'Duh, that's what I saw.'"

David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.

Photo Caption: Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, shows off an example of a commemorative brick that will be sold to raise funds. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Victory Management Group/Jason Miczek

Seven-time points champion Richard Petty unveiled his blue No. 43 Plymouth in which he won 36 races in 1966-67, including a record 10 straight on the way to his 1967 championship. Petty agreed to lend the car from his own museum to the Hall of Fame, set to open in 2010 in downtown Charlotte.

"Really that was when we really built our career," Petty said Friday as he pointed to the car outside the Charlotte Convention Center. "Even though we had done pretty good, I think that pretty much cemented us in and we were able to go from there."

But Bobby Allison, a longtime rival of Petty, joked that the car was missing something.
"I'm so pleased to see this thing as one of the first things going in, but it's not really authentic," Allison said. "I put lots of wheel marks (on it), and they're not there. Maybe I can get them on there later today."

The Hall of Fame also announced a program where fans will able to buy commemorative bricks with their names that will be on the outside of the main entrance to the facility. Petty, Allison, Donnie Allison and Ned Jarrett were among the old drivers on hand Friday to receive their bricks.

The ceremony allowed the old-timers to swap stories of their days racing - and scuffling.

"I didn't know if Bobby and Richard were going to get in a fight before I got down here," joked Donnie Allison.

Photo courtesy CRVA

NASCAR Hall of Fame executive director Winston Kelley announced Friday that the Petty Blue 1967 Plymouth Belvedere from Petty Enterprises is "the first significant artifact" publicly presented by the hall. Richard Petty drove the Plymouth to more wins than any other car in NASCAR history.

During the 1967 season, Petty won 27 races, including a NASCAR-record 10 in a row. The car, however, was actually a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere that was updated through 1967. In all, the car tallied 36 wins from 1966-67. It will be on loan for two years from the Richard Petty Museum in Randleman, N.C.

"The Plymouth Belvedere was a special car," Petty said. "Back then we usually found a car that was good on short tracks or speedways or dirt tracks, but not many that were good everywhere. That Plymouth was fast no matter where we ran. It belongs in the NASCAR Hall of Fame and I have to thank Winston and everyone at the hall for giving us the honor of providing one of the first pieces to go in."

Petty Enterprises was established in 1949, one year after the formation of NASCAR. And now -- 268 wins, 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships and 10 Daytona 500 trophies later -- Petty Enterprises is the winningest organization in the history of American motorsports. It seems only natural that the legendary team would have a prominent place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame when the doors open in spring 2010 in Charlotte, N.C.

"When you talk about Richard Petty or Petty Enterprises, you're basically talking about the history of NASCAR," Petty said. "We were there for the very first race and we're still here. It's great to see that our sport has enjoyed enough longevity that we can build a hall of fame. I know it will be a first-class facility that will help educate our new fans to the people that helped build the sport to what we have today."

Kelley acknowledged that picking a Petty artifact as the first significant piece was one of the easiest choices he has made as executive director.

"Given Richard and Petty Enterprises' success on the track, coupled with Richard being the most recognizable and accessible ambassador for NASCAR for over 50 years, we felt it only appropriate that the first artifact we formally announce be something from Richard and Petty Enterprises," Kelley said. "And, to have it be the car that has won more races than any car in NASCAR history is very special.

"Richard, the folks at Petty Enterprises and the entire NASCAR community have been incredibly supportive of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in so many ways throughout the development stages since it was awarded to Charlotte in 2006. We cannot thank everyone enough and look forward to showcasing their success when we open in the spring of 2010," Kelley added.

See video courtesy NASCAR.com 

The 12 Chase drivers helped pave the way for the new NASCAR Hall of Fame during the Championship Week in New York.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame awarded the drivers with their personalized brick marking their final standing in the 2008 season.

The unique bricks will be installed in the Ceremonial Plaza at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte when it opens in 2010.

There is no more speculation about the number that will be among the first class, now scheduled for induction when the Hall opens in May 2010 -- presumably in conjunction with race weeks at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The number for that class and all subsequent classes will be five, dashing the hopes of those who thought the first group should be as many as 10 to give the facility a kick start.

"Personally, I like five," Hall of Fame executive director Winston Kelley said. "As I fan, I like five because you get to focus on five people every year and they get their due. It could have been four or could have been six. Some people said, "You need a bunch of people in there early.' I didn't like that concept and gave my feedback to NASCAR."

The Hall will be located in downtown Charlotte and will be part of a complex that includes a 20-story office tower, studios of NASCAR's media group, a retail/restaurant building, parking and convention area space.

Those elected to the Hall will have their likenesses placed in a rotunda-like Hall of Honor that will be a centerpiece of the exhibit space. Other features of the Hall include an area known as the Great Hall, an area of changing exhibits, displays that detail what happens during a race weekend and will include a team transporter, a section known as Heritage Speedway that details the sanctioning body's history and technical evolution, and a section where patrons can choose any of 50 greatest finishes.

The first five inductees will be chosen from a list of 25 nominees that will be selected from a 20-member committee that includes Kelley, Hall historian Buzz McKim, seven NASCAR officials, seven track owners and reps from four historic short tracks -- one of those Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem.

Those selected to the Hall will be the five receiving the most votes from a committee of 47 people plus one vote that will be entered from the top-five in fan voting to the Hall of Fame Web site. The voting committee includes the nominating committee, 14 media reps, drivers, owners, crew chiefs and reps from the four car makes in the sport.

Drivers must compete for a minimum of 10 years and have been retired from driving for three years. Non-drivers must work in the industry for 10 years.

The 25 nominees will be announced in June. Voting will be completed by Sept. 15, with the results to be announced in October.

"People can go to the Web site and put their five selections, and your five and my five may not be the same," Kelley said. "If we have four alike, then you could say "why this person and not that person.' That's going to be the same from years 1 and 2 and years 8 and 9 and years 14 and 15. You'll keep that debate."

And there will be plenty of debate, because there are enough deserving candidates from NASCAR's 60 years to fill several classes without trouble.

The argument for many of those who will be considered is not if they belong in the Hall but when they deserve to be inducted.

That even applies to who needs to be in the first class.

At least three people should be locks as solid as ice in Alaska. Those would be NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and seven-time champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr.

As for the other two: It's hard to deny that David Pearson should be in with his 105 victories that are second to Petty's 200 and titles in all three years that he attempted to win the championship.

The fifth person could be Bill France Jr. (who guided the Cup Series' growth into a national sport); or R.J. Reynolds executives Ralph Seagraves or T. Wayne Robertson, who took promotion of the sport to a higher level through Winston cigarette sponsorships; or Junior Johnson (winner of 50 races as a driver and six championships as a car owner); or a driver from the earlier days such as Fireball Roberts, the first superspeedway ace; or a short-track legend such as eight-time Modified champion Richie Evans.

Because it is a NASCAR Hall of Fame instead of a Cup shrine and I have a soft spot for short track racing in general and modifieds in particular, my pick for the fifth spot is Evans, the New Yorker who held the record for most championships in any division for two decades, was versatile enough that he could win anywhere (including Bowman Gray and once embarrassing the competition in a Modified race at Daytona) and certainly would have won more titles if he had not been killed in a crash at Martinsville Speedway.

For the second-year selections, I'd start with the trio of Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison -- all Cup champions with 80-plus victories.

The younger Bill France gets one slot. The other goes to Johnson.

The third year: Dale Inman (who was the crew chief behind six of Richard Petty's championships and one of Terry Labonte's titles); Herb Thomas (the first two-time Cup champ who was the first three-time winner of the Southern 500 on the way to getting 48 wins); two-time champ and winner of 46 races Buck Baker; and Rusty Wallace (one title, 55 wins).

The fourth year: Roberts, whose 33 wins includes four of the first 10 at Daytona; Ned Jarrett, who won 50 races and two championships before going on to TV work on CBS and ESPN; two-time champ Tim Flock with 39 wins; team owner Glen Wood, whose cars have won 96 races and was noted for revolutionizing pit stops in the 1960s; and Fred Lorenzen, who made his mark on the superspeedways while winning 26 times in the early '60s and becoming the first to win $100,000 in a season.

Fifth year: Legendary driver Curtis Turner; early Nationwide Series champs Sam Ard and Jack Ingram; Bobby Isaac, a winner of 37 races and a Cup championship; and RJR exec Seagraves.

In their eyes, he deserved a place in NASCAR's Hall of Fame and it was the facility's Commemorative Brick Program that allowed them the opportunity to give him the honor immediately. They recently purchased a commemorative brick for the Ceremonial Plaza at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte, N.C. with the following inscription:

TO RYAN NEWMAN:
YOUR DEMEANOR
REFLECTS A SOUL
U NEVER MET. IN
YOU WE SEE OUR
SON, JOSEPH HELD.

When NASCAR Hall of Fame officials shared the Deukers' story with Newman, he was so touched that he offered to host the couple at their trip to the racetrack. So, the NASCAR Hall of Fame decided to provide the couple an opportunity to meet their hero in person - at the Daytona 500. They will arrive in Daytona Beach on Feb. 13 and on the eve of the Daytona 500 will meet the race's defending champion. They also will be his guest on race day.

"The NASCAR Hall of Fame is all about celebrating special memories, whether they were made at certain races, tracks or with friends and family," NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley said. "This was such a special story that we wanted to provide the Deukers a chance to meet Ryan in person and attend their very first Daytona 500."

In the letter sent to the Hall of Fame, Steve Deuker wrote that Newman helped "us to heal and continue to claw forward." He continued, "To us, Ryan is a Hall of Famer for how he has touched us and the best way we could think to thank him was to make sure he would be represented at the NASCAR Hall of Fame."

"When I found out about the brick and the Deuker's story, I was really touched," said Ryan Newman. "As drivers, I don't think that we truly ever realize the impact that we have on our fans. When you hear these personal stories from fans, you can't help but me moved. I'm excited that the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Daytona International Speedway were able to bring the Deukers to the track for the weekend, and I'm looking forward to meeting them on Saturday. I'm lucky to have such incredible fans." A state-of-the-art facility, the Hall of Fame will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR, serve as an educational platform of the tremendous impact NASCAR has had on American culture and provide an enduring tribute to those who have impacted the sport in the past, present and yet to come. The NHOF will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program offers an affordable way for fans to mark their place in the history of the sport, and the bricks are priced in line with other collectible and commemorative merchandise. The 4x8 bricks are $150 and the replica brick with the customized inscription is available for $65. The 8x8 bricks are $300 with customized text and $325 with drivers' logo/likeness. The replica 8x8 bricks are $125 and $150, respectively.

A portion of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program purchase is tax-deductible. The NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Bricks can be purchased with most major credit cards. A payment plan is also available with three equal monthly installments.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program is managed by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Foundation, which provides it 501(c)3 tax exempt status.

Eric Bilsky, project manager on the hall of fame for the city of Charlotte, says contractor Turner BE&K Davis remains on budget. In September, costs increased by 20 percent, or $32 million, as the hall of fame’s operator, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, requested and won City Council approval for money to upgrade planned exhibits and add architectural flourishes.

Tuesday’s tour came amid scaffolding, girders and 400 construction workers scrambling to maintain the construction pace. Most of the roof has been applied and, in the months ahead, substantive interior work will begin. By fall, exhibit installation should begin, Bilsky says. In May 2010, the hall of fame opens with the inaugural induction ceremony.

“We’re building this to help the economy,” Mayor Pat McCrory said moments before raising the ceremonial beam as part of a topping out ceremony at the Second Ward construction site. “That was always the goal.”

McCrory expects the hall of fame to bolster the city’s ailing tourism sector while cementing the region as the hub for NASCAR teams and related businesses. More than 60,000 people in the region work in the tourism sector, an industry crippled by reduced corporate and lesiure travel during the past year.

Workers broke ground on the 130,000-square-foot hall of fame in January 2007. An adjoining, 40,000-square-foot convention center ballroom is also under construction on the same site. An adjacent tract houses the 20-story, $90 million NASCAR Plaza office tower. It opens in May.

Bilsky describes the hall of fame construction work as well-coordinated and without surprises. With the roof nearly complete, weather will no longer be a factor, he adds.

NASCAR executives at the ceremony praise the city for its commitment to the sport.

“It’s a monumental day for the hall of fame,” says Paul Brooks, NASCAR senior vice president. “It’s a unique building because on the first day it opens, it becomes an historical building. After years of looking at plans and renderings, it really is amazing to see it now.”

“This provided the City of Charlotte the opportunity to say thank you to the crew for returning our Charlotte citizens safely back home,” stated Mayor McCrory. “It was an honor to meet the Crew and thank them in person for their heroism.”

During the ceremony, the Mayor presented the crew with a Proclamation and replica of the bricks that will be placed in their honor at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The bricks will be a reminder of their heroism for future generations to reflect upon.

Many flight passengers also attended the ceremony and were recognized during the event for their cooperation and heroism during the emergency landing.

