In the formative days of stock car racing, promoters were forced to be creative, innovative and fearless.
Attractions ranged from demolition derbies and inverted starts to giveaways and bounties on track champions.
At least at the top level of NASCAR, not much promotion has been necessary to attract fans over the past decade.
Drivers such as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Gordon are admired not only for the racing skills, but for their status as pop culture icons.
Judging from the worsening economy and the empty seats for the past two Sprint Cup races at Bristol and Martinsville, the economic blues appear to have hit NASCAR-land.
No matter how tasty the action, it appears some folks are no longer willing to pay for overpriced motels, concessions and tickets.
There are options for the racing crowd, however.
Take Saturday’s diverse racing program at Bristol Motor Speedway. Thanks to the wise minds of BMS vice president of events Wayne Estes and nine-time ARCA series champion Frank Kimmel, the Saturday Spectacular will offer a blend of grassroots racing, dreams and pizazz.
There will no traffic jams, and tickets cost only $15. Yes, $15.
This reporter has said it many times, but it’s shame that so few so-called NASCAR diehards realize the full and gritty story of racing.
The guys who will compete in Saturday’s Frank Kimmel Street Stock 150 and Modified 4 races compete for the love for the sport, not for the glamour. And who can resist a Monster Truck smashing into buses?
There will be no self-promoting, sappy-happy network TV types covering Saturday’s program at BMS. And the same goes for the corporate types, public relations smoothies and fame-seekers.
There will be plenty of gutsy racing by guys who have made sacrifices to realize their dream of racing on the high-banks of Bristol.
Roots-racing. It’s compelling, affordable and, above all, fun.
Bring the kids, kick back and enjoy the show.