Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and Senator Mike Crotts will host an Atlanta racing rally on Thursday, March 6, at the Georgia State Capitol, and fans are invited and encouraged to attend and show their support for the sport. Gov. Perdue will host a news conference at noon on Thursday, March 6, 2003, on the north side of the State Capitol building downtown. Fans interested in attending should be at the Capitol by 11:45 a.m. Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO Bruton Smith, Atlanta Motor Speedway President and General Manager Ed Clark and other racing dignitaries are all expected to attend the news conference. Earlier the same day, Smith and Clark will also be introduced in the Senate chambers and presented with a proclamation from the State Senate, promising support for keeping two races in Atlanta. Atlanta Motor Speedway’s two NASCAR Winston Cup race weekends contribute $455 million annually to the Atlanta economy – more than the combined total of the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, Falcons and Thrashers. Atlanta’s races also attract fans from all 50 states and as many as a dozen foreign nations, while another 10 million fans tune in worldwide.( AMS PR )(2-28-2003) UPDATE: Brett Bodine, owner/driver of the #11 Hooter’s Ford wil also attend.(3-6-2003) UPDATE 2: On Thursday, Georgia politicians pledged their support for keeping two NASCAR races in the Atlanta area. This weekend’s race and its associated events will bring 250,000 fans from all 50 states and 13 countries, according to Atlanta Motor Speedway. The two races rev the state’s economy by $455 million – more than the combined horsepower of Atlanta’s four professional teams. But the owners of new tracks out West want to host races, too, and NASCAR officials have suggested moving races from tracks such as Atlanta. Thursday, Bruton Smith, owner of the Atlanta track, drew the proverbial line in the sand, backed up by Gov. Sonny Perdue, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor and two dozen other state politicians. “There’s been a rumor that we might move one of these events,” he said. “We’re not going to do that.” Smith has invested more than $100 million in Atlanta Motor Speedway and said he’s going to continue his support of the track, located 30 miles south of Atlanta in Henry County.( Augusta Chronicle )(3-7-2003)
