Start Your Engines: NASCAR is Heading West
There couldn’t have been a more perfect location for NASCAR to announce its upcoming Western tour then the newly refurbished Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
The events will take place March 6, 13 and 20, after the Daytona 500 on February 21.
The owners of the three race tracks – Phoenix International Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana (Los Angeles) were on hand to tout their respective venues and answer questions.
Four top drivers, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Aric Almirola, also took part in a discussion moderated by Fox Sports’ Chris Myers in a media event designed to publicize the upcoming NASCAR events.
“We think of fans as truly passionate,” said Chris Powell, president and general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, who also noted that his track sells more merchandise than any other speedway.
“It’s a great week for sports fans in Phoenix,” said Bryan Sperber, the president of Phoenix International Raceway. “Spring training is also in town.”
“There’s something for everyone – we’ve had tremendous races over the past few years with the fast-track going over 200 mph,” said Dave Allen, president of Auto Club Speedway.
The drivers also gave their impressions of the respective tracks and how they like being in the Western United States when the calendar still says winter.
“Vegas is always the toughest,” said Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing. “But the West reminds me of the smaller tracks I went to growing up. I encourage fans to experience them.”
“It really sets us up for the season. I’m very competitive,” noted Almirola, who drives the No. 43 Smithfield Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports.
“Fans want to see more of the skill set of the driver,” Myers said.
“We have to continue to modernize the sport,” said Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite/Alliance Truck Parts/Wurth Ford Fusion for Team Penske. “Change is always uncomfortable. Now cars rarely break down. The sport is going through a shift as demands change.”
Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing has made an off-track splash recently, appearing on ABC’s “The Bachelor.” “My wife is a big fan of the show,” he said. And it didn’t take much time out of his preseason schedule.
