Today we continue our series on the history of NASCAR:

http://www.decadesofracing.net/TheBeginning.htm

Today we focus on a momentous decision that changed racing forever. After World War II, Bill France started NASCAR and began racing. But he soon had a profound insight about his young sport:

“After the war was over the big automakers had to switch production from Tanks and Jeeps back to their makes of cars. This got France to thinking that the fans would want to purchase cars when they see them winning at the races and he knew that productions were going to be slow for a while. He decided that NASCAR would run pre ’40s Fords and Chevrolets plus a handful of new Buick’s were allowed. The 1948 NASCAR schedule covered 52 dirt-track races for modified’s and Red Byron was the national champion that year.”

And so NASCAR was destined from the beginning to surpass Grand Prix racing because it knew people wanted to watch the kinds of cars that they drive. That was a great insight from a great leader.

For the next few days, we’re going to talk about one of the greatest stories in sports history–the story of NASCAR:

http://www.decadesofracing.net/TheBeginning.htm

How did it all get started? Before NASCAR, automobile speed trials had been conducted at Daytona since 1902:

“In the spring of 1935 Sir Malcolm Campbell was taking his Bluebird rocket car to Daytona Beach in hopes of running at 300 miles per hour for yet another land-speed-record. Along with this and the weather and the smaller hospitable and more affordable area maybe this is the reason behind the Frances staying in Daytona Beach. Campbell never did get his record of 300 mph at Daytona, instead his best he could do was 276.82mph and on March 7, 1935 Campbell announced that he was moving the speed trials to Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. It was the shifting winds and changing tides that made Campbell realize that he would not reach his goal of 300mph if he kept working out of Daytona Beach. Campbell did beat the 300mph speed at Bonneville in late 1935.”

But after Campbell left, Bill France soon arrived and the NASCAR era was born.

So President Obama has decided not to release the photos of Bin Laden’s dead body:

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20059739-503544.html#ixzz1LUKq9CkG

His argument is this:

“‘We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies,’ Mr. Obama added. ‘The fact of the matter is, this is somebody who was deserving of the justice that he received.’”

This completely misses the point. The goal of releasing the photos would not be to gloat but to prove Bin Laden is dead. Already a mythical figure in parts of the Islamic world, Bin Laden’s death simply won’t be believed by many terrorists. And they need to know he’s dead in order to know that a price will be paid for terrorism.

I hope the president will reconsider. Let the world see the photos!

Today we continue to celebrate the bravery of the US military and the Navy Seals who finally brought Osama Bin Laden to justice:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/05/get-bin-laden-obama-relied-policies-he-decried

And it’s worth remembering again that one of the reasons we were able to find Bin Laden is because of the interrogation procedures of the Bush administration:

“The enhanced interrogation techniques reportedly led to identification of the courier who eventually led our forces to bin Laden’s hiding place. Critics of waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques assured us that “torture” could not produce reliable information. They were probably right that sometimes such techniques yield false information. But the bin Laden operation shows that they can also produce actionable intelligence. You may remember that many Democrats called for criminal prosecution of CIA interrogators who were acting under orders vetted by legal counsel. Attorney General Eric Holder actually considered bringing such prosecutions.”

Context is so important in these debates. Are enhanced interrogations are a good thing? As a general rule, no. But in this case, they appear to have helped capture Bin Laden. And that means the Bush administration was probably doing the right thing in using these procedures.

Today I celebrate with all Americans the demise of Osama Bin Laden. I salute President Obama for acting on the intelligence he had and moving decisively.

It’s also important to note that early reports indicate that the intelligence that led to this event came from interrogations that many criticized President Bush for conducting.  So I salute President Bush, as well, for his role in relentlessly fighting terrorism.

This is just a battle. The War on Terror goes on!

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.

Today our series on the business of NASCAR continues. And when we talk about the business of NASCAR, in large part we are talking about owners. And no one is a greater owner than Richard Childress:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Childress

Childress is a great owner because he started as a driver. So he understands everything about this sport. Once his driving days ended, he moved to the management side:

“He retired from driving in 1981 after Rod Osterlund sold his NASCAR team to J.D. Stacy, and Osterlund’s driver, Dale Earnhardt, did not want to drive for Stacy. Childress, with recommendations from R. J. Reynolds Tobacco, chose to retire and put Earnhardt behind the wheel of his #3 car, complete with Wrangler Jeans sponsorship.”

Richard Childress turned the challenge into an opportunity. He worked with Dale Earnhardt to transform a regional sport into an international spectacle. That’s what great business leaders do. And a great business leader is what Childress is.

Today we start a new series on NASCAR. But rather than focus on what a great sport it is, we’re going to focus on what a great business it is.