Who:
Raymond Parks, NASCAR legend
Mike Helton, President, NASCAR
Richard Petty, Seven Time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and
Owner, Richard Petty Motorsports
Winston Kelley, Executive Director, NASCAR Hall of Fame

What: 
NASCAR Hall of Fame Announcement Regarding Artifacts and Collections

When: 
Saturday, March 7, 2009
11:00am

Where: 
Atlanta Motor Speedway, Media Center

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on January 25, 2007 and is expected to open in May of 2010. The facility will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to NASCAR’s success. The Hall of Fame will comprise 150,000 square feet, including exhibit space, state-of-the-art theater, a Hall of Honor which will house the commemorations of Hall of Fame inductees, numerous interactive entertainment experiences, a themed restaurant, retail outlet, and a modern media center for the industry. The Hall will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

Media Contact:
Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Office (704) 331-2737
Cell (704) 877-9374
Molly.hedrick@crva.com

Parks, now 94 years old, has been a stalwart NASCAR supporter for over six decades, supporting NASCAR Founder Bill France Sr. in innumerable ways in the early years, generally in his quiet, reserved and behind the scenes style. 

"I’m proud of my involvement in NASCAR over the years and with the opportunity to partner with the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  Vi and I are thrilled that my artifacts will be housed in the Hall of Fame for future generations of fans to enjoy” Raymond Parks said in announcing he and his wife Vi’s intentions. 

“This is one of the most amazing and valued collections we could have envisioned,” said Winston Kelley, Executive Director with the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  “Raymond Parks is truly iconic…a genuine legend of this sport.  We are honored that Mr. and Mrs. Parks have expressed their interest in donating their family’s collection to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  It is both an honor and humbling to be entrusted with a collection such as Mr. Parks and be able to share it with the millions of NASCAR fans.  We pledge to treat and preserve it with the respect and care that it deserves.”

Samples of the collection were presented by Mr. and Mrs. Parks on Saturday, March 7 in a ceremony at Atlanta Motor Speedway including trophies and memorabilia of Raymond Parks’ career as the first team owner to win a NASCAR race and the first ‘multi-car’ owner of NASCAR.   Between March 10, 1940 and February 15, 1948, Raymond Parks’ cars won 10 of the 13 races held on the sands of Daytona Beach.

The trophies shown at Atlanta included the trophy that Red Byron and Raymond Parks was awarded for winning the first NASCAR race on Feb. 15, 1948. Also, the trophy awarded Byron and Parks for winning the first NASCAR Strictly Stock Division (now NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) championship in 1949. Lloyd Seay, named by Bill France Sr. as the greatest driver he ever saw, won a race at Atlanta’s Lakewood Speedway in 1938. It was the first victory for Raymond Parks as a car owner and that trophy will be there on Saturday. The trophy won by Bill France Sr. on July 7, 1940 on Daytona Beach will also be featured. “Big Bill” was wheeling Raymond Parks’ new Buick that day.

Other trophies from the Parks’ collection include:
1941 Daytona Beach race – Roy Hall, driver
1946 Thomaston Speedway- Bob Flock, driver
1947 Stock Car championship –Fonty Flock, driver
1948 NASCAR championship – Red Byron, driver
1950 Mexican road Race – Red Byron, driver

Mike Helton, NASCAR President who attended the ceremony, added, “Our sport is very fortunate and quite unique in having living members of our Founding Fathers.  Obtaining and displaying collections such as Mr. Parks is among the objectives NASCAR and the France family had when we decided to build a NASCAR Hall of Fame.  This further validates the importance and credibility of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and its respect as the largest spectator sport in America.”    

Buz McKim, Historian of the Hall and a longtime friend and admirer of Raymond Parks observes, “Clearly, we believe this generous gift is priceless.  Obtaining the first championship trophy is akin to having the trophy from Major League Baseball’s first World Series championship in 1903.  We are honored and thrilled.” 

Raymond Parks was the owner of Red Byron’s car which won NASCAR’s first Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup) championship in 1949. He was one of eight drivers inducted in the first class of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2002, along with his cousin Lloyd Seay, Byron, Tim Flock and Bill Elliott. 

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on January 25, 2007 and is expected to open in May of 2010. The facility will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to NASCAR’s success. The Hall of Fame will comprise 150,000 square feet, including exhibit space, state-of-the-art theater, a Hall of Honor which will house the commemorations of Hall of Fame inductees, numerous interactive entertainment experiences, a themed restaurant, retail outlet, and a modern media center for the industry. The Hall will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

Media Contact:
Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Office (704) 331-2737
Molly.hedrick@crva.com

The city owns the hall of fame under a licensing agreement with NASCAR, and all contracts must be approved by the council. The total exhibit budget is $31 million.

The contracts, which were negotiated by executives in the city manager’s office and the hall, were approved without debate.

Kubik Maltbie will be the primary fabricator and installer of all exhibits. Its contract, including $1 million in contingency fees, is $9,991,527. Kubik Maltbie’s original asking price was just over $11 million before negotiations with the city. The firm’s past work includes projects at the Smithsonian Institution and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Electrosonic Inc. will do all of the audio-visual components and provide an on-site technician for one year for $6,652,859, including contingency fees of $500,000. Electrosonic’s original bid was about $6 million but did not include $1 million for a video screen and sound on the building’s exterior. Electrosonic, which has collaborated with Kubik Maltbie on numerous projects, has a long list of clients, including The Weather Channel sets, the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center and the World of Coca-Cola.

Two much smaller contracts also were approved.

The Sponsorship Service Group will design and fabricate the race-car simulators for $702,972.

And the city authorized negotiations with iRacing.com Motorsports Simulations to provide the software to be used with the simulators for a maximum of $400,000. The racing software company, endorsed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., is co-owned by John Henry, whose Fenway Sports Group is co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing.

The council also was informed that the city is meeting its goal of awarding 16 percent of the project to local small businesses. Nearly 8 percent of the construction contracts have been awarded to businesses owned by African-Americans.

After all, a former NASCAR official said at the groundbreaking that NASCAR is constructing "the most technologically advanced hall of fame ever built."

One of the Hall's champions, seven-term Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory, said, "The home of racing history will be here forever and ever.

"The world is going to identify Charlotte with NASCAR," he added, "the way it identifies Hollywood with the movies."

The overall budget is $154.5 million. According to executive director Winston Kelley, the exhibit budget alone is $31 million.

Visitors to the Hall of Fame's Web site, www.nascarhall.com, can look at a simulated video of the various attractions, as well as a slide show and a "Web cam" of ongoing construction. The Grand Opening is scheduled for the "second quarter" of 2010, which means it will likely be held in conjunction with the May races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The project, already massive as it rises in the Charlotte skyline, bears some resemblance to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn. Above the massive walls, the NASCAR Hall of Fame takes an oval shape, and there's a practical reason. Inside, that oval shape will translate into a simulated short track, with still, full-sized race cars placed around it.

Even as construction crews are slowly erecting the edifice, which will feature a 10,000-square-foot main floor, Kelley is busily acquiring artifacts, which already number almost 1,000. The overall size of the building is 130,000 square feet. Exhibit space is approximately 40,000 square feet.

NASCAR's first great car owner, Raymond Parks, recently donated a trove of artifacts from the sport's early years, including the trophy honoring the winner of the ruling body's first race and its first champion.

"Obtaining the first championship trophy is akin to having the trophy from Major League Baseball's first World Series in 1903," said Hall historian Buzz McKim. "We are honored and thrilled."

Kelley called Parks "a genuine legend of this sport." In Kelley, the Hall of Fame literally has a familiar voice. Kelley, a race reporter for MRN (Motor Racing Network) Radio since the late 1980s, left a job as vice president of economic and business development at Duke Energy Carolinas.

The principal remaining question mark is the first class of inductees, though a process has been established. A nominating committee will choose 25 names, and a larger voting committee will select five members each year. To be eligible, a driver must compete for at least 10 years and be retired for three. A non-driver must be involved in the industry for at least 10 years.

Three of the first inductees will almost surely include NASCAR founder William H.G. ("Big Bill") France and drivers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. Among those who will undoubtedly be considered for the other two spots in the inaugural class are David Pearson, Junior Johnson, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and William C. ("Bill Jr.) France.

"You get to focus on five people every year, and they get their due," said Kelley. "It could've been four, and it could've been six. Some people said ‘you need a bunch of people in there,' but I didn't like that concept and gave my feedback to NASCAR." The selection committee will consist of 47 people, including the 20 from the nominating committee, and one vote will come from a fan poll.

"We have put an awful lot of effort into getting this right," said Kelley. "Based on my experience, I think everything that has been put in place has been done so that this Hall of Fame is not only an enjoyable experience for fans, but also a balanced, historically accurate depiction of the people who made the sport great."

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France has sent letters of invitation to 50 people asking them to serve on the NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and/or Voting Panel.

The hall’s inaugural class, consisting of five members, is scheduled to be enshrined in May 2010. That class will be selected by the Voting Panel from a list of 25 candidates assembled by a 21-person Nominating Committee.

The Voting Panel will consist of the members of the Nominating Committee and 29 others from throughout the NASCAR industry. There also will be one more ballot, decided by a nationwide fan vote, for a total of 51 Voting Panel ballots.

Prospective members of the Nominating Committee represent NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, major race track ownership groups and operators of historic short tracks. Those members are listed below.

“We have assembled a truly distinguished group of people from the NASCAR industry, a group that understands and represents the history of the sport,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “The Nominating Committee and the Voting Panel, including the fan vote, will combine to make NASCAR history, by deciding the first NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees.”

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

NASCAR Hall of Fame: Director Winston Kelley; Historian Buz McKim.

NASCAR Officials: Chairman/CEO Brian France; Vice Chairman Jim France; Senior Vice President Paul Brooks; President Mike Helton; Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton; Vice President of Communications Jim Hunter; Competition Administrator Jerry Cook; former Vice President Ken Clapp.

Track Owners/Operators: International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa Kennedy; Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell; Speedway Motorsports Incorporated CEO Bruton Smith; Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark; Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George; Dover Motorsports CEO Denis McGlynn; Pocono Raceway owner Doc Mattioli; Bowman Gray Stadium operator Dale Pinilis; Greenville-Pickens Speedway operator Tom Blackwell; Riverhead Raceway operators Jim and Barbara Cromarty (1 vote); Toyota Speedway at Irwindale operator Jim Williams.

The prospective 29 people slated to join the Nominating Committee members on the Voting Panel follow.

VOTING PANEL

National Motorsports Press Association: Kenny Bruce, NASCAR Scene; Dustin Long, Landmark Newspapers/NMPA President; Mike Harris, Associated Press; Nate Ryan, USA Today; Jim Pedley, RacinToday.com; Duane Cross, NASCAR.com.

Eastern Motorsports Press Association: Ernie Saxton, EMPA President.

American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association: Dusty Brandel, AARWBA President.

Broadcasters: Mike Joy, FOX; Bill Weber, TNT; Jerry Punch, ESPN; Barney Hall, MRN; Doug Rice, PRN; Rick Allen, SPEED.

Manufacturers: Chevrolet – Ed Peper, Vice President/General Manager North America; Ford – Edsel B. Ford II, Board of Directors; Dodge – Mike Accavitti, Director of Dodge Brand Global Marketing, Motorsports; Toyota – Lee White, President/General Manager, Toyota Racing Development USA.

Retired Drivers: Ricky Rudd; Harry Gant; Ned Jarrett.

Retired Car Owners: Bud Moore; Cotton Owens; Junior Johnson.

Retired Crew Chiefs: Barry Dodson; Waddell Wilson; Buddy Parrott.

Industry leaders: Former Lowe’s Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler, former motorsports journalist Tom Higgins.

NASCAR Managing Director of Corporate Communications, Ramsey Poston coordinated many of the details for the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction process. Poston sought the advice and guidance of the late David Poole of the Charlotte Observer and SIRIUS Satellite Radio.

“David was a sounding board for ideas on the induction process and of course provided his own ideas as well,” said Poston. “Just last Friday I contacted David to let him know that he had been selected to serve on the Voting Panel. He was honored. We’ll all miss his input on the future NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees.”

Plans call for the inaugural list of candidates to be announced in July. Voting, to include a fan vote, will be completed by October 2009 with the results announced soon after.

Media Contact:
Ramsey Poston
NASCAR Public Relations
(386) 681-4353 or rposton@nascar.com

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on January 25, 2007 and is expected to open in May of 2010. The facility will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to NASCAR’s success. The Hall of Fame will comprise 150,000 square feet, including exhibit space, state-of-the-art theater, a Hall of Honor which will house the commemorations of Hall of Fame inductees, numerous interactive entertainment experiences, a themed restaurant, retail outlet, and a modern media center for the industry. The Hall will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

www.NASCARHall.com

Media Contact:
Molly Hedrick
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Office (704) 331-2737
Molly.hedrick@crva.com

NASCAR® and the NASCAR Hall of Fame® are registered trademarks of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.

The small clock sits on Winston Kelley's desk, drawing attention with virtually every second that ticks off it.

