NASCAR Hall of Fame adds staff: The NASCAR Hall of Fame recently added eight employees for the 150,000-square-foot interactive, entertainment attraction set to open May 11, 2010 in Charlotte, N.C. "We are less than 100 days away from our opening, and building the right team truly is one of the most important factors in ensuring an exceptional and meaningful guest experience," Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame said. "We are fortunate to have had an overwhelming number of talented people interested in working at this world-class venue. Each team member was selected from several hundred applications per position. The competitive nature has allowed us to assemble a talented team of professionals who bring extensive experience from all types of family entertainment." The additions to the external relations and education department are: Imani Clenance, intern; Joelle Lapsley, administrative assistant; and Natividad Lewis, external relations specialist. All report directly to external relations manager Kimberly Meesters. The additions to the operations department are: Cathy Buchhofer, assistant operations manager; Chris Manley, A/V technical supervisor; and Jonathan Mitchell, box office manager. All report directly to operations manager Steve Burrell. Also, Seth Denton joined the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority as the NASCAR Hall of Fame business manager. He works closely with the NASCAR Hall of Fame operations department and reports to Steve Bagwell, CPA, director of management reporting for the CRVA. The additions to the sales and marketing department are: Matt Aldrich, membership sales manager; and Angela Basso, group sales manager. Both report directly to sales and marketing manager Leslie Horne.(NASCAR Hall of Fame PR)(2-8-2010)

SPEED named exclusive TV home of NASCAR HoF: SPEED and NASCAR have reached a multiyear agreement naming SPEED as the official television home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. As part of the deal, SPEED will continue to offer live coverage of special events leading up to the annual induction ceremonies, including nomination and voting days for each Hall class. As part of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame opening on May 11, which SPEED will televise live, the network also will offer a special “walking tour” broadcast from the striking new Charlotte, N.C., facility just before it opens to the public, as well as extensive pre-event programming. Beginning in April, SPEED also will produce and air one-hour documentaries on each incoming NASCAR Hall of Fame class member. For more information on NHOF events, please visit www.NASCARHall.com.(SPEED)(1-24-2010)

Some Hall of Fame artifacts unveiled: Tuesday night's media tour included a stop at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which is still under construction. Winston Kelley, executive director of the hall, and historian Buz McKim talked about some of the artifacts that will be included when the hall is opened May 11 for grand opening ceremonies and May 23 for the first class of inductees. The hall will have a "Greatest Finishes Theater" that will include Ricky Craven's #32 Tide Pontiac that won a thrilling duel with Kurt Busch in 2003 at Darlington Raceway. Kelley said it was the first artifact that was offered to the hall. "It was the last Pontiac to win in the sport, and it carries some history as the closest finish in the existence of the sport," Craven said.
McKim said he went on a "scavenger hunt" for many other artifacts, including an information sheet Dale Earnhardt filled out in 1975. Drivers filled out information sheets at the beginning of each season, and McKim found the sheet Earnhardt filled out in February 1975 that included several interesting tidbits of information. For one, Earnhardt listed himself as a wrestler in high school and his favorite drivers as Richard Petty and Bobby Isaac. "There was a line there that said, 'Ambition other than racing,' and he wrote, 'None!'" McKim said.
Another artifact that will be displayed in the hall comes from Richard Petty's "accumulation" of things over his many years in NASCAR. It's the 1967 Plymouth that Petty campaigned when he won 27 of 48 races that year, including 10 wins in a row - a record that still stands.
McKim said about 98 percent of artifacts the hall wanted to get, he was able to obtain. But there is one artifact that McKim truly wants, an item he calls the "holy grail." "It's something I've only heard about and never seen," McKim said. It's a gold membership card given to pioneering mechanic Red Vogt from Bill France Sr. in 1954. Vogt was proclaimed NASCAR member No. 1, and all fees and dues Vogt had paid to NASCAR before that time were returned to him. (Sprint Media Tour Notes)(1-21-2010)

