The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 21

1 K3T AVAUULE COPY I I inlay DcUCUlbef 13 19 The KIUa ity Stl idals rev up effort to steer NASCAR racetrack to KC area A 1mm umh h- 1 klAfif'iB AL a I A fe hack the What is NASCAR? yean aafepd a ckm to Meatfly the beat marketer in the country One studem told her NASCAR Skeptical the to-v'cdignint the organization She ') Mi Doringtoa SC to NAfCAR Kt of the boud of way William NASCAR to I the South wed i County BoooomMc Dowel- bow has douhta probably Oil more nows about NASCAR and information on NASCAR tracks across the country when you vtsrl The Star's site at kjmsAScltvcom It stands for the National Association tor Stock Cat Auto Racing Some facts Based in Daytona Beach Fla NASCAR sanctions about 2000 racing events at more than 100 tracks each year It has 12 racing divisions' including the NASCAR Winston Cup Series arc tlc heat mat kjo people to the world" said Brown who foi three yars has taught "The Bum mice years NASCAR rhunder a chain of te-lail sioies that nllci souvcmi clothes and other items as well as the NASI AR ale a restaurant sporting a racing themr icvotcd to Winston Cup racing It also opened Daytona USA an interactive mini-theme park at Daytona International Speedway Story didn't elaborate on whan International Speedway would decide whether to build a track in Greater Kansas City He also downplayed any competition the area might he in with other cities That has failed to dissuade Mar-cusse and others from shooting for the pole position "Our perspective that we're in competition until we win" Mar-cussc said lament orgmOnn Boa for die project itbinMMiaii MM of NASCAR" class that ex from local plores the financing marketing advcrtMWK and merchandising of the association "NASCAK has regulated races so that they're very competitive safe and very excit Lascar i taking advantage of the good tiroea The asaoriation for first time raced in Japan this Racing teams won more than $65 million in purses and bonus money during the 1995 NASCAR racing season More than 10 million people attended NASCAR events in 1995 more than 120 milHon people watched them on television 04) uled future major races for new tracks being built in Fort Worth Texas and Fontana Calif among other citiea The association has introduced Brown said and has schcd- The Sts' the kiier doesn't address i of the track it states that would cost Set ween i and $200 million The ipany needs 1200 to 2000 near hotel roads and a airport that could support than 120000 fans according It afco identifies a pro xcd site at Interstate 35 ai 3 75th Street in Johnson County I A plot of land east of Interstate and north of Mexico City Av none near Kansas City Interna IkkmI Airport also is under con gukratioo But Story and local parties assisting International fr peed way in its market research aaid the company had several sites In the metropolitan ares under ex Story mid International Speed Way would like to enter into a pn I X- i 4iepuwit ptrtncrsnip ti decides locale in the Kansas City company has hired Rick Hor- a iami -based sports consul to represent its interests in all But Bob amuse president of be Kansas City Area Development Council said it was too early To judge the extent of any govern Jnent role 2 He said a decision by Interna 4ional Speedway to build the track locally would represent an economic boom that would transcend state and citv lint- 1 talking 150000 people Jhe said "and bringing in corporate -America for hospitality events and Three major associations sanction stock car racing in the country NASCAR American Speed As-TGO it and prestigious ol the organizations and is on an aggressive growth track NASCAR a private organization declines to list revenue and learnings but Forbes magazine in 1995 estimated that the association -Sand its affiliated track owners and racing teams took in more than $2 billion It hat more than 50000 'members International Speedway a public ioompany reported revenue for 11996 ending Aug 31 of $964 mil-lion up 17 percent from 1995 frith net mcome of $196 million 2 Much of the cash in the racing industry comes from lucrative sponsorship deals made with the largest corporations frogs Anheuser-Busch to Valvoline various consumer-product companies in between Those names appear during television race coverage billboards fliers and of course the automo-S biles themselves The companies pay the race teams and own the cars then rfiow tip for race-related parties a great way to entertain customers or said John Leach outgoing chief executive of- fleer of Western Auto Supply Co "It would mean lots of exposure to Kansas City because all Fortune 500 companies that would becoming not unusual for 50 corporate jets to fly ia for one race Fans typi- cally drive 400 to 500 miles to' see 200 2 racing at speeds nearing mph It all translates into millions of dollars for local hotels restau- eiything rants airports and tax collectors would be a major said Kevin Gray president of the Greater Kansas City Sports Com- 5 mission it would be equal to a major-league deal as far as economic impact NASCAR oversees 12 divisions ee national ing regional and local In 1995 more that! JO million people attended NAaCAR events while 120 million watched televised races In 19 the number viewing televised NASCAR events totaled 148 million While no numbers were available for attendance in 19 best-known event the 31 -race Winston Cup Series drew 5 million i fans in 1995 alone a 15 percent increase over 1993 two other national series also are growing For exam- pie the Busch Series Grand National Division drew more than 1 million fans over 28 races in 1994 and reported a 173 percent growth 3 between 1993 and 1995 driving the increase in fan attendance? Drivers Story said accessible real i salt of the he said reol guys and there are some taffies now too They love the pub-2 lie and take time out to show that Home Quarters Warehouse jin iHiffl comes down to marketing and public relations said Janie Brown flliinroman of die department of health physical education and leisuresports management at Elon College in North Carolina and an expert on NASCAR OFFER GOOD DECEMBER 13TO 6 PM TO CLOSE AND DECEMBER 14TO ALL DAY Oflr not vsNd on gft oertMcatss (Mfcery sen trlaMOon Irvstock services prior purchases or with any other offer We reserve the rttfit to limit purchase quwfeties I i.