NASCAR’s Brian France and Nextel officials are trying to decide what to do with the annual preseason preview that has been held in Winston-Salem the past 15 years, and it’s looking like Charlotte, not Daytona, will be the host city for the preview, which typically draws a sellout of 25,000. ‘If they try to have the preview at Daytona during testing,’ one top driver says angrily, ‘they’ll have a mutiny on their hands.'( Winston Salem Journal )(9-27-2003) UPDATE – at Daytona: The preseason fan event previously known as the Winston Cup Preview will move to Daytona Beach, Fla., next year, a source confirmed Saturday. The event, held the past 14 years in Winston-Salem, N.C., drew about 20,000 spectators last year for driver autographs, a souvenir auction and showcar display. The most popular aspect was that all Cup drivers were required to attend and each had a two-hour autograph session. NASCAR officials have not determined all the details for this January’s event, although it will be called something different. One proposal that seems likely is that the fan event will be held the first night of testing at Daytona International Speedway.( Roanoke Times )(9-28-2003) UPDATE 2: Most Cup drivers dont want the “Winston Preview” moved to Daytona. Here are some of the rumblings around the garage area. Winston-Salem is a convenient location, a short car ride from most of the drivers’ homes. With the short “off-season”, its a bad time to have to stay several extra days in Daytona after testing. Past previews donated their revenues to Brenner Childrens Hospital, part of Wake Forest/Baptist Medical Center. These hospitals and staff are utilized by much of the Cup community, so there is a real win-win relationship between drivers donating their time, and benefitting from the direction of the donations. Who would profit from a Daytona preview? Winston’s T. Wayne Robertson was a good friend of the sport and the people in it. The Preview is his legacy and carries his name. Would that continue if it is moved?(source)(9-29-2003)