The digital readout works backward, toward a date now less than a year away -- April 16, 2010 -- when Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, expects to receive the keys to the kingdom. It is the date when the construction team currently building the much-anticipated Hall of Fame is scheduled to transfer power to the team, led by Kelley, that will operate it.

"I see it every day because it's right beside my computer," Kelley said of the clock that measures about 3 inches in width and stands about 2½ inches tall. "I don't look at the hours or minutes yet, but I can tell you how many days it is."

That he can. Every day. All you have to do is ask him and he immediately can rattle off how many days are left until he gets to turn the key in the lock on the Hall's door.

On this Wednesday it was 331 days until Kelley and his staff get to throw open the doors and rush in for the first time without feeling like they have to stay out of the way of the guys with hammers and nails. Kelley said a four- to six-week "soft opening" is planned for setting up exhibits and testing everything from light switches to interactive displays before the actual opening to the public can occur in mid-May, about one year from now.

"I equate it to building a house, but hundreds of times over for the number of different light switches you have in there," Kelley said. "If you move into a new house, you might have one light switch that is crossed up and it turns on the fan and you've got to fix that. We hope for zero errors; we know that probably is not realistic."

Already the adjacent NASCAR Plaza office tower is moving swiftly toward completion. The NASCAR Media Group, which will occupy five of its 19 floors, plans to begin moving in by the end of June.

Work on the Hall itself, which is being overseen by the city of Charlotte, is coming along nicely, too. The outside of the building is beginning to take shape, and during a recent tour of the inside it is beginning to take less imagination to see the vision that will include Glory Road, where cars from throughout the history of the sport will be arranged in a sort of timeline that will include banking which simulates that of different tracks; the Hall of Honor which will house exhibits displaying inductees' accomplishments; a state-of-the-art 270-seat theater; and various other artifacts and interactive displays.

"To see it start becoming reality is huge. And when you can go through it, you can see where things are going to be," Kelley said. "Here's where Glory Road and the cars are going to be, and you see how the tracks can be shown and the banking there. You see the Hall of Honor where the inductees are going to be enshrined. ... It's really exciting to see."

Untold stories
As the construction continues at a frenetic pace, head Hall historian Buz McKim continues to work at no less a frenzied tempo to collect the many items that will be needed to fill the Hall and capture the fancy of the more than 800,000 fans it hopes to attract in its first year. (That is expected to fall off to closer to 400,000 in subsequent years -- a projection figure some admittedly have questioned as being too high).

Like Kelley, McKim has been around NASCAR virtually his entire life. His family moved to Daytona Beach, Fla., when he was 12 years old. As it so happened, they lived just down the street from what he found to be a fascinating place called the Museum of Speed, owned at the time by one of NASCAR's founding fathers.
McKim started hanging around the place so much that pretty soon he was hired, more or less, as an under-aged security guard.

"It was an old racing museum that was owned by Bill Tuthill, who was a co-founder of NASCAR. He and Bill France sort of co-founded NASCAR," McKim said. "So I was always around that stuff. I was always meeting the old drivers, because Tuthill knew everybody. People would come in from generations back, and I would get to meet them. I worked in 'security' when I was 12 years old, making sure nobody touched anything.

"So it's like I can look back in these chapters in my life that have brought me to this point, and it's just plain luck. I didn't study it; I didn't go to school for any of it. Maybe it's part of a divine plan, I don't know. I guess this is where I'm supposed to be."

It sure seems that way. Any conversation with McKim is likely to turn into a valuable history lesson of the sport.

For instance, he's an expert on Tuthill. Few casual -- and even many serious -- observers of the sport even know who Tuthill is. Yet Tuthill's story is just the kind that McKim hopes the Hall will be able to tell down to the tiniest detail.
Asked why so few remember Tuthill, McKim answers with a wink and a smile before adding: "We're going to work on that. I'll tell you what Tuthill did, he was the real business brains behind NASCAR. What happened was Tuthill was a great promoter up in the Northeast. He was a former motorcycle racer, and he ran events all over the Northeast.

"Bill France had his little group in the South. So he and Tuthill got together and decided they would have this North versus South deal. Tuthill had his Northern boys with their modifieds and France had his Southern boys. So they all went up to Lonsdale, Rhode Island, which was this high-banked, one-third mile track that seated 30,000 people. And they sold out. Bill France had never seen anything like this, and that's when the light came on."

According to McKim, that was as much the birth of NASCAR as the much more famous meeting that included France, Tuthill and 33 others in the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach only three months later.

"France was like, 'Holy cow!' This was October of '47, and ironically one of France's Southern boys, Fonty Flock, won the race," McKim said. "But he realized how big this could be, so he and Tuthill sat down and they said, 'I think we're onto something here.' Between October of '47 and December of '47, they had laid out a plan to draw the best promoters, drivers, car owners, mechanics to Daytona.
"They were like, 'Let's go ahead and sit down with these guys and tell 'em what our vision is, and see if we can hammer out a uniform set of rules, set up a points fund, a national championship, and we can all prosper from this. ... Let's unify and do everything together and share in this one vision.' They put that all together in about 90 days, if that."

Gathering the stuff
The challenge for McKim and Kelley is to tell the stories of Tuthill and others through what they hope will be the magic of the Hall. It is McKim's charge to collect the artifacts that will do so.

He attacks that job with great relish every day, well aware that one day may bring great and unexpected treasures while others will bear no fruit whatsoever.

"What was great was that we started basically with nothing in the collection. We had one piece, and built from there," McKim said. "We had a basic idea of what the history was that we wanted to tell, what were the highlights -- and then literally had to go out and see what artifacts were related to those events and those people. Did those artifacts exist? Who owned them? And would they be willing to donate or loan them to us?

"So it's been quite a process. It's been over two years that we've been working on this. We have several thousand artifacts that we've been able to either acquire or locate."

Kelley said that he marvels at McKim's ability to keep careful track of what is coming in -- and what they need to go after. But then, Kelley said he always has been amazed at McKim's grasp of NASCAR history, which obviously makes McKim the perfect man for his job.

"I used to think I knew a lot about the history of the sport until I got around Buz," Kelley said. "He isn't one of those guys who wears it on his shoulder and acts like a know-it-all. But I joke all the time about the fact that in the last two and a half years, I think I've stumped him once.

"We'll be sitting around talking about something and I'll be like, 'Are you sure it happened that year? Are you sure that's right?' And then he'll start quoting all this stuff, or he'll know where to look it up and tell me. There was only one time where he thought he was right and he ended up being wrong, but that was one time out of probably hundreds. Most times he doesn't even have to look it up -- but he does anyway just to make sure."

They have to be sure on everything. Of that, they are in complete agreement. That's why Kelley continues to question McKim even when he's already pretty sure the historian is correct on certain facts regarding items they've collected or are pursuing.

"I'm just inquiring because you want to be a perfectionist," Kelley said. "You want everything to be perfect, but life is not perfect. Yet that has to be our objective, for everything to be 100 percent accurate factually.
"There is judgment involved in the artifacts we pick. That's not a thing you can be perfect on -- whether I pick this helmet, or this driver, or this artifact -- but to make sure everything is 100 percent factual is important and you can make certain of that. That is our intention."

McKim said the items he has collected come from many varied sources.
"Everybody has been fantastic, the drivers or ex-drivers, or families of drivers, or fans. It's been amazing," McKim said. "Four or five times a week I get e-mails from someone saying I've got this or I've got that. A lot of times it's nothing special, but sometimes it'll blow you away.

"We found a Bobby Allison Gatorade uniform from a fella who lives up in Mooresville. That was an item we were tickled to death to find."
McKim's favorite item thus far is the information sheet Dale Earnhardt filled out when he began driving in the Cup series in 1975.

"NASCAR News Bureau had all the guys update their personal information every year, so at the archives in Daytona we had several of these. We had three of Ralph Earnhardt's and one of Dale's from '75," said McKim of father and son.
"Dale was living at his Mom's house. It was before he married Teresa. Dale Jr. was 3 months old. And his favorite drivers were Bobby Issac and Richard Petty. He was superstitious of the color green and peanuts, which also showed up on his dad's sheet. His dad was superstitious of green and peanuts. My favorite line -- probably one of the favorite things I've looked at in everything we've ever looked at -- is what he wrote on the line that said to list ambitions other than racing.

"Now this is a guy who lived basically hand-to-mouth at the time. He would borrow money on a 90-day note from a friend of his at the bank so he could buy racing tires. The guy knew Dale probably was good for it because Dale won a lot of races on the local scene. But anyway, under Ambitions Other Than Racing, he wrote NONE with an exclamation point -- and he underlined it. So he was going to be a racer, no matter what. He had that focus. And that really kind of personifies who he was."

Keeping it fresh
In March at Atlanta Motor Speedway, legendary car owner Raymond Parks -- who was in attendance at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach in December of 1947 along with France and Tuthill and the others -- announced that he was donating a number of items to the Hall. Included among them were the championship trophies from NASCAR's first two seasons, the 1948 Modified trophy and the '49 Strictly Stock trophy.

Among those in attendance at the news conference making the announcement were Richard Petty and NASCAR's president Mike Helton.
"When we sit around and talk about NASCAR, I think it's very important for us to remember the beginning of our sport, and Raymond Parks was there," Helton said.

Added Petty: "When racing first started, it was pretty rough. Rough characters, rough cars, rough situations. Mr. Parks brought the sport class. A lot of people looked at that and said, 'If he can do it, we can do it. We can clean the sport up. We can clean ourselves up.'

"It took people like Mr. Parks to lay the foundation that we're still living off of. And without people like him, we wouldn't have the history we have and we wouldn't be where we are today."

By donating the trophies that had adorned his office for six decades to the Hall, Parks ensured that his story will be told and his legacy preserved for generations of race fans to come. Kelley said landing those items was like "finding gold" and he watched Parks' reaction as Petty and Helton hovered over the artifacts following the formal presentation in Atlanta.

"You know, Raymond [who is 94] doesn't say a lot," Kelley said. "But I've been around him enough to be able to look into his eyes and see how he reacted to Richard Petty and Mike Helton admiring the trophies. And they didn't just walk by and glance at 'em. If you noticed, Mike and Richard studied every one of the trophies there. And seeing Mrs. Parks' eyes ... this is their history. They helped build this.

"Talking to the family that is good friends with the Parks' and helped facilitate the whole thing, they said Raymond talked more and beamed more at lunch that day than he had in a long, long time."

A donation such as the one made by Parks serves as a reminder to Kelley of what he and McKim and the rest of the Hall staff are dealing with in terms of the many items that they have been and will be entrusted with over the coming months and years.

"These are individuals' treasures. You've got to be respectful of them," Kelley said. "And that's why our system allows for us to either accept a donation, if that is their preference, or for a loan for a period of time that suits them."
Furthermore, Kelley and McKim said they can envision fans having similar reactions as Parks and Petty and Helton to different items and displays they will discover in the Hall when it opens.

To ensure this, they will regularly change out many of the exhibits. If there is one thing their search for items to fill it already has taught them, it's that they will never be short on interesting artifacts.

That's why they will have six or seven "crown jewel" exhibits that won't change, but everything else will be up for possible switching out with additional pieces that have yet to be collected or have been collected but will be stored and are not yet slated for a specific display.

"We've found a lot of things that we won't be using opening day, but they've given us ideas for future exhibits," McKim said. "The last thing you want to do is get stale in a facility like this. Every museum has the same problem: keeping it fresh for people. Whenever they come in, give them something new to see."
Kelley added: "The first question I remember getting after I took this job, somebody asked, 'What do you think is going to be your biggest challenge?' ... I hadn't even thought about it. But the first thing that comes to mind, from what I do know about the history of the sport and the size of our facility, is that even if the size of our facility was three times as large as it is, we're not going to have enough space to show everything we want to show.
"But that's a blessing more than a curse, because it gives us the opportunity to rotate things out."

Eye on opening day
There is something else on Kelley's desk that catches his eye every day. It is a picture of him as a youth, getting an autograph from Richard Petty at a track in the 1960s. Kelley attended his first race with his father, a former publicist at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in 1964.

Kelley examines the photo of himself and the legendary driver often these days -- after losing track of it for years.

"I stumbled across it about the time I took this job. I remember having had the picture taken, but I really wasn't looking for it," Kelley said. "I just stumbled across it, and here was Richard Petty, the biggest name in the sport, giving me an autograph as a kid.

"Think about it. He's always been that way. I met him for the first time when I was 6 years old in '64. This was later. But the biggest name in the sport has always taken the time for people -- whether it's Bill France Jr., or a little kid or the guy that sells hot dogs. That's the customer service we need to provide to folks."
Much has been written and reported about the Hall since groundbreaking ceremonies were held in January 2007. There have been cost overruns and minor squabbles between the city of Charlotte, which is building the Hall with public money from a hotel tax, and the private sector which is building and will own and operate the adjacent 390,000-square-foot NASCAR Plaza tower.

Officials have joked about the difficulties they've faced when running cable from one building to the other, noting that when the private part of the project crosses over into the public part it becomes a different world. Anything the city works on must be bid out competitively, often slowing down the process in the name of making certain the public money being put up is well spent.