NASCAR Announces inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame: NASCAR announced the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame today [Wednesday, October 14, 2009] that includes: Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty. The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, consisting of members of the Nominating Committee along with 29 others representing NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, major race track ownership groups, retired drivers, owners and crew chiefs along with motorsports media representatives, met in a closed session in Charlotte, N.C. to vote on the induction class of 2010.
The class was determined by the 51 votes cast by the panel and the nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.COM. The accounting firm of Ernst & Young presided over the tabulation of the votes. The Class of 2010 will be officially inducted in a ceremony on May 23, 2010 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. The results of the voting for the final five chosen in this inaugural class proved competitive. Also receiving votes were David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison.
As part of the inclusive voting process, more than 670,000 NASCAR fans submitted votes online at NASCAR.COM as part of the fan voting process. This remarkable fan feedback once again demonstrates fans’ passion and knowledge of the sport and its heritage. The fans voted Petty, Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison as their top five.
The nominees included many of the sport’s legendary names: Bobby Allison, Buck Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Dale Earnhardt, Richie Evans, Tim Flock, Bill France Jr., Bill France Sr., Rick Hendrick, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts, Herb Thomas, Curtis Turner, Darrell Waltrip, Joe Weatherly, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on Jan. 25, 2007 and will open May 11, 2010. The facility honors the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to the success of NASCAR.
Highlighting the Class of 2010:
Dale Earnhardt
Earnhardt co-holds the record for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (seven) with Richard Petty. In only his second full season, 1980, Earnhardt nabbed his first championship. He won consecutive titles on three separate occasions (1986-87, ’90-91 and ’93-94). Earnhardt’s 76 victories rank seventh all-time. He is the all-time leader in race victories at Daytona International Speedway with 34, though the most prominent of them was a while in the making. In 1998, Earnhardt won his most coveted race – the Daytona 500. The scene was a memorable one, forever etched in the minds of race fans. As Earnhardt’s black #3 rolled down pit road, a Daytona 500 winner at last, every crew member from every team lined up to congratulate one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history.
Bill France Sr.
Called “Big Bill,” only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature, France spearheaded NASCAR from its beginning and directed it to its present status as the world’s largest stock-car racing organization. In 1936, he helped lay out the first beach/road course in Daytona Beach; in the first race on the course he finished fifth. Starting in 1938, he helped promote races on the sands of Daytona Beach. In 1947, France became the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, it was called, resulting from a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel on State Road A1A in Daytona Beach – a structure that stands to this day, as a racing landmark. “Big Bill” France passed away in June 1992. He left behind a lasting legacy.
Bill France Jr.
William Clifton France is remembered – and revered – as the man who followed his visionary father at NASCAR’s helm, in the process becoming a visionary himself, as he guided NASCAR to unprecedented levels of popularity. France became NASCAR’s president in January 1972, replacing his father and becoming only the second president of the world’s largest auto racing sanctioning body. His emergence coincided with the sport’s emergence, and its eventual ascent to become America’s No. 1 form of motorsports and the nation’s second-most popular sport overall. France, often referred to as “Bill Jr.,” remained president until November 2000. At that time, France announced the formation of a NASCAR Board of Directors on which he served as chairman and CEO until October 2003 when he was replaced by his son, Brian Z. France. After that, he continued to serve the sport for the remainder of his life as NASCAR Vice Chairman.
Junior Johnson
Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson is unique in NASCAR history, with tremendous success both as a driver and a car owner. Johnson won the second annual Daytona 500 in 1960 and in the process, became credited with the discovery of “drafting” on the massive superspeedways. He won 50 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series then surprised many people by retiring from driving to become an owner. As an owner, Johnson never missed a beat; through the years, his drivers won 132 races. There also were six series championships produced with Cale Yarborough (1976-78) and Darrell Waltrip (1981-82, ’85). Named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers” in 1998, Johnson resides in Wilkesboro, N.C., and remains one of the sport’s most enduring – and endearing – personalities, at the age of 78.
Richard Petty
Known as “the King”, Richard Petty’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series records are staggering: Most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185). Petty’s success continued even after his retirement from driving in 1992. He would still hold the top spot in the family business – Petty Enterprises, and now, Richard Petty Motorsports. In all, Petty Enterprises totaled 268 victories.(NASCAR)(10-14-2009)

2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame page: with bios and links:
The 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class page.

NASCAR Hall of Fame ticket and membership details:
On sale Date: 9:00am/et Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009
How to Purchase:
By Phone: 877-231-2010
Online: www.nascarhall.com
On-site: Box office will open in the spring of 2010.
Types of Tickets:
General Admission: Adult, Senior, Military, Children
Charter Memberships: Six levels detailed below
Group packages: For groups of 15 or more; discounted rates available depending on type and size of groups.
*The NASCAR Hall of Fame is a timed-entry facility; guests must select the date and time of their visit when purchasing a ticket.
Parking Discounts:
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Parking Deck (Brevard Street entrance) will offer a 25% parking discount with the purchase of a NASCAR Hall of Fame ticket. This offer is subject to parking availability.
General Admission Prices:
Adult $19.95
Seniors (60 and up) $17.95
Military $17.95
Ages 5 – 12 $12.95
Under 5 Free
Tickets purchased online or via phone will be discounted $1 per ticket.
Charter Memberships:
Rookie Racer (ages 5 - 12) - $25
Crew Chief (Individual Membership) - $50
Pit Crew Family Pack (Family Membership) - $150
Winner’s Membership - $250
Champion’s Membership - $500
Legend’s Membership - $1,000
More info at www.nascarhall.com.(10-8-2009)

