NASCAR's Winston Cup 2000 schedule, which was released
last week, has few changes, as the series will have the same
number of races at the same number of tracks. NASCAR COO
Mike Helton said, "We have very, very, very few more
weekends that we can race. ... We are in a position today
with the Winston Cup series where we're not only able to be
very selective, we're almost forced to be very selective.
In order to continue to think about growing the sport, the
decisions on where we run next are very critical.
Sometimes, it even means saving opportunities. If we don't
have the best-case scenario to add to the schedule, we
won't" (David Poole, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/19).
PROFILE PIECES: In a special "Cars" section in today's
N.Y. TIMES, Joseph Siano profiles NASCAR President Bill
France and notes that France could face questions about a
potential conflict between his ability to deliver Winston
Cup dates and his ownership of multiple tracks. But France
said that three of his nine tracks have "only one" Winston
Cup date per year and a "number of independent track owners
who have stuck" with NASCAR "through the lean years" have
been "allowed to hold on" to two Winston Cup dates in one
season. France: "The other track owners should be glad
we're involved as track owners, because we know the trials
and tribulations that a promoter goes through." Meanwhile,
SMI Chair Bruton Smith "suggested" that France "should
follow the example" of one NASCAR sponsor. Smith: "If you
built an exemplary McDonald's, I believe McDonald's would
send you a few extra hamburgers" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/20)....Also
in the special section, Edwin McDowell reports that with "so
many devoted" NASCAR fans, it is "not surprising that tour
operators specializing" in auto racing packages "have sprung
up": "In Nascar's off season, from mid-November to February,
tour operators are reporting success with tours to the empty
race tracks and to the shops where the cars are put into
shape for the next season" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/20).