When all is said and done, the project will cost nearly $200 million. But Kelley and other officials have stated that they expect to generate revenue of $10 million to $12 million annually at the Hall while hoping to keep operating costs at less than $10 million.

Folks are clamoring to work there and be part of it. Kelley said some positions he has filled have drawn as many as 675 applicants "and that was back when I first took the job in 2006, so the interest wasn't driven by this economy."
While acknowledging that times are different now than when the project was first announced and launched, the goals remain the same. Finish on time and commence entertaining fans by mid-May of next year.

As Kelley can tell you every time he glances next to his computer, the clock is ticking.

When it strikes all zeroes and the doors to the Hall finally fling open for good, it will be up to others to judge if it is the smashing success he and McKim and others in NASCAR have long envisioned. But Kelley exudes confidence and cannot wait for Judgment Day.

"If people can walk out saying they learned something and had a good time and they were treated like they want to be treated, we will be successful," Kelley said.

The digital readout works backward, toward a date now less than a year away -- April 16, 2010 -- when Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, expects to receive the keys to the kingdom. It is the date when the construction team currently building the much-anticipated Hall of Fame is scheduled to transfer power to the team, led by Kelley, that will operate it.

"I see it every day because it's right beside my computer," Kelley said of the clock that measures about 3 inches in width and stands about 2½ inches tall. "I don't look at the hours or minutes yet, but I can tell you how many days it is."

That he can. Every day. All you have to do is ask him and he immediately can rattle off how many days are left until he gets to turn the key in the lock on the Hall's door.

On this Wednesday it was 331 days until Kelley and his staff get to throw open the doors and rush in for the first time without feeling like they have to stay out of the way of the guys with hammers and nails. Kelley said a four- to six-week "soft opening" is planned for setting up exhibits and testing everything from light switches to interactive displays before the actual opening to the public can occur in mid-May, about one year from now.

"I equate it to building a house, but hundreds of times over for the number of different light switches you have in there," Kelley said. "If you move into a new house, you might have one light switch that is crossed up and it turns on the fan and you've got to fix that. We hope for zero errors; we know that probably is not realistic."

Already the adjacent NASCAR Plaza office tower is moving swiftly toward completion. The NASCAR Media Group, which will occupy five of its 19 floors, plans to begin moving in by the end of June.

Work on the Hall itself, which is being overseen by the city of Charlotte, is coming along nicely, too. The outside of the building is beginning to take shape, and during a recent tour of the inside it is beginning to take less imagination to see the vision that will include Glory Road, where cars from throughout the history of the sport will be arranged in a sort of timeline that will include banking which simulates that of different tracks; the Hall of Honor which will house exhibits displaying inductees' accomplishments; a state-of-the-art 270-seat theater; and various other artifacts and interactive displays.

"To see it start becoming reality is huge. And when you can go through it, you can see where things are going to be," Kelley said. "Here's where Glory Road and the cars are going to be, and you see how the tracks can be shown and the banking there. You see the Hall of Honor where the inductees are going to be enshrined. ... It's really exciting to see."

Untold stories

As the construction continues at a frenetic pace, head Hall historian Buz McKim continues to work at no less a frenzied tempo to collect the many items that will be needed to fill the Hall and capture the fancy of the more than 800,000 fans it hopes to attract in its first year. (That is expected to fall off to closer to 400,000 in subsequent years -- a projection figure some admittedly have questioned as being too high).

Like Kelley, McKim has been around NASCAR virtually his entire life. His family moved to Daytona Beach, Fla., when he was 12 years old. As it so happened, they lived just down the street from what he found to be a fascinating place called the Museum of Speed, owned at the time by one of NASCAR's founding fathers.

McKim started hanging around the place so much that pretty soon he was hired, more or less, as an under-aged security guard.

"It was an old racing museum that was owned by Bill Tuthill, who was a co-founder of NASCAR. He and Bill France sort of co-founded NASCAR," McKim said. "So I was always around that stuff. I was always meeting the old drivers, because Tuthill knew everybody. People would come in from generations back, and I would get to meet them. I worked in 'security' when I was 12 years old, making sure nobody touched anything.

"So it's like I can look back in these chapters in my life that have brought me to this point, and it's just plain luck. I didn't study it; I didn't go to school for any of it. Maybe it's part of a divine plan, I don't know. I guess this is where I'm supposed to be."

It sure seems that way. Any conversation with McKim is likely to turn into a valuable history lesson of the sport.

For instance, he's an expert on Tuthill. Few casual -- and even many serious -- observers of the sport even know who Tuthill is. Yet Tuthill's story is just the kind that McKim hopes the Hall will be able to tell down to the tiniest detail.

Asked why so few remember Tuthill, McKim answers with a wink and a smile before adding: "We're going to work on that. I'll tell you what Tuthill did, he was the real business brains behind NASCAR. What happened was Tuthill was a great promoter up in the Northeast. He was a former motorcycle racer, and he ran events all over the Northeast.

"Bill France had his little group in the South. So he and Tuthill got together and decided they would have this North versus South deal. Tuthill had his Northern boys with their modifieds and France had his Southern boys. So they all went up to Lonsdale, Rhode Island, which was this high-banked, one-third mile track that seated 30,000 people. And they sold out. Bill France had never seen anything like this, and that's when the light came on."

According to McKim, that was as much the birth of NASCAR as the much more famous meeting that included France, Tuthill and 33 others in the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach only three months later.

"France was like, 'Holy cow!' This was October of '47, and ironically one of France's Southern boys, Fonty Flock, won the race," McKim said. "But he realized how big this could be, so he and Tuthill sat down and they said, 'I think we're onto something here.' Between October of '47 and December of '47, they had laid out a plan to draw the best promoters, drivers, car owners, mechanics to Daytona.

"They were like, 'Let's go ahead and sit down with these guys and tell 'em what our vision is, and see if we can hammer out a uniform set of rules, set up a points fund, a national championship, and we can all prosper from this. ... Let's unify and do everything together and share in this one vision.' They put that all together in about 90 days, if that."

Gathering the stuff

The challenge for McKim and Kelley is to tell the stories of Tuthill and others through what they hope will be the magic of the Hall. It is McKim's charge to collect the artifacts that will do so.

He attacks that job with great relish every day, well aware that one day may bring great and unexpected treasures while others will bear no fruit whatsoever.

"What was great was that we started basically with nothing in the collection. We had one piece, and built from there," McKim said. "We had a basic idea of what the history was that we wanted to tell, what were the highlights -- and then literally had to go out and see what artifacts were related to those events and those people. Did those artifacts exist? Who owned them? And would they be willing to donate or loan them to us?

"So it's been quite a process. It's been over two years that we've been working on this. We have several thousand artifacts that we've been able to either acquire or locate."

Kelley said that he marvels at McKim's ability to keep careful track of what is coming in -- and what they need to go after. But then, Kelley said he always has been amazed at McKim's grasp of NASCAR history, which obviously makes McKim the perfect man for his job.

"I used to think I knew a lot about the history of the sport until I got around Buz," Kelley said. "He isn't one of those guys who wears it on his shoulder and acts like a know-it-all. But I joke all the time about the fact that in the last two and a half years, I think I've stumped him once.

"We'll be sitting around talking about something and I'll be like, 'Are you sure it happened that year? Are you sure that's right?' And then he'll start quoting all this stuff, or he'll know where to look it up and tell me. There was only one time where he thought he was right and he ended up being wrong, but that was one time out of probably hundreds. Most times he doesn't even have to look it up -- but he does anyway just to make sure."

They have to be sure on everything. Of that, they are in complete agreement. That's why Kelley continues to question McKim even when he's already pretty sure the historian is correct on certain facts regarding items they've collected or are pursuing.

"I'm just inquiring because you want to be a perfectionist," Kelley said. "You want everything to be perfect, but life is not perfect. Yet that has to be our objective, for everything to be 100 percent accurate factually.

"There is judgment involved in the artifacts we pick. That's not a thing you can be perfect on -- whether I pick this helmet, or this driver, or this artifact -- but to make sure everything is 100 percent factual is important and you can make certain of that. That is our intention."

McKim said the items he has collected come from many varied sources.

"Everybody has been fantastic, the drivers or ex-drivers, or families of drivers, or fans. It's been amazing," McKim said. "Four or five times a week I get e-mails from someone saying I've got this or I've got that. A lot of times it's nothing special, but sometimes it'll blow you away.

"We found a Bobby Allison Gatorade uniform from a fella who lives up in Mooresville. That was an item we were tickled to death to find."

McKim's favorite item thus far is the information sheet Dale Earnhardt filled out when he began driving in the Cup series in 1975.

"NASCAR News Bureau had all the guys update their personal information every year, so at the archives in Daytona we had several of these. We had three of Ralph Earnhardt's and one of Dale's from '75," said McKim of father and son.

"Dale was living at his Mom's house. It was before he married Teresa. Dale Jr. was 3 months old. And his favorite drivers were Bobby Issac and Richard Petty. He was superstitious of the color green and peanuts, which also showed up on his dad's sheet. His dad was superstitious of green and peanuts. My favorite line -- probably one of the favorite things I've looked at in everything we've ever looked at -- is what he wrote on the line that said to list ambitions other than racing.

"Now this is a guy who lived basically hand-to-mouth at the time. He would borrow money on a 90-day note from a friend of his at the bank so he could buy racing tires. The guy knew Dale probably was good for it because Dale won a lot of races on the local scene. But anyway, under Ambitions Other Than Racing, he wrote NONE with an exclamation point -- and he underlined it. So he was going to be a racer, no matter what. He had that focus. And that really kind of personifies who he was."

Keeping it fresh

In March at Atlanta Motor Speedway, legendary car owner Raymond Parks -- who was in attendance at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach in December of 1947 along with France and Tuthill and the others -- announced that he was donating a number of items to the Hall. Included among them were the championship trophies from NASCAR's first two seasons, the 1948 Modified trophy and the '49 Strictly Stock trophy.

Among those in attendance at the news conference making the announcement were Richard Petty and NASCAR's president Mike Helton.

"When we sit around and talk about NASCAR, I think it's very important for us to remember the beginning of our sport, and Raymond Parks was there," Helton said.

Added Petty: "When racing first started, it was pretty rough. Rough characters, rough cars, rough situations. Mr. Parks brought the sport class. A lot of people looked at that and said, 'If he can do it, we can do it. We can clean the sport up. We can clean ourselves up.'

"It took people like Mr. Parks to lay the foundation that we're still living off of. And without people like him, we wouldn't have the history we have and we wouldn't be where we are today."

By donating the trophies that had adorned his office for six decades to the Hall, Parks ensured that his story will be told and his legacy preserved for generations of race fans to come. Kelley said landing those items was like "finding gold" and he watched Parks' reaction as Petty and Helton hovered over the artifacts following the formal presentation in Atlanta.

"You know, Raymond [who is 94] doesn't say a lot," Kelley said. "But I've been around him enough to be able to look into his eyes and see how he reacted to Richard Petty and Mike Helton admiring the trophies. And they didn't just walk by and glance at 'em. If you noticed, Mike and Richard studied every one of the trophies there. And seeing Mrs. Parks' eyes ... this is their history. They helped build this.

"Talking to the family that is good friends with the Parks' and helped facilitate the whole thing, they said Raymond talked more and beamed more at lunch that day than he had in a long, long time."

A donation such as the one made by Parks serves as a reminder to Kelley of what he and McKim and the rest of the Hall staff are dealing with in terms of the many items that they have been and will be entrusted with over the coming months and years.

"These are individuals' treasures. You've got to be respectful of them," Kelley said. "And that's why our system allows for us to either accept a donation, if that is their preference, or for a loan for a period of time that suits them."

Furthermore, Kelley and McKim said they can envision fans having similar reactions as Parks and Petty and Helton to different items and displays they will discover in the Hall when it opens.

To ensure this, they will regularly change out many of the exhibits. If there is one thing their search for items to fill it already has taught them, it's that they will never be short on interesting artifacts.

That's why they will have six or seven "crown jewel" exhibits that won't change, but everything else will be up for possible switching out with additional pieces that have yet to be collected or have been collected but will be stored and are not yet slated for a specific display.

"We've found a lot of things that we won't be using opening day, but they've given us ideas for future exhibits," McKim said. "The last thing you want to do is get stale in a facility like this. Every museum has the same problem: keeping it fresh for people. Whenever they come in, give them something new to see."

Kelley added: "The first question I remember getting after I took this job, somebody asked, 'What do you think is going to be your biggest challenge?' ... I hadn't even thought about it. But the first thing that comes to mind, from what I do know about the history of the sport and the size of our facility, is that even if the size of our facility was three times as large as it is, we're not going to have enough space to show everything we want to show.

"But that's a blessing more than a curse, because it gives us the opportunity to rotate things out."

Eye on opening day

There is something else on Kelley's desk that catches his eye every day. It is a picture of him as a youth, getting an autograph from Richard Petty at a track in the 1960s. Kelley attended his first race with his father, a former publicist at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in 1964.