Hall of Fame Inductees Announcement Wednesday: This Wednesday will be a day to remember in NASCAR history as the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be announced. The voting panel will meet early that day and begin their deliberations of the 25 nominees. At 4:00pm/et, the votes will have been tabulated by an accounting firm and NASCAR Chairman Brian France will announce the five names live on SPEED TV. Then next May, NASCAR will hold its first-ever enshrinement.(Fox Sports)
AND: ESPNEWS will have live coverage on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 4 p.m. ET as the first five inductees into the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., are announced. NASCAR Chairman Brian France will reveal the names of the first five in a news conference at the Charlotte Convention Center adjacent to the site of the under-construction Hall of Fame. NASCAR Now host Mike Massaro will host the telecast with ESPN NASCAR analyst Brad Daugherty. Following the news conference, more reports and analysis of the announcement will air on NASCAR Now at 5 p.m. on ESPN2.(ESPN PR)
For the complete list of nominees, see my NASCAR Hall of Fame page.(10-13-2009)

NASCAR Hall of Fame releases opening details: NASCAR Hall of Fame officials announced many of the highly anticipated details regarding visits to the new 150,000-square foot interactive, entertainment attraction under construction in uptown Charlotte, N.C., including ticket information, charter memberships, a national sweepstakes, operating hours and the date for the inaugural Induction Ceremony. Tickets and charter memberships for May 11, 2010 and beyond go on sale at 9 a.m. EDT Oct. 14, coinciding with the historic voting day to determine the first class of inductees in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. That illustrious first class will be formally inducted in a ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 23, 2010. Ticket prices are $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for military and seniors (60+), $12.95 for children 5 - 12 and free for children under 5. The on-site box office is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010. In the meantime, tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 877-231-2010 or www.nascarhall.com. Customers who purchase through Ticketmaster will receive a $1 per ticket discount. In addition to individual tickets, six levels of charter memberships are available. Members will receive a host of benefits, and if their membership is purchased by May 10, 2011, they also will receive a charter designation and commemorative items to mark their unique status as a first-year member. The NASCAR Hall of Fame will operate on a timed-entry system; guests must select a specific day and time for their visit at the time of purchase. Beginning May 11, 2010, the venue will operate seven days a week with base hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours may be extended during summers, race weeks and prominent Uptown Charlotte events.(NASCAR Hall of Fame PR)(10-7-2009)

Inaugural NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class to be Announced October 14: NASCAR announced that “Voting Day” for the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be Oct. 14 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, consisting of members of the Nominating Committee along with 29 others representing NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, major race track ownership groups, retired drivers, owners and crew chiefs along with motorsports media representatives, will meet in a closed session to deliberate and vote on the 25 candidates eligible for this first class. The vote will be followed by a press conference announcing the inaugural class of 2010. The class will be chosen from the 51 votes cast by the panel and the nationwide fan vote – which ends Sept. 27 – conducted through NASCAR.COM. The accounting firm of Ernst & Young will preside over the tabulation of the votes. The hall’s inaugural class will consist of five members and are scheduled to be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in May 2010.(NASCAR), more infomation about the NASCAR Hall Of Fame on my NASCAR Hall of Fame page.(9-15-2009)

Nominees Announced For Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction: NASCAR announced a history-rich list of 25 nominees for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. From that list, five inductees will be chosen via a process that includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.COM; the inductees will be announced in October and honored next May at the new Hall of Fame facility in Charlotte, N.C. The nominees, which include many of the sport's legendary names, were selected by a 21-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks. The HOF's first inductees will be determined by the Voting Panel, which has 50 members -- the entire Nominating Committee, 14 media members, four manufacturer representatives and nine retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs -- three each) and two recognized industry leaders. In addition, the fan vote will result in the Voting Panel's 51st and final ballot. Following are the 25 individuals who have been nominated:

• Bobby Allison, 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and winner of 84 races
• Buck Baker, the first driver to win consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Red Byron, first NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, in 1949
• Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
• Dale Earnhardt, won record seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion
• Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Bill France Jr., NASCAR president, chairman and CEO (1972-2003)
• Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and first president (1948-1972)
• Rick Hendrick, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
• Ned Jarrett, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Junior Johnson, 50 wins as a driver, 132 wins and six championships as an owner
• Bud Moore, 63 wins and two NASCAR Sprint Cup titles as a car owner
• Raymond Parks, NASCAR's first champion car owner
• Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• David Pearson, 105 victories and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Lee Petty, winner of the first Daytona 500 and first three-time series champion
• Richard Petty, 200 wins and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup titles -- both records
• Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
• Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, 1951 and '53
• Curtis Turner, first to win Daytona 500, Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 in same year
• Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 races and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Glen Wood, as driver, laid foundation for Wood Brothers' future team success
• Cale Yarborough, winner of three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, 1976-78

NASCAR to Announce Inaugural Nominees For Hall Of Fame UPDATE: The NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class will take a significant step towards realization Thursday night when the first 25 nominees will be revealed. The announcement will take place during an hour-long special on SPEED at 8:00pm/et that will be hosted by long-time NASCAR broadcaster Ken Squier. The Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a fan-vote element, will then choose the first class of inductees – five NASCAR greats who will be honored next May at the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. The elite 25 names were determined by a 21-person Nominating Committee that consists of officials from both NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, plus owners/operators of major speedways and historic short tracks. The list represents many who helped build the sport, including drivers, owners and promoters.(NASCAR)(6-29-2009)
UPDATE: NASCAR Says, a blog of NASCAR.com, blogs this week that will provide some “sneak peeks” at the inaugural list of nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The first two sneak peaked are lengendary drivers Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.(NASCAR Says)(6-30-2009)
UPDATE 2: two more nominee's Glen Wood and Richard Childress. Both were drivers originally, who switched their concentration to team ownership. Both ended up having some of NASCAR’s biggest stars drive their cars. On Thursday the entire 25-person list will be known.(NASCAR Says)(7-1-2009)
UPDATE 3: Lee Petty and Cale Yarborough have made the list of nominees for the first NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. Petty was the first driver to win three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. Yarborough was the first driver to win the championship three consecutive years.(NASCAR Says)(7-2-2009)

NASCAR Hall of Fame announces opening date: The NASCAR Hall of Fame announced May 11, 2010 as the official grand opening date for the state-of-the-art facility under construction in Charlotte, N.C. “This is a very exciting time in the development of the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “We’re less than a year away from opening the doors that will give visitors an unparalleled experience of the energy, excitement, technology and incredible history of NASCAR – a sport that is so closely tied to our city, our region and our rich heritage in racing.” As part of the announcement, the NASCAR Hall of Fame unveiled three new artifacts that will be featured in the facility when it opens next year. Included among a host of interactive displays, exhibits and artifacts will be the blazer that Ned Jarrett wore while he commentated the 1993 Daytona 500 in which his son, Dale, staved off Dale Earnhardt to claim his first Daytona 500 win. The artifact represents the close family ties within NASCAR, a sport in which fathers, sons, brothers and cousins race with each other, for each other and against each other. To date, the NASCAR Hall of Fame has announced two major artifacts for display in the Hall – the Plymouth Belvedere that Richard Petty drove to 27 wins in 1967, and an epic collection of NASCAR awards and memorabilia donated by Raymond Parks, including the first NASCAR trophy ever awarded a team. Exhibits that will showcase artifacts such as these at the NASCAR Hall of Fame are currently under development. The NASCAR Hall of Fame will launch a comprehensive sales campaign this fall, including ticket and membership sales, and will feature the marketing tagline “Where the race lives on.” The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte on January 25, 2007 and will open May 11, 2010. The facility will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to the success of NASCAR. The Hall of Fame will comprise 150,000 square feet, including exhibit space, state-of-the-art theater, a Hall of Honor that will house the commemorations of Hall of Fame inductees, numerous interactive entertainment experiences, a themed restaurant, retail outlet, and a modern media center for the industry. The Hall will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.(NASCAR HOF)(6-19-2009)

Prospective Members Of Nominating Committee, Voting Panel Announced For Inaugural NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class: NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France has sent letters of invitation to 50 people asking them to serve on the NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and/or Voting Panel. The hall’s inaugural class, consisting of five members, is scheduled to be enshrined in May 2010. That class will be selected by the Voting Panel from a list of 25 candidates assembled by a 21-person Nominating Committee. The Voting Panel will consist of the members of the Nominating Committee and 29 others from throughout the NASCAR industry. There also will be one more ballot, decided by a nationwide fan vote, for a total of 51 Voting Panel ballots. Prospective members of the Nominating Committee represent NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, major race track ownership groups and operators of historic short tracks. Those members are listed below.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

NASCAR Hall of Fame: Director Winston Kelley; Historian Buz McKim.

