The Brickyard 400 is set to run next Sunday at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the total prize package at
$4,622,721. It is the largest race payoff in NASCAR Winston Cup
history, with the winner guaranteed more than $500,000 (Brickyard
400). AUTOWEEK's Al Pearce previews the event, "immediately one
of NASCAR's most important races," but notes the novelty has
"already worn off a bit." It is the fifth stop "during a grind"
of 14 consecutive races from July to October, which leads some to
call it "just another race." Tom Cotter, whose firm, Cotter
Communications, represents top racing sponsors, said the "urgency
among his clients to attend a Brickyard 400 faded significantly
last year, and even more this year" (AUTOWEEK, 7/29 issue).
SPONSOR SUPPORT: In Indianapolis, Bill Koenig looks at
NASCAR's growing entertainment and retailing business, from the
NASCAR Cafe to the Daytona USA theme park. Christopher Jones,
Entertainment Dir for Hanna-Barbera, which sponsors a Cartoon
Network car, said NASCAR has given the network more visibility
and "made it easier to persuade cable systems" to add the channel
(INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 7/28).