Kelley examines the photo of himself and the legendary driver often these days -- after losing track of it for years.

"I stumbled across it about the time I took this job. I remember having had the picture taken, but I really wasn't looking for it," Kelley said. "I just stumbled across it, and here was Richard Petty, the biggest name in the sport, giving me an autograph as a kid.

"Think about it. He's always been that way. I met him for the first time when I was 6 years old in '64. This was later. But the biggest name in the sport has always taken the time for people -- whether it's Bill France Jr., or a little kid or the guy that sells hot dogs. That's the customer service we need to provide to folks."

Much has been written and reported about the Hall since groundbreaking ceremonies were held in January 2007. There have been cost overruns and minor squabbles between the city of Charlotte, which is building the Hall with public money from a hotel tax, and the private sector which is building and will own and operate the adjacent 390,000-square-foot NASCAR Plaza tower.

Officials have joked about the difficulties they've faced when running cable from one building to the other, noting that when the private part of the project crosses over into the public part it becomes a different world. Anything the city works on must be bid out competitively, often slowing down the process in the name of making certain the public money being put up is well spent.When all is said and done, the project will cost nearly $200 million. But Kelley and other officials have stated that they expect to generate revenue of $10 million to $12 million annually at the Hall while hoping to keep operating costs at less than $10 million.

Folks are clamoring to work there and be part of it. Kelley said some positions he has filled have drawn as many as 675 applicants "and that was back when I first took the job in 2006, so the interest wasn't driven by this economy."

While acknowledging that times are different now than when the project was first announced and launched, the goals remain the same. Finish on time and commence entertaining fans by mid-May of next year.

As Kelley can tell you every time he glances next to his computer, the clock is ticking.

When it strikes all zeroes and the doors to the Hall finally fling open for good, it will be up to others to judge if it is the smashing success he and McKim and others in NASCAR have long envisioned. But Kelley exudes confidence and cannot wait for Judgment Day.

"If people can walk out saying they learned something and had a good time and they were treated like they want to be treated, we will be successful," Kelley said.

The NASCAR® Hall of Fame today announced May 11, 2010 as the official grand opening date for the state-of-the-art facility under construction in Charlotte, N.C . 

“I am thrilled to announce that Charlotte will proudly welcome visitors to the NASCAR Hall of Fame with its grand opening on May 11, 2010,” said City of Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory at the NASCAR Hall of Fame announcement on June 19. “It is a testament to our strong history and an exciting glimpse into our region’s dynamic future to be able to announce this upcoming milestone date today, on our city’s 60th anniversary of its first NASCAR race.”

Charlotte hosted the first-ever NASCAR “Strictly Stock” race – later called the Grand National and now the Sprint Cup series – 60 years ago today, June 19, 1949, at the Charlotte Speedway, which was located a few miles east of the site of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“This is a very exciting time in the development of the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “We’re less than a year away from opening the doors that will give visitors an unparalleled experience of the energy, excitement, technology and incredible history of NASCAR – a sport that is so closely tied to our city, our region and our rich heritage in racing.”

Charlottean David Allison, whose family owned Charlotte Speedway, was on site for the announcement along with Hickory, N.C. native Ned Jarrett, who was a teenage spectator at the historic 150-mile race and went on to become a two-time NASCAR Grand National Champion (1961, 1965) and later a broadcast race commentator.

As part of the announcement, the NASCAR Hall of Fame unveiled three new artifacts that will be featured in the facility when it opens next year. Included among a host of interactive displays, exhibits and artifacts will be the blazer that Ned Jarrett wore while he commentated the 1993 Daytona 500 in which his son, Dale, staved off Dale Earnhardt to claim his first Daytona 500 win.  The artifact represents the close family ties within NASCAR, a sport in which fathers, sons, brothers and cousins race with each other, for each other and against each other.

Artifacts in the NASCAR Hall of Fame also will celebrate the origins of NASCAR and racing. The Hall announced that it will feature a reproduction of a Charlotte Speedway track poster from 1924, which illustrates Charlotte’s deep roots in racing, and an original entry blank from the first-ever NASCAR Strictly Stock series event, held June 19, 1949, at Charlotte Speedway. These artifacts will be among the nearly 1,000 that will be on display when the Hall opens next May.

To date, the NASCAR Hall of Fame has announced two major artifacts for display in the Hall – the Plymouth Belvedere that Richard Petty drove to 27 wins in 1967, and an epic collection of NASCAR awards and memorabilia donated by Raymond Parks, including the first NASCAR trophy ever awarded a team. Exhibits that will showcase artifacts such as these at the NASCAR Hall of Fame are currently under development.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will launch a comprehensive sales campaign this fall, including ticket and membership sales, and will feature the marketing tagline “Where the race lives on.” The campaign is being developed by Charlotte marketing communications firm Wray Ward.

“On May 11, 2010, NASCAR Hall of Fame guests can immerse themselves in the history of NASCAR, see literally every aspect of the sport up close, and have personal, hands-on experiences of today’s competitors and those of yesteryear,” Kelley said.

“I am constantly amazed at the depth and breadth of the racing experience our exhibition team is developing – there is something for people of all ages and all levels of knowledge of NASCAR and the sport’s milestone moments,” he said. “The NASCAR Hall of Fame is the place where the stories live on. It’s where the excitement lives on. It’s where the race lives on.”

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on January 25, 2007 and will open May 11, 2010. The facility will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to the success of NASCAR. The Hall of Fame will comprise 150,000 square feet, including exhibit space, state-of-the-art theater, a Hall of Honor that will house the commemorations of Hall of Fame inductees, numerous interactive entertainment experiences, a themed restaurant, retail outlet, and a modern media center for the industry. The Hall will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

Media Contacts:
Molly Hedrick                    
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority    
(704) 331-2737    
Molly.hedrick@crva.com


Heather Tamol
Wray Ward
(704) 661-0709
Htamol@wrayward.com

NASCAR® and the NASCAR Hall of Fame® are registered trademarks of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class will take a significant step towards realization Thursday night when the first 25 nominees will be revealed. The announcement will take place during an hour-long special on SPEED (8 p.m. ET) that will be hosted by long-time NASCAR broadcaster Ken Squier. The Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a fan-vote element, will then choose the first class of inductees – five NASCAR greats who will be honored next May at the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

The elite 25 names were determined by a 21-person Nominating Committee that consists of officials from both NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, plus owners/operators of major speedways and historic short tracks. The list represents many who helped build the sport, including drivers, owners and promoters.

NASCAR will release the names of a handful of nominees with daily blogs on NASCAR.COM leading into Thursday (http://community.nascar.com/crews/NASCAR_Says). The remainder of the 25 finalists will be announced on SPEED Thursday night. The show will countdown all 25 nominees with background and footage of each of them. Immediately following the SPEED show, NASCAR.COM will go live with a gallery of all 25 nominees and will open registration for the fan vote.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that long-time rivals Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip have been nominated.

Here are two more names that will be on that list:
Glen Wood and Richard Childress.

Both were drivers originally, who switched their concentration to team ownership. Both ended up having some of NASCAR’s biggest stars drive their cars.

Wood had David Pearson, Junior Johnson, Cale Yarborough, Fred Lorenzen and currently, Bill Elliott. Childress’ big gun for years was seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Earnhardt; six of those titles were won driving for Childress.

The Wood Brothers are credited with pioneering the modern-day pit stop, becoming one of the first organizations to recognize the value of pit-stop efficiency and how that could benefit a team over the course of a long afternoon of racing.

Childress’ ownership efforts have continued admirably since Earnhardt’s 2001 passing. He has 11 owner championships in NASCAR’s three national series, which is a record, shared with Rick Hendrick.

Editor’s note: This week, NASCAR is providing “sneak peeks” at the inaugural list of nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame via blogs at http://community.nascar.com/crews/NASCAR_Says. The full list will be announced Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on SPEED.

For each of these legendary competitors, their success came in threes.

Petty was the first driver to win three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships; Yarborough was the first driver to win the championship three consecutive years.

Petty’s titles came in 1954, ’58 and ’59; Yarborough’s triple came in 1976-78.

Those were decidedly different eras, a fact of stock-car history that likely will result in different opinions about their nominations.

Earlier this week, NASCAR provided the names of four other nominees: Bobby Allison, Richard Childress, Darrell Waltrip and Glen Wood.

Tonight, the entire 25-person list of nominees will be announced during a special SPEED presentation. From that list, five people will be chosen as the hall’s inaugural class of inductees in October. The inductees will be honored next May at the new HOF facility in Charlotte, N.C.

Editor’s note: NASCAR is providing “sneak peeks” at the inaugural list of nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will be announced tonight at 8 p.m. ET on SPEED.

The nominees, which include many of the sport’s legendary names, were selected by a 21-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks.

“This first list of potential inductees is impressive, to say the least,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Now comes the hard part – choosing only five to be inducted. Every single person on this list is worthy to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

The HOF’s first inductees will be determined by the Voting Panel, which has 50 members – the entire Nominating Committee, 14 media members, four manufacturer representatives, nine retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs – three each) and two recognized industry leaders. In addition, the fan vote will result in the Voting Panel’s 51st and final ballot.

Following are the 25 individuals who have been nominated:

- Bobby Allison, 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and winner of 84 races
- Buck Baker, first driver to win consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
- Red Byron, first NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, in 1949
- Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
- Dale Earnhardt, won record seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
- Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion
- Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
- Bill France Jr., NASCAR president, chairman and CEO (1972-2003)
- Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and first president  (1948-1972)
- Rick Hendrick, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
- Ned Jarrett, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
- Junior Johnson, 50 wins as a driver, 132 wins and six championships as an owner
- Bud Moore, 63 wins and two NASCAR Sprint Cup titles as a car owner
- Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner
- Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
- David Pearson, 105 victories and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
- Lee Petty, winner of first Daytona 500 and first three-time series champion
- Richard Petty, 200 wins and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup titles – both records
- Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
- Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, 1951 and ‘53
- Curtis Turner, early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
- Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 races and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
- Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
- Glen Wood, as driver, laid foundation for Wood Brothers’ future team success
- Cale Yarborough, winner of three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, 1976-78

With the opening nearly 10 months away, you still have to dodge the machinery and scaffolding, hopscotch the sticky red clay and block out the constant noise of drilling as you visit the site. But the outer shell is complete and ready to house NASCAR's long-awaited celebration of its past.

"What's going to be inside is even better," said Tim Newman, CEO of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

That's where the hall's director, Winston Kelley, gave a hard-hat tour last week. The banked "Glory Road" that will greet visitors as they enter the hall is almost ready for Richard Petty's famous No. 43 Plymouth. The theater next door that will provide fans with videos of the past is being constructed.

The oval ring of honor is nearly equipped to hang the high-tech monuments for the five-member class that will be inducted in May. The race day experience a floor higher is a large space that will let fans change a tire, go in a race simulator and see a full-sized transporter.

The heritage floor is carving out room to tell NASCAR's story from the early days on the beach courses at Daytona to explaining the Car of Tomorrow.

There will be plenty of space to eat and buy souvenirs, too, in the 130,000-square-foot facility that includes a 19-floor office tower, ballroom and television and radio studios.

"We want to make sure this is right, that's it's engaging and you want to come back," Kelley said, wearing a bright construction vest.

A longtime NASCAR broadcaster, Kelley was chosen to run the hall when NASCAR picked Charlotte as the site over Atlanta, Richmond, Va., Daytona Beach, Fla., and Kansas City, Kan.

Groundbreaking on the $154.5 million project was in January 2007. Paid for mostly by a 2 percent increase in the hotel and motel tax, the facility will be owned by the city, with NASCAR getting royalties and some revenues. The project is on schedule and on budget, with the scheduled opening May 11.

Yet with NASCAR struggling with smaller crowds and sponsorship pullouts, the timing isn't great. The local effect of the economic downturn is visible just outside the main entrance, where a stalled condominium tower a block away provides an eyesore.

"We still are hopeful that we'll have 800,000 people come through the first year," Newman said. "Based on what other halls have experienced, some of which have opened in very difficult, trying times, the product itself, priced right with the right experience, is going to be successful."

Kelley spent much of 2007 visiting different halls of fame to get ideas. NASCAR's shrine will have an introductory video like baseball's Hall of Fame. There will be a stock car racing timeline that will also include major events in history to provide context, as organizers did for a similar exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

But NASCAR also wants to take advantage of technological advances. Instead of the busts or plaques for the inductees, there will be an interactive display that includes not only a picture and statistics, but a video screen and audio. The bottom of the 7-foot monument will include an area where children can make a souvenir rubbing.

The hall has secured additional funding for more interactive exhibits, items Kelley said are essential. With Charlotte hosting three NASCAR races a year, Kelley is charged with keeping the Hall of Fame fresh to bring repeat visitors. He plans to routinely trade out exhibits and update displays.

"No matter how big the facility is, you're not going to be able to put everything in there and tell every story at once," Kelley said. "The blessing is, there is so much material that you can bring in and change. I don't think we're going to run out of stories."