NASCAR Officials: Chairman/CEO Brian France; Vice Chairman Jim France; Senior Vice President Paul Brooks; President Mike Helton; Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton; Vice President of Communications Jim Hunter; Competition Administrator Jerry Cook; former Vice President Ken Clapp.

Track Owners/Operators: International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa Kennedy; Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell; Speedway Motorsports Incorporated CEO Bruton Smith; Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark; Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George; Dover Motorsports CEO Denis McGlynn; Pocono Raceway owner Doc Mattioli; Bowman Gray Stadium operator Dale Pinilis; Greenville-Pickens Speedway operator Tom Blackwell; Riverhead Raceway operators Jim and Barbara Cromarty (1 vote); Toyota Speedway at Irwindale operator Jim Williams.

The prospective 29 people slated to join the Nominating Committee members on the Voting Panel follow:

VOTING PANEL
National Motorsports Press Association: Kenny Bruce, NASCAR Scene; Dustin Long, Landmark Newspapers/NMPA President; Mike Harris, Associated Press; Nate Ryan, USA Today; Jim Pedley, RacinToday.com; Duane Cross, NASCAR.com.

Eastern Motorsports Press Association: Ernie Saxton, EMPA President.

American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association: Dusty Brandel, AARWBA President.

Broadcasters: Mike Joy, FOX; Bill Weber, TNT; Jerry Punch, ESPN; Barney Hall, MRN; Doug Rice, PRN; Rick Allen, SPEED.

Manufacturers: Chevrolet – Ed Peper, Vice President/General Manager North America; Ford – Edsel B. Ford II, Board of Directors; Dodge – Mike Accavitti, Director of Dodge Brand Global Marketing, Motorsports; Toyota – Lee White, President/General Manager, Toyota Racing Development USA.

Retired Drivers: Ricky Rudd; Harry Gant; Ned Jarrett.

Retired Car Owners: Bud Moore; Cotton Owens; Junior Johnson.

Retired Crew Chiefs: Barry Dodson; Waddell Wilson; Buddy Parrott.

Industry leaders: Former Lowe’s Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler, former motorsports journalist Tom Higgins.
NASCAR Managing Director of Corporate Communications, Ramsey Poston coordinated many of the details for the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction process. Poston sought the advice and guidance of the late David Poole of the Charlotte Observer and SIRIUS Satellite Radio.

Voting, to include a fan vote, will be completed by October 2009 with the results announced soon after.(NASCAR PR)(4-30-2009)

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will honor NASCAR icons and events, and create an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have impacted the sport in the past, present and future. Now, NASCAR fans have the opportunity to personally honor the history of NASCAR and its legends by purchasing a Commemorative Brick at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Buy a Brick - click here

NASCAR Hall of Fame gets approval for companies to produce exhibits: Charlotte City Council unanimously approved $17.7 million worth of contracts Monday night for four companies to produce exhibits for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The city owns the hall of fame under a licensing agreement with NASCAR, and all contracts must be approved by the council. The total exhibit budget is $31 million. Kubik Maltbie will be the primary fabricator and installer of all exhibits. Its contract, including $1 million in contingency fees, is $9,991,527. Kubik Maltbie’s original asking price was just over $11 million before negotiations with the city. The firm’s past work includes projects at the Smithsonian Institution and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Electrosonic Inc. will do all of the audio-visual components and provide an on-site technician for one year for $6,652,859, including contingency fees of $500,000. Electrosonic’s original bid was about $6 million but did not include $1 million for a video screen and sound on the building’s exterior. Electrosonic, which has collaborated with Kubik Maltbie on numerous projects, has a long list of clients, including The Weather Channel sets, the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center and the World of Coca-Cola. Two much smaller contracts also were approved.(Scene Daily)(4-15-2009)

NASCAR Hall of Fame hires operations manager: The NASCAR Hall of Fame has named Steve Burrell as operations manager. In this role, Burrell will be responsible for all daily operating functions for the Hall of Fame, including developing policies, procedures and a work environment that ensures exceptional customer service. He will plan, direct and supervise daily operations including guest services, event management, volunteer coordination, emergency procedures and security. Burrell has more than 14 years experience in the entertainment and tourism industry with Carowinds where he served as the loss prevention manager, paladium and campground manager in addition to operations manager. He also sat on the North Carolina Amusement Advisory Committee as well as the Education Committee for the American Industry for Maintenance and Safety. Burrell also has experience as the corporate safety and chief ethics officer for a government contractor with sites throughout the United States.(NASCAR PR)(3-11-2009)