NASCAR is the greatest sport and it has the biggest heart for its fans:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/Talladega-Superspeedway-commits-$100000-to-American-Red-Cross-Alabama-tornado-relief-efforts-seeks-fans-help-042811

The recent tornadoes have spurred NASCAR into action:

“Talladega Superspeedway officials on Thursday vowed to commit $100,000 toward Alabama’s relief efforts in the wake of devastating tornadoes — and also called on NASCAR fans to help. Besides the financial commitment to the American Red Cross, Talladega officials said that, in return for a $50 donation, they will allow race fans to drive one lap around the high banks of the superspeedway in their personal vehicles.”

NASCAR is doing its part to help out during this tragedy.  I have half a mind to load up my car and donate $500 for 10 laps myself at Talladega. That would be very well spent helping others!

Today we close out the week with a discussion about the fan experience at NASCAR. Simply put, NASCAR is the best sport in the world for the fans:

http://www.thedailytimes.com/Sports_News/story/NASCAR_drivers_to_participate_in_a_free_autograph_session_today_in_Nashville_id_010458

As the article notes:

“The ALL ACCESS pass is a popular ticket add-on that gives fans unprecedented access at the track. Pass holders can walk up and down pit road where the cars are on the grid just an hour before the green flag. The Fan Walk in the garage gives fans the opportunity to watch as mechanics make final preparations for the big race. Victory Lane is opened for fans to take photos, and fans are also invited to the driver’s meeting before the race to witness NASCAR Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash give the drivers their final instructions before the race gets underway.”

What other sport does this? Where else can fans mingle on the field with the athletes? Only one sport: NASCAR, the greatest sport in the world!

Tomorrow our nation celebrates Earth Day. Believe it or not, NASCAR celebrates it every day:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/04/21/daytona-international-speedway-plants-trees-as-nascar-green-initiative.html

A few years ago, NASCAR decided that it had a responsibility to do something about the environment since its races undoubtedly increase emissions. The solution? Plant trees at the track:

“NASCAR’s tree-planting program, NASCAR Green Clean Air, began three years ago and has doubled in size each year, said Mike Lynch, managing director of Green Innovation for NASCAR. More than 2,500 trees have been planted near racing venues across the country, Lynch said. That includes 100 trees planted at four Flagler County schools last September to offset the carbon emissions from the Coke Zero 400 last summer.”

It turns out that it’s not just the flag that is green at NASCAR!

What a great race we just had at Talladega! But the NASCAR season is just getting started. And there are already talks of some potential changes that might make NASCAR even better:

http://atlanta.sbnation.com/nascar/2011/4/18/2117582/nascar-car-of-tomorrow-stock-cars

This is what I love about NASCAR: its roots are in ordinary cars. Unlike Grand Prix racing, NASCAR has traditionally featured cars that are pretty similar to the ones you and I drive:

“If Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards were actually going head to head in the same Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang you could go buy – though modified for safety and sporting coloful paint schemes and big numbers on the doors – with Brad Keselowski right behind in his Dodge Challenger and Kyle Busch lurking close in whatever Toyota’s highest performance car is, it would be a win-win for fans, manufacturers, and NASCAR.”

Will NASCAR return to real stock car racing? Time will tell. Until then, there are a lot of great races to enjoy for the rest of the year!

Today’ I’m heading to Talladega for this weekend’s NASCAR race:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/Are-NASCAR-drivers-scared-by-Talladega-mayhem

This is a unique track with a unique reputation: it usually offers some of the most spectacular crashes in the sport:

“In last April’s Aarons 499 alone, 24 cars – more than half the starting field – were caught up in yellow-flag mania. Two Aprils ago, Carl Edwards’ No. 99 Ford was launched airborne in a last-lap accident, smashing violently into the wire fence along the front grandstands. Seven fans were injured by the flying debris, but amazingly Edwards climbed out of the wreckage and was able to jog across the finish line, where he jumped in the air, hands raised to the crowd in a sort of defiant triumph.”

So watch the racing this weekend. You’re certain to see quite a show!

We’ve talked on the blog about how NASCAR is good for sports and good for business. It’s also good for television:

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/04/10/tv-ratings-saturday-nascar-races-fox-to-victory/88830

This past Saturday night’s race at Texas Motor Speedway didn’t have good ratings; it had great ratings:

“NASCAR Sprint Cup racing easily paced Fox to a Saturday night win. Note that in addition to the disclaimers above, the race ran into the 10pm hour but we only the saw the numbers for Fox’s normal 8-10p primetime block.”

This is more proof that NASCAR is just getting started. The more people see the sport, they more they will fall in love with it.

What a great weekend of racing at Texas Motor Speedway! Fans got to see two great races. But here’s something that most people don’t stop to think about–how huge NASCAR’s economic impact was this past weekend:

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/motorsports/2010/04/rick-perry-helps-kick-off-texas-motor-speedway-racing-season/

As this 2010 article notes, the impact of the Texas Motor Speedway is enormous:

“Smith and Gossage, who have been the backbone of TMS’ success since the track opened in 1997, were praised for the economic impact of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway. The impact of the races will generate some $75 million in economic benefit for the Fort Worth area. Additionally, the Samsung 500 race on Sunday will be the largest attended, single-day sporting event in the state of Texas. During the past 13 years, TMS has brought to Fort Worth and surrounding areas the economic impact of hosting 46 Super Bowls.”

Wow. It looks like the real Super Bowl is found at Texas Motor Speedway, not at Cowboys Stadium.

This week it’s racing week in Texas! The weekend will see NASCAR races on both Friday and Saturday. But much more is involved in NASCAR week than just the racing. NASCAR is an experience that lasts the whole week.

This week, I’ll be operating out of my condo at the Texas Motor Speedway and I’ll be blogging about all the important events that occur during the week leading up to the races. So check out our blog this week as we go behind the scenes at NASCAR!