The Hall of Fame will rely on donated and borrowed items and will not pay for cars or other artifacts. Petty began the process when he agreed to lend the car in which he won 36 races in 1966-67, including a record 10 straight on the way to his 1967 championship. It will be one of 18 cars on "Glory Road," where fans will walk up a simulated track with different banking to mimic tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

The May opening will coincide with the first Hall of Fame class, likely to include Petty, Dale Earnhardt and NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. The induction ceremony will be either the weekend of NASCAR's All-Star race at nearby Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 22-23 or the Coca-Cola 600 a week later at the same track.

"When I think about what's in here, I think of the stories," Kelley said. "I think about the Richard Pettys and the Bobby Allisons and the David Pearsons and the people I grew up looking up to.

"This is our history."

Ticketmaster, a Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:TKTM) operating business, and Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) today announced a multi-year ticketing renewal for Bojangles’ Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium, and Charlotte Convention Center. The agreement includes the NASCAR Hall of Fame, set to open May 11, 2010. On an annual basis, CRVA facilities play host to more than 600 events attended by approximately two million residents and visitors.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame, a 150,000-square-foot interactive entertainment attraction, will use Ticketmaster VISTA technology to provide a fully integrated system of reporting capabilities including ticket availability, attendance, and revenue analysis. Ticketmaster will enable patrons to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster’s Charge-By-Phone Network 1-800-745-3000, and at Ticketmaster retail ticket outlet locations.

Charlotte is the home of stock car racing with more than 80 percent of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, 70 percent of NASCAR Nationwide Series teams, and 50 percent of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams based in the region.

“CRVA is pleased to have extended the long-standing relationship we have had with Ticketmaster,” said Mike Crum, Chief Operating Officer for the CRVA.

“The NASCAR Hall of Fame will be a tremendous asset to the Charlotte community and we are proud to be affiliated with it as it expands our long-standing partnership with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority,” said Jared Smith, Ticketmaster’s regional vice president, South East Region.

Ticketmaster VISTA Software provides fully integrated reservations, scheduling and admissions systems designed specifically to help museums and exhibitions operate at maximum efficiency.

Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
With an organization-wide vision of Southern hospitality and world-class customer service, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) seeks to ensure that the visitors and events that come to the area have a positive experience. CRVA responsibilities include destination marketing through Visit Charlotte and management/operations responsibilities for the Charlotte Convention Center, Time Warner Cable Arena, Ovens Auditorium and Bojangles’ Coliseum, and will include the NASCAR Hall of Fame opening in May of 2010.

About Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc.
Ticketmaster Entertainment consists of Ticketmaster and Front Line Management Group. As the world’s leading live entertainment ticketing and marketing company, Ticketmaster connects the world to live entertainment. Ticketmaster operates in 20 global markets, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the Internet; approximately 7,100 retail outlets; and 17 worldwide call centers. Established in 1976, Ticketmaster serves more than 10,000 clients worldwide across multiple event categories, providing exclusive ticketing services for leading arenas, stadiums, professional sports franchises and leagues, college sports teams, performing arts venues, museums, and theaters. In 2008, the Company sold more than 141 million tickets valued at over $8.9 billion on behalf of its clients. Ticketmaster Entertainment acquired a controlling interest in Front Line Management Group in October 2008. Founded by Irving Azoff and Howard Kaufman in 2004, Front Line Management Group is the world’s leading artist management company. Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is headquartered in West Hollywood, California (NASDAQ:TKTM).

Media Contacts:
Ticketmaster Entertainment – Media
Hannah Kampf
+1-310-360-2434
media@ticketmaster.com

Ticketmaster Entertainment - Investor Relations
+1-310-360-2354
ir@ticketmaster.com

The NASCAR Hall of Fame and Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. announced today that Buffalo Wild Wings® will be the exclusive restaurant partner for the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. 

Buffalo Wild Wings, a national sports-themed restaurant company best known for its award winning chicken wings spun in one of its 14 different sauces, will open the 8,400-square-foot restaurant in the Spring of 2010. The 10-year agreement has multiple renewal options.  

“Buffalo Wild Wings offers a fantastic product at a great value, making it a perfect complement to the robust entertainment offerings of the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “We are confident the restaurant will be a popular attraction among guests of the Hall and also a positive addition for visitors, residents and employees of Charlotte’s Center City.”

Buffalo Wild Wings currently operates more than 600 restaurants across the country and has a devout following of wing and sports fanatics flocking to its locations to enjoy its wide variety of wings, sandwiches, burgers and salads while catching all the hottest sports action on one of the restaurant’s many big screen high-definition TVs.  

“The NASCAR Hall of Fame is really a great location for Buffalo Wild Wings,” commented Sally Smith, president and CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc.  “NASCAR fans are passionate about sports and their enthusiasm for a great race is exactly the type of guest we cater to.  We are looking forward to growing our presence in Charlotte and welcoming NASCAR fans in to our restaurant to enjoy races and other sports matchups on our many TVs.”

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will celebrate its grand opening May 11, 2010. Buffalo Wild Wings will be located inside the 150,000-square-foot attraction on the corner of East Martin Luther King Blvd. and Brevard Street.

About Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc., founded in 1982 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a growing owner, operator and franchisor of restaurants featuring a variety of boldly-flavored, made-to-order menu items including Buffalo-style chicken wings spun in one of 14 signature sauces. Buffalo Wild Wings is an inviting neighborhood destination with widespread appeal and is the recipient of dozens of "Best Wings" and "Best Sports Bar" awards from across the country. There are currently more than 600 Buffalo Wild Wings locations across 41 states.

About NASCAR Hall of Fame

Opening May 11, 2010 in Charlotte’s Center City, the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is a multi-faceted, unique attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, includes a state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, restaurant, retail outlet, broadcast studio, artifact displays and interactive exhibits. The site includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

Additional Media Contact:
Peter Tompkins
Buffalo Wild Wings
(678) 613-9906
ptompkins@buffalowildwings.com

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, consisting of members of the Nominating Committee along with 29 others representing NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, major race track ownership groups, retired drivers, owners and crew chiefs along with motorsports media representatives, will meet in a closed session to deliberate and vote on the 25 candidates eligible for this first class. The vote will be followed by a press conference announcing the inaugural class of 2010.

The class will be chosen from the 51 votes cast by the panel and the nationwide fan vote – which ends Sept. 27 – conducted through NASCAR.COM. The accounting firm of Ernst & Young will preside over the tabulation of the votes.

The hall’s inaugural class will consist of five members and are scheduled to be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in May 2010.

The nominees, which include many of the sport’s legendary names and were announced in July, include:

Bobby Allison, Buck Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Dale Earnhardt, Richie Evans, Tim Flock, Bill France Jr., Bill France Sr., Rick Hendrick, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts, Herb Thomas, Curtis Turner, Darrell Waltrip, Joe Weatherly, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on Jan. 25, 2007 and will open May 11, 2010. The facility honors the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to the success of NASCAR.

Like many NASCAR fans around the country, I’m looking forward to the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., next spring. I’m especially excited that my father, Wendell Scott Sr., will have a place in this spectacular new shrine to the sport he loved so much.

As a little girl growing up in Danville, Va., I remember standing in my father’s pit stall at clay tracks on the local Virginia circuit. I can recall watching him race at the bigger tracks hosting NASCAR races.

My father was inspired by his father’s mechanical skills and had been trained by the Army to be a mechanic and a paratrooper. His talent and skills with a wrench and fearless attitude behind the wheel would take him a long way in a sport that had yet to see an African-American driver compete at its top level. It afforded my sisters, sister-in-law, and other family and friends the enjoyable responsibility of scoring (recording) my father’s laps as he raced into history.

My father became known as “The Jackie Robinson of NASCAR” – the first black driver to win (in NASCAR's top series, now known as Sprint Cup). He competed in 506 races from 1961 to 1973, and in the second half of the 1960s, finished consistently in the top 10 in the NASCAR points standings.

My father had a great relationship with other drivers, including Ned Jarrett and Richard Petty, who would offer help with parts and other equipment. Many others also deserve credit for their friendship and countless deeds of assistance.

What’s remarkable about that respectable performance is my father did it without the backing of any big sponsors. He built and worked on his own cars, which were serviced by my brothers, other family members and friends in the pits.

He was famously competitive; some said the hardest worker in all of NASCAR. But just as important to my father as tuning his race car to run the fastest lap possible, was getting me and my six brothers and sisters to school on Monday. He and my mother always did.

My family was very proud of my father during his life. With each passing year following his death in 1990, Wendell Scott Sr.’s impact on each of us – and the sport – grows in magnitude. The Scott family is humbled with our place in NASCAR history, and very proud our father’s contributions will be recognized along with other racing pioneers.

My mother’s sentiments are as strong as a wife.

Despite some reports to the contrary, NASCAR fans should know that not only will my father be honored in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, but that the Scott family has been included from the start. We were invited to attend the groundbreaking for the new facility in 2007.

We felt it was time for NASCAR to have its own Hall of Fame, and my mother, brother and I, along with other members of my family, were overjoyed to represent my father as the symbolic shovels entered the earth. We are aware of the nomination and induction process and have been in frequent contact with NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame and our family has been in frequent contact with each other.

NASCAR is a sport that’s been around for more than 60 years. There are numerous deserving drivers, team owners, promoters and NASCAR officials being considered for its inaugural Hall of Fame induction.Only five will be inducted each year.

We ask that my father’s fans understand he would want to be considered for the NASCAR Hall of Fame under the Hall’s set process, like all the other drivers.

It is important to my mother and our family that fans are not misled via a petition that is circulating in reference to my father and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We are grateful for the concern, support and response from fans and others, but would be remiss to advise that the petition is not necessary, nor is it supported by our family.

Every race car driver wants to be first. And when one’s career is over, every great driver wants to be considered for formal induction into the Hall of Fame. I’m confident in time my father will be inducted, too. Because to me, and so many others, he truly was among the best.

My father would want us to all peacefully enjoy a relationship with NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and through it all hopefully promote diversity and touch the lives of children through education, raising awareness, scholarships and his greater desire, which was to provide for orphanages. With that, from one of his biggest fans, please join me in realizing my father’s dream.

Sybil Scott, daughter of Wendell Scott Sr., lives in Danville, Va.

Ticket and Membership Fact Sheet

FAQs About Visiting The NASCAR Hall of Fame

Audio Recording of Conference on 10/7/09 at 2:00pm

NASCAR Hall of Fame officials announced today many of the highly anticipated details regarding visits to the new 150,000-square foot interactive, entertainment attraction under construction in uptown Charlotte, N.C., including ticket information, charter memberships, a national sweepstakes, operating hours and the date for the inaugural Induction Ceremony.

Tickets and charter memberships for May 11, 2010 and beyond go on sale at 9 a.m. EDT Oct. 14, coinciding with the historic voting day to determine the first class of inductees in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. That illustrious first class will be formally inducted in a ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 23, 2010.  

"We have developed affordable ticket packages that reflect our steadfast promise to offer a superb value. Our guests will always be our top priority," said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. "We are confident our visitors will be pleased with the amount of activities available, especially when you consider the Hall has more than 50 high-tech interactive exhibits coupled with some of the most intriguing artifacts from NASCAR's 62-year history."

Ticket prices are $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for military and seniors (60+), $12.95 for children 5 - 12 and free for children under 5. The on-site box office is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010. In the meantime, tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 877-231-2010 or www.nascarhall.com. Customers who purchase through Ticketmaster will receive a $1 per ticket discount.

"We researched many similar venues before finalizing our packages and tickets," said Kelley. "We researched other halls like baseball, football, country music and rock and roll. We also looked at a broader category of entertainment attractions like the new Georgia Aquarium and Newseum. You will find that we are very competitive with the local market and with other like attractions across the country, especially when you consider the depth and breadth of our facility.

"We like to remind people that we are not just a hall of fame or a museum or a theater; we are all of those things and more. Our venue is truly a unique integration of all things NASCAR displayed through interactive features and the best technology available."

In addition to individual tickets, six levels of charter memberships are available. Members will receive a host of benefits, and if their membership is purchased by May 10, 2011, they also will receive a charter designation and commemorative items to mark their unique status as a first-year member.

The first three levels of membership are reflective of the traditional annual pass offered at most entertainment attractions. The Rookie Racer is $25 per year for children ages 5 -12, Crew Chief is $50 per year for ages 13 and up, and the Pit Crew Family Pack is $150 per year for two adults and all children under the age of 18. These three packages include unlimited admission for one year from date of purchase. The year begins May 11, 2010 for packages purchased prior to opening day.  

The more comprehensive charter packages are a $250 Winner's Membership, $500 Champion's Membership and $1,000 Legend's Membership. These levels offer unlimited entry for one year plus a plethora of added benefits ranging from parking vouchers and discounted guest passes to invitations to private functions at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and opportunities to attend the coveted first-year Induction Ceremony.

"One of the greatest opportunities we have is to change the guest experience frequently," said Kelley. "We feel certain this is an attraction people will want to visit more than once. Artifacts and exhibits will change; special programs and events will be offered frequently; and every year five new legends will be enshrined in the Hall of Honor. The NASCAR Hall of Fame project team has worked diligently to develop a first-class facility, and we plan to keep the venue booked with unique opportunities appealing to all audiences."

