Richmond Int'l Raceway in March hired Paul Heyman and his Looking4Larry agency to "breathe new life" into NASCAR's fall race there, and RIR VP/Marketing & Communications Mike Waddell is "promising something 'bold and fresh,' both from his in-house team and Heyman’s organization," according to Michael Phillips of the RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH. RIR and Looking4Larry will "try to tackle the problem that has plagued NASCAR over the past decade -- how to get young people out to the track to experience the races." RIR's Monster Energy Cup Series race last month was sparsely attended, but Looking4Larry is "well-positioned to deliver the youth demographic to RIR." Heyman is the "advocate" for WWE wrestler Brock Lesnar. But Waddell "emphasized that Heyman isn’t just bringing wrestling out to the track." He said that the core racing fans will "still be pleased with the product ... but the atmosphere around the race will get even bigger." Waddell: "If you don’t come at it with a fresh angle, nobody’s ever going to notice you. If you don’t make waves, you’re going to drown. So we got out the wave machine, and we’re going to get after it.” Heyman said that his team will "use online tools that allow him to target the demographics his group believes are the most interested in attending" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 5/9).
OUR MAN DALE: Talladega Superspeedway officials said that the announced estimated attendance for the Geico 500 on Sunday "was 192,000." In Birmingham, Cheryl Wray notes the "large crowd was visible on television and social media." Wray: "No doubt one of the main reasons for the big crowd at the Alabama track was the Dale Jr. Effect." Dale Earnhardt Jr., who last month announced his intentions to retire following the season, was "always a favorite at Talladega, where he's won six times, and his Alabama fans are especially loyal" (AL.com, 5/8).