What does it take to run a NASCAR team? Who gets involved in this kind of business? How does it work?

All this week, we’ll discuss how a driver “gets a ride” and who the people are behind the scenes that makes this sport a great business.

Today we continue our series on how the NFL labor dispute helps NASCAR:

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/08/26/does-nascar-need-a-drivers-union-like-indycar-and-formula-one/

One of the biggest reasons it helps is that NASCAR doesn’t have a union. Not only that, many of its drivers say it doesn’t need a union:

“‘It’s pretty simple, NASCAR is the destination of choice for almost every driver in the world so if you don’t like it, there’s someone that will be right there on your heels ready to take your place,’ driver Carl Edwards said this week. ‘Maybe that’s why they (NASCAR) have been able to do their own thing for so long.”’

Exactly. NASCAR is a meritocracy. People drive in it because they want to. They don’t have time to complain about their rights. Maybe other businesses, including the NFL, should model themselves on NASCAR.

When you watch the revolution unfolding in the Middle East, keep in mind that your money has helped tyrants suppress it. That’s right: the money you pay at the gas pump is helping the dictators resist the revolution:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42005048

As the article notes:

“But Colonel Qaddafi probably began hoarding liquid assets far earlier, officials said. He has built up Libya’s cash reserves in the years since the West began lifting economic sanctions on his government in 2004, following his decision to renounce unconventional weapons and cooperate with the United States in the fight against Al Qaeda. That led to a flood of Western investment in the Libyan oil and natural gas industries, and access to international oil and financial markets.”

Let’s end welfare for dictators in the Middle East. Let’s promote domestic renewable energy.

Today our series on gas prices continues with a look at how the whole economy is impacted:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-08/kuwait-says-opec-members-discussing-whether-to-have-an-urgent-meeting.html

As this article notes, what goes on in the Middle East impacts all of us here in America:

“Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members have pledged to ensure adequate supply to the market as violence in Libya reduced output from Africa’s third-largest crude producer. OPEC is also under pressure to assuage soaring fuel prices after New York- traded oil rallied yesterday to $105.44 a barrel, the highest closing price since September 2008 and was at $105.01 as of 1:51 p.m. London time.”

How big has the impact been in America? February saw stock market prices plunge, affecting everyone’s savings and investments. And what caused the plunge? High gas prices. Unfortunately, gas prices are likely to get higher before going lower.

So be prepared and start spreading the news about the need for domestic, renewable energy.

Today we continue our series on the impact of the oil crisis. And we do so by focusing on what it means for our national security:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/6/gadhafi-could-wage-protracted-civil-war/

Twice in the last 20 years we have sent our military into a war in the Middle East to protect our interests. Could it be that we get drawn into another conflict over there?

“Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s well-equipped but poorly trained security forces can wage a protracted battle against rebel fighters, allowing the beleaguered Libyan leader to cling to power for months, according to analysts and former Libyan officials.”

Whether we get involved directly or not, the region seems likely to see fighting for some time. And with so much of our oil coming from the Middle East, that’s bad news for us.

Again, the question must be asked: shouldn’t we end our dependence on foreign oil?

Today we continue our series on what high gas prices mean. And we focus on what they mean for the other parts of the economy:

http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20110303/BIZ01/303030081/1148/rss1020/High-diesel-costs-may-push-other-prices-up?odyssey=nav|head

In many ways, gasoline is the lifeblood of our entire economy. Energy is what drives our cars and fuels our homes and offices. So when gas prices go up, there is a ripple effect on everything.  Think about it: there is almost nothing in your life that is not impacted by gas. As this article notes, this is especially true for diesel which is what fuels the trucks that transport so many products to the marketplace:

“The typical big rig gets about 6 miles to the gallon and can carry anywhere from 150 to 300 gallons of fuel. That means a fillup can cost $1,098 today compared to $849 a year ago. In the longer run…higher fuel costs will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for the goods delivered by trucks.”

This is the real danger: you and I will not only pay higher prices at the gas pump, but also at the store for everyday products we buy.

This is another reason why we need renewable energy here at home.

Today we continue our series on the impact of rising gas prices.

We all know what the cause this: uncertainty in the Middle East is creating much higher gas prices than even just a few weeks ago. But we often don’t stop to think about how this is the ultimate family pocketbook issue:

http://www.ehow.com/ehow-tax-time/

Many families don’t plan for gas expenses in their family budget. And those that do don’t plan for huge spikes in prices. Gasoline at $3.50 a gallon is enough to hurt many families. And this impacts every part of their lives: how they get to work, how they take their kids to school, how they go shop for groceries. Gasoline prices directly impact all of that.

This is yet another reason why we need to get off of foreign oil and start producing more domestic sources of energy.