As added incentive, all memberships purchased before Dec. 31, 2009 will include one entry per membership into the NASCAR Hall of Fame VIP Sweepstakes. In honor of NASCAR's 62-year history, 62 winners will be randomly selected to receive two tickets to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. May 22, 2010; two nights stay at a Visit Charlotte partner hotel; a 4"x8" NASCAR Hall of Fame brick paver with a personalized inscription and a variety of other prizes.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will operate on a timed-entry system; guests must select a specific day and time for their visit at the time of purchase. Beginning May 11, 2010, the venue will operate seven days a week with base hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours may be extended during summers, race weeks and prominent Uptown Charlotte events.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, consisting of members of the Nominating Committee along with 29 others representing NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, major race track ownership groups, retired drivers, owners and crew chiefs along with motorsports media representatives, met in a closed session in Charlotte, N.C. to vote on the induction class of 2010.

The class was determined by the 51 votes cast by the panel and the nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.COM. The accounting firm of Ernst & Young presided over the tabulation of the votes.

The Class of 2010 will be officially inducted in a ceremony on May 23, 2010 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

The results of the voting for the final five chosen in this inaugural class proved competitive. Also receiving votes were David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison.

As part of the inclusive voting process, more than 670,000 NASCAR fans submitted votes online at NASCAR.COM as part of the fan voting process. This remarkable fan feedback once again demonstrates fans’ passion and knowledge of the sport and its heritage. The fans voted Petty, Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison as their top five.

The nominees included many of the sport’s legendary names:

Bobby Allison, Buck Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Dale Earnhardt, Richie Evans, Tim Flock, Bill France Jr., Bill France Sr., Rick Hendrick, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts, Herb Thomas, Curtis Turner, Darrell Waltrip, Joe Weatherly, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on Jan. 25, 2007 and will open May 11, 2010. The facility honors the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to the success of NASCAR.

Highlighting the Class of 2010:

Dale Earnhardt

Earnhardt co-holds the record for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (seven) with Richard Petty. In only his second full season, 1980, Earnhardt nabbed his first championship. He won consecutive titles on three separate occasions (1986-87, ’90-91 and ’93-94). Earnhardt’s 76 victories rank seventh all-time.

He is the all-time leader in race victories at Daytona International Speedway with 34, though the most prominent of them was a while in the making.

In 1998, Earnhardt won his most coveted race – the Daytona 500. The scene was a memorable one, forever etched in the minds of race fans. As Earnhardt’s black No. 3 rolled down pit road, a Daytona 500 winner at last, every crew member from every team lined up to congratulate one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history.

Bill France Sr.

Called “Big Bill,” only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature, France spearheaded NASCAR from its beginning and directed it to its present status as the world’s largest stock-car racing organization. In 1936, he helped lay out the first beach/road course in Daytona Beach; in the first race on the course he finished fifth. Starting in 1938, he helped promote races on the sands of Daytona Beach. In 1947, France became the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, it was called, resulting from a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel on State Road A1A in Daytona Beach – a structure that stands to this day, as a racing landmark. “Big Bill” France passed away in June 1992. He left behind a lasting legacy.

Bill France Jr.

William Clifton France is remembered – and revered – as the man who followed his visionary father at NASCAR’s helm, in the process becoming a visionary himself, as he guided NASCAR to unprecedented levels of popularity.

France became NASCAR’s president in January 1972, replacing his father and becoming only the second president of the world’s largest auto racing sanctioning body. His emergence coincided with the sport’s emergence, and its eventual ascent to become America’s No. 1 form of motorsports and the nation’s second-most popular sport overall.

France, often referred to as “Bill Jr.,” remained president until November 2000. At that time, France announced the formation of a NASCAR Board of Directors on which he served as chairman and CEO until October 2003 when he was replaced by his son, Brian Z. France. After that, he continued to serve the sport for the remainder of his life as NASCAR Vice Chairman.

Junior Johnson

Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson is unique in NASCAR history, with tremendous success both as a driver and a car owner.

Johnson won the second annual Daytona 500 in 1960 and in the process, became credited with the discovery of “drafting” on the massive superspeedways. He won 50 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series then surprised many people by retiring from driving to become an owner. As an owner, Johnson never missed a beat; through the years, his drivers won 132 races. There also were six series championships produced with Cale Yarborough (1976-78) and Darrell Waltrip (1981-82, ’85).

Named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers” in 1998, Johnson resides in Wilkesboro, N.C., and remains one of the sport’s most enduring – and endearing – personalities, at the age of 78.

Richard Petty

Known as “the King”, Richard Petty’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series records are staggering: Most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185).

Petty’s success continued even after his retirement from driving in 1992. He would still hold the top spot in the family business – Petty Enterprises, and now, Richard Petty Motorsports. In all, Petty Enterprises totaled 268 victories before merging with Gillett Evernham Motorsports for the 2009 season to become Richard Petty Motorsports.

Produced in conjunction with the Emmy® Award winning NASCAR Media Group, Inside NASCAR will be taped at the new, state-of-the-art production facility at NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. The host and analysts for Inside NASCAR are to be announced in the coming weeks.

“NASCAR is one of the most powerful sports brands in the country,” said Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports, “and we are proud to team up with them on this compelling new series.”

Inside NASCAR will feature narrated highlights and in-depth analysis from each week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, exclusive audio and video of never-before-seen aspects of race week and in-depth feature stories plus forecasts on upcoming races and opinions on America’s No. 1 form of motor sports.

Inside NASCAR is a natural extension of regularly scheduled SHOWTIME Sports programming, which includes the Emmy® Award winning Inside The NFL, live boxing and mixed martial arts events, and the critically acclaimed, behind-the-scenes documentary series Fight Camp 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic, among other titles.  

“Given the level of access to drivers, tracks and teams afforded by NASCAR, we can offer something truly unique to both hard core and casual race fans,” said Hershman. “We’ll take viewers into new areas of the sport, into the hearts and minds of the world class drivers and teams, and give them inside access to stock car racing and NASCAR like never before.”  

“SHOWTIME really understands these back stage, inside access shows,” said Jay Abraham, Chief Operation Officer, NASCAR Media Group. “Inside NASCAR will provide unique insights and sharp commentary appealing to all NASCAR fans. Partnering with a brand such as SHOWTIME for a high-end weekly NASCAR magazine news show in primetime is big news for our fans going into a brand new season.”
 

About NASCAR Media Group
NASCAR Media Group (NMG) is NASCAR’s media, marketing and entertainment company that creates and produces programming related to the sport, manages its media partnerships, and forges relationships to integrate NASCAR into mainstream entertainment.  Projects developed by NMG include award-winning television programs and theatrical releases, such as the acclaimed biopic “DALE”; Quest for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup; “NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience"; and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Earlier this year, in partnership with BET, NASCAR Media Group announced the development of a new program, “Changing Lanes,” which will spotlight up and coming drivers and those supporting them behind the scenes, and this fall began producing Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, an up close HD look at the drivers competing in NASCAR’s playoffs, for VERSUS.

ABOUT SHOWTIME NETWORKS
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

The first induction ceremony for the inaugural class of Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Junior Johnson is scheduled for May 23, the afternoon following the Sprint All-Star race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. But it remains undecided whether the ceremony will take place outdoors at the Hall’s ceremonial plaza, in the ballroom or elsewhere in the city of Charlotte. Season ticket holders at the Hall will have priority when it comes to tickets for the induction ceremony.

Designed by the architectural firm of I.M. Pei, the Hall’s largely completed exterior features a signature, swirled facade that suggests the high banks that became the signature of NASCAR competition. In the Great Hall inside, a ramp that has banking from 33 degrees down to a flat surface will display historic racecars from all eras next to the walkway leading to the upstairs exhibits.

The Hall of Honor will have an electronic “spire” for each inductee to display information and videos about their careers as well as a 360-degree video presentation.

The Hall’s staff anticipates occupying the building in mid-April, when construction of the interior areas is scheduled to be finished. As part of the initial media preview, the Modified Ford first driven by Louise Smith in the 1940’s, a replica of a Chrysler C300 from the 1950’s, and the Grand Prix driven by Craven in 2003 were on display.

The acquisition of the cars and artifacts has taken many different turns, said the Hall’s director, Winston Kelley. But the most help has come from the sport’s participants themselves, such as Richard Petty’s offer of his 1967 Plymouth from the season when he won 10 straight races and 27 events over-all.  “We have found through this process many of the folks that have these things have gone out to get them appraised,” said Kelley. “Petty Enterprises was a different situation. Richard would always tell me he doesn’t have a collection, he has an accumulation.”

A multi-dimensional theater with a 64-foot curved screen will have built-in air vents providing surges of air to mimic seats close to a track. The 275-seat theater provides an overview of NASCAR history via a short film.

The artifacts, including a special focus on some of stock car racing’s earliest pioneers, are to be displayed in cases in the Heritage Speedway exhibit. Video footage of the 50 greatest finishes in NASCAR and a time line focused on the evolution of technology, the automobile and motor racing are part of this exhibit. The display of artifacts, said the Hall of Fame’s historian Buz McKim, will be rotated and changed to express different themes focused on tracks and different categories of NASCAR competition from over the years as well as on different regions.

“There are limitless possibilities that we have for this Hall,” said McKim.

An interactive exhibit known as Race Week allows visitors to work on pit crews, make race broadcasts and drive iRacing simulators.

The Hall is part of a five-acre complex in downtown Charlotte that includes an office tower to be occupied by NASCAR’s Charlotte-based officials and a grand-scale ballroom operated by the Charlotte Convention Center. A building featuring a restaurant, offices for the Hall and a state-of-the-art TV studio is adjacent to the Hall.

Expected to draw 700,000 visitors in its first year, the Hall’s construction budget is approximately $111 million from the combined $167 million budget that includes the ballroom and was funded by a hotel/motel tax. The adjoining 19-story office tower, which features NASCAR in neon lights on the roof, was built at a cost of $92 million and is a private development where NASCAR holds a longterm lease for its offices as well as other space.

Charlotte, which owns and operates the Hall under a licensing agreement that provides income to NASCAR, was among seven cities that made proposals to host the Hall of Fame. The city of Charlotte will benefit from an estimated $60 million annually in economic impact. The NASCAR Plaza office tower is anticipated to generate $1.2 million annually in taxes.

Kelley said that the city’s close proximity to the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the partnership with the Charlotte Convention Center, which will bring large conventions to the doorstep of the Hall, were major strengths for Charlotte. The Hall also gives downtown Charlotte its first unique destination, which gives it prominent status within the city. Other pluses for Charlotte were the proximity of NASCAR teams and drivers as well as the fact the Charlotte Speedway, a 3/4-mile dirt track, hosted NASCAR’s first Strictly Stock race in 1949.

Jonathan Ingram has been writing full-time about the world’s major motor racing series and events since 1983 for newspapers, magazines and web sites. John can be reached at jingram@racintoday.com

It is personified by the experience of black driver Wendell Scott, a struggling racer who traveled with the NASCAR circus from 1961 to 1973. Scott is the only black driver to win a major NASCAR event. He finished first in a 100-mile race at Jacksonville (Fla.) Speedway in December 1963 but was initially denied the victory, in part (according to drivers and others who were on the scene) because track officials were afraid of repercussions if Scott kissed the white race queen in victory lane.

Although Scott finally came to be accepted as a NASCAR regular and earned a certain amount of respect among many fans as a perpetual underdog, he and other black drivers were subjected to taunts and threats at and around speedways, and their wanderings along NASCAR backroads were complicated in the 1950s and early 1960s by the fact that many hotels and restaurants would not serve them.

“He died (in 1990) relatively happy but with unfulfilled dreams,” said Wendell Scott Jr. of his father.

Black fans – the relative handful who braved discrimination and uneasiness to attend races in the early days – often were directed to broken-down grandstands and were told to use restrooms marked “Colored Only”.

With those experiences as a messy backdrop, one of the major exhibits in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, scheduled to open in May in Charlotte, N.C., will carry an ironic significance.

Museum officials recently acquired rare black-and-white photographs shot during one of the most historic events in NASCAR history – the June 19, 1949 inaugural race in what would become today’s internationally known Sprint Cup Series. The race was held at the now-defunct Charlotte Speedway, a three-quarter-mile dirt track on the outskirts of Charlotte, N.C.

Rarer than the photographs of a signal NASCAR event is the man who shot them. His name was Clifford Morrison, and he was a black man wielding a Speed Graphic camera to shoot photographs of a very dangerous, primitive sport that mixed black and white only in its checkered flag.

A resident of Elkin, N.C., Morrison, who died in 1992, was a photographer, pilot, woodcarver, teacher and an all-around handyman. He and his brother, Tom, owned a photography studio in Elkin, and, in the late 1940s, they became interested in the rudimentary, ragtag racing events being held at area dirt tracks like Elkin Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway. It was natural that they would bring along their bulky Speed Graphics when they attended, and that eventually resulted in them crossing paths with Bill France Sr., who was promoting stock car races in the Southeast and was only a year or so from organizing an umbrella motorsports sanctioning body that would be named NASCAR.

“The story as I’ve heard it,” said long-time racing radio announcer Barney Hall, also an Elkin resident and a friend of the Morrisons, “is that they tried to sell Bill France some of their photographs. Bill told them to bring the photographs and let him look at them and he’d pay 50 cents apiece for the ones he wanted. They always laughed about that – said the photo would have to be a really great one for Bill to pay 50 cents for it.”

At least some of the photographs met France’s approval, for he and Clifford Morrison developed a business relationship that found Morrison occasionally shooting races that featured a bunch of wild white men – and the occasional woman – bumping and thumping around woebegone dirt tracks in the middle of nowhere.

When France took his biggest gamble – starting a series for new American-built cars fresh off the showroom floor – in 1949, he asked Morrison to travel to Charlotte that June day to photograph the landmark first race. Drivers who participated remember the afternoon as one overwhelmed by unusual amounts of both dust and uncertainty.

They raced on the rutted track in bulky Buicks and Hudsons, cars then much more known for Sunday morning rides to church and trips to the supermarket. Here they were driving them like prison escapees, blowing tires and radiators, popping wheels and, most famously in driver Lee Petty’s case, flipping several times in a street vehicle he borrowed from a neighbor.

Morrison got the Lee Petty shot – and a noteworthy moment. Petty’s tumble brought out the first caution flag in the history of the series that would become Sprint Cup.

More than 10,000 people crowded into and around Charlotte Speedway that day to see France’s new invention. It is likely that very, very few of them were black. Racing then was almost exclusively white, and advances in that arena over the next 60 years have been slower than an Edsel with a flat tire. Wendell Scott would be the only black driver to break through the exhaust ceiling, and, despite a heavily promoted diversity program in recent years, the sport’s highest levels remain predominantly white.

Morrison shot NASCAR events sporadically into the 1950s and wound up with a collection of thousands of black and white prints and negatives of competition, accidents and other speedway scenes from NASCAR’s early years.

“He told me he just went over to the racetrack one day out of curiosity,” Hall said.

“He and Big Bill (France) apparently got along well. Cliff told me that France would let them get into places around the track that nobody else could get.”

Hall said neither of the Morrisons ever shared stories with him about racially-tinged problems they might have had while at racetracks. “Both of them had great personalities,” Hall said. “They were big men, too. They were unusual people to do all that they did.”

Many of Clifford Morrison’s racing photographs now are owned by Dave Brendle, another Elkin resident. When Brendle heard about plans for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, he contacted officials there. Soon, Hall historian Buz McKim, a long-time NASCAR devotee who has seen virtually every significant photograph shot of the sport, was on the road to explore what this unexpected treasure chest might hold.

“Man, I almost swallowed my teeth,” McKim said. “I said, ‘Oh, my God, this is the first Cup race.’ It’s great stuff.”

Soon, McKim had some of the images and negatives in hand, and about a dozen of the best photographs will be enlarged and on display when the Hall opens.

“It’s such a unique story,” McKim said. “It just blew me away. He was kind of a pioneer in a lot of things. He never let the color hold him back. It seemed like he and his brother were very well regarded in the community.”

There were limits, though. In 1947, one of Morrison’s racing photographs was chosen for a journalism award, but he was not able to attend the awards function because it was held at a Winston-Salem, N.C. hotel that did not admit blacks.

Many years later, in a high-profile setting in a big city of the Old South, near the location of the dusty speedway where Morrison recorded a bit of history, that wrong will be righted.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Feb. 10, 2010) - The series premiere of Inside NASCAR airs tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME with host Chris Myers and analysts Brad Daugherty, Randy Pemberton and Michael Waltrip. The debut episode will feature an exclusive interview with NASCAR newcomer Danica Patrick as she prepares for her first race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this Saturday.

Also in the kick-off episode, get a look back at off-season news and notes, a look ahead to this weekend’s Daytona 500, a recap of the Budweiser Shootout and a tribute to the late D.J. Richardson. Further details below.

Inside NASCAR will emanate each week from the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., in the new, state-of-the-art Studio 43, named for racing legend Richard Petty (No. 43).

Inside NASCAR is produced in conjunction with the NASCAR Media Group. New episodes will air on SHOWTIME every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT for 38 weeks corresponding with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The co-executive producers are Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports and Jay Abraham, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR Media Group. The executive in charge of production is Jim Jorden with Mike Wells acting as consulting director.

Episode 1:

â–ºDanica Patrick Exclusive: We are on board and in the pits with Danica Patrick for her very first stock-car race. Then the female speedster joins Inside NASCAR on set to give us her thoughts on racing with fenders.

â–ºOff Season News & Notes: The NASCAR off season is one of the shortest in professional sports, but a long list of personnel and rule changes have made a serious impact for 2010. We'll update you on the new faces and places for the Sprint Cup season.

â–ºRecap of the Budweiser Shootout: We’ll give an in-depth recap of the first NASCAR race of the season, the Bud Shootout, including exclusive highlights of race action, team radio communication, on-board cameras and slow-motion cinematography.

â–ºTribute to the Late DJ Richardson: Journeyman crew member D.J. Richardson was one of the best tire changers in the sport. His untimely death this off season brought the NASCAR community together to remember a man who chased a dream.

â–ºHendrick Interview with Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus: Nine-time Champion car owner Rick Hendrick sits down to interview driver, Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus as they aim for their 5th straight Sprint Cup title. For bonus content including additional studio segments and a historic build-up to the Daytona 500 visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

About NASCAR Media Group

NASCAR Media Group (NMG) is NASCAR’s media, marketing and entertainment company that creates and produces programming related to the sport, manages its media partnerships, and forges relationships to integrate NASCAR into mainstream entertainment. Projects developed by NMG include award-winning television programs and theatrical releases, such as the acclaimed biopic “DALE”; Quest for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup; “NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience"; and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Earlier this year, in partnership with BET, NASCAR Media Group announced the development of a new program, “Changing Lanes,” which will spotlight up and coming drivers and those supporting them behind the scenes, and this fall began producing Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, an up close HD look at the drivers competing in NASCAR’s playoffs, for VERSUS.

ABOUT SHOWTIME NETWORKS

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Johnson, almost as famous for running moonshine as his racing career, is providing the NASCAR Hall of Fame a full-size, authentic moonshine still to be displayed in the pre-NASCAR Theater of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The still, which was built by Johnson, is identical to the stills used by Johnson and his family in years past.

“The still represents many facets of the sport for the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “It helps show a key aspect of the true roots of stock car racing and NASCAR, and it displays the authenticity of the NASCAR Hall of Fame telling the breadth and depth of NASCAR’s past and present. We look forward to showing fans and non-fans all aspects of the sport, from its fascinating beginnings to the sophisticated technology used by teams today. NASCAR has thousands of vibrant stories to share, and this story is at the heart of the sport’s folklore.” 

Telling these stories has been a massive undertaking for the NASCAR Hall of Fame exhibit team. Historian Buz McKim is charged with uncovering hidden treasures of the sport for display in the facility, which houses more than 40,000 square feet of exhibits and has more than 50 interactive displays. Even as the exhibits are being prepared for display, more great stories are being created.  

“As we prepare the artifacts for display, some present unexpected challenges,” said McKim. “That was the case last week with the still. I called Junior to ask how to connect a couple of the parts of the still, and he just said he would drive down and help out. Sure enough, two hours later, Junior arrives with wrenches in hand and starts installing the still himself and offering direction to our exhibit fabrication team. Those are some of the cool moments of this job that really make you appreciate the people of this sport. Junior is a class act.”

Aside from cars and a transporter, the moonshine still is one of the largest historic items in the building. It is constructed of wood, metal and copper and features a cooker, two boilers, a dry barrel, a flake stand, condenser and strainer. The artifact will be on display in the Pre-NASCAR Theater, which tells the story of what led to the formation of NASCAR. It also highlights the history of the automobile prior to the 1948 inception of NASCAR. The Theater is on the fourth floor of the facility in Heritage Speedway, the artifact-rich area of the venue that focuses on the history of the sport.

A North Carolina native, Johnson made his first moonshine run at the age of 14. After years in the family business, he was convicted in 1956 on a charge of producing illegal liquor. He served 11 months in federal prison and years later was pardoned by President Ronald Reagan. It was the decades of running moonshine that led to Johnson’s career as a race-car driver, along with many other famous names in the sport.

Despite the colorful upbringing, it was Johnson’s illustrious racing career that earned him a place in history as one of NASCAR’s five Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees. He won the second Daytona 500 in 1960 and was credited for the discovery of drafting on superspeedways. He won 50 races at NASCAR’s premier level before becoming a car owner. His success continued as an owner where his drivers won 132 races and six championships. Johnson also was responsible for connecting R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company executives with Bill France Jr., which led to the 33-year partnership of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, predecessor to today’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.    

Beginning May 11, fans can see Johnson’s moonshine still and learn more about NASCAR by visiting the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Tickets are on sale now at www.nascarhall.com or by calling 877-231-2010. Tickets are $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for seniors and military, $12.95 for children 5-12, and free for children younger than 5. Memberships provide unlimited entry for one year and start at $25 for children and $50 for adults annually. Group discounts, facility rentals and sponsorships also are available by calling 704-654-4400.

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Opening May 11, 2010 in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, includes artifacts, interactive exhibits, 275-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

Through this sponsorship agreement, NASCAR Performance will integrate its family of automotive brands into an interactive exhibit area in the Race Week section of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The NASCAR Performance Race Shop is designed to give visitors an overview of a modern day race team shop and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes for teams and their automotive engineers and technicians to prepare a car for the upcoming race weekend.

“This sponsorship provides extraordinary value back to our NASCAR Performance partners and adds to the fan experience by putting their brands in front of millions of NASCAR fans in an authentic way while also allowing them to promote around this exciting once-in-a-lifetime facility,” said Odis Lloyd, managing director, NASCAR Automotive Group. “We are proud to support one of the most exciting additions to our sport in decades - the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

NASCAR Performance partners will receive branding within the NASCAR Performance Race Shop and have access to additional NASCAR Hall of Fame marketing and media assets. In addition, a full-scale NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car will be on display in the area with authentic Contingency Sponsor decals on the front quarter panel, almost all of which are exclusive automotive partners of NASCAR.

“As a licensed attraction of NASCAR, we appreciate the support of the NASCAR Performance Group and the many brands that teams rely on for on-track performance,” said Winston Kelley, executive director, NASCAR Hall of Fame. “It was a natural fit for these automotive companies to be featured in Race Week, an interactive area of the facility that takes people through a week in the life of today’s race industry.”

NASCAR Performance partners are among the leading brands in the automotive industry and relied upon by NASCAR teams throughout the season. These partners include: 3M; Autolite; BWD/Standard; Canadian Tire; Comp Cams; Edelbrock; Exide; Goodyear Gatorback; Goodyear Gemini; K&N Filters; Lincoln Electric; Mahle; Mechanix Wear; Midtronics; Mobil 1; Moog; New Pig Wipes; NASCAR Technical Institute; O’Reilly Auto Parts; Raybestos; Safelite Auto Glass; Safety-Kleen; Schumacher; TRI; Velocity, Wheel Pros; Whelen Engineering; and WIX.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte, N.C. on Jan. 25, 2007 and will open May 11, 2010. The 150,000-square-foot entertainment attraction honors the history and heritage of NASCAR.

The Inaugural Class of 2010, which includes Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Jr., Bill France Sr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty, will be officially inducted in a ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 23, 2010.

NASCAR is one of the few professional sports leagues that have created an automotive-specific marketing program for its family of automotive sponsors. The platform, branded as NASCAR Performance, includes exclusive marketing rights, the ability to co-brand products and product packaging as well as a long list of integrated marketing and media platforms. The NASCAR Performance product program logo is a symbol of integrity that represents NASCAR’s commitment to precision and quality.

About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – with more of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S. than any other sport, and is the No. 2 rated regular-season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.
 
NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City, and Toronto.

About NASCAR Automotive
The NASCAR Automotive Group, based in the Charlotte, N.C. office, supports sponsorship and licensing partnerships of companies in the automotive category and the Prize Money & Decal Program. Under the NASCAR Performance brand, automotive partners build brand awareness and sales of their products and services via an integrated marketing program. The program includes: The NASCAR Technical Institute – a branch of Universal Technical Institute Inc. (UTI) that trains automotive technicians for the workforce; the NASCAR Performance Network – a nationwide network of quality automotive repair shops; NASCAR Angels – a reality based TV show that repairs the cars of deserving people; a weekly TV show on SPEED called “NASCAR Performance”; a national radio show called “NASCAR Performance LIVE” on MRN and SIRIUS XM Radio; and print and online media programs with the BABCOX family of automotive magazines, and NASCAR.COM.

NASCAR Hall of Fame
Opening May 11, 2010 in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, includes artifacts, interactive exhibits, 275-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.