Denver Native (Carol)
05-25-2008, 03:02 PM
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=92412
NASCAR driver Kyle Petty says racing in the Denver area makes sense for his sport as it evolves from its southeastern base to major markets throughout the country. He made the comments while responding to a viewer's question on YOUR SHOW.
Efforts to bring NASCAR to Aurora have been pushed by city leaders for more than a year now with Mayor Ed Tauer and Councilman Ryan Frazier among the most vocal supporters. To offer any type of tax incentive to NASCAR, Aurora voters would need to approve a ballot measure.
Last year, International Speedway Corporation (ISC), the organization that owns and manages NASCAR tracks around the country, announced that Commerce City had been eliminated as a possible site for a track after objections from residents and many of the city's elected officials. One of the locations though still being considered is in Aurora, near Watkins and Front Range Airport.
"I think (Denver has) a good possibility," he said to a question from Daniel Kuhl. "When you look at our sport and when you look at racetracks we've had, the North Wilkesboro's, the Rockingham's, the Darlington's, places like that. We raced at those racetracks because that's where the racetracks were and that's where we had to race.
"We've begun to branch out, become more like the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball. We race in the major markets. We've added Chicago. We've added Kansas (City). We've added Dallas. We've added L.A. We market race now because that's what the sport dictates," Petty said. "When you start looking at a Seattle, Washington, a Denver, Colorado or a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, cities that we're not in…eventually, NASCAR's going to have to take a look at them because that's where they have major markets for other sports."
ISC does not have a timetable to determine whether a racetrack will be in the metro Denver area's future.
NASCAR driver Kyle Petty says racing in the Denver area makes sense for his sport as it evolves from its southeastern base to major markets throughout the country. He made the comments while responding to a viewer's question on YOUR SHOW.
Efforts to bring NASCAR to Aurora have been pushed by city leaders for more than a year now with Mayor Ed Tauer and Councilman Ryan Frazier among the most vocal supporters. To offer any type of tax incentive to NASCAR, Aurora voters would need to approve a ballot measure.
Last year, International Speedway Corporation (ISC), the organization that owns and manages NASCAR tracks around the country, announced that Commerce City had been eliminated as a possible site for a track after objections from residents and many of the city's elected officials. One of the locations though still being considered is in Aurora, near Watkins and Front Range Airport.
"I think (Denver has) a good possibility," he said to a question from Daniel Kuhl. "When you look at our sport and when you look at racetracks we've had, the North Wilkesboro's, the Rockingham's, the Darlington's, places like that. We raced at those racetracks because that's where the racetracks were and that's where we had to race.
"We've begun to branch out, become more like the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball. We race in the major markets. We've added Chicago. We've added Kansas (City). We've added Dallas. We've added L.A. We market race now because that's what the sport dictates," Petty said. "When you start looking at a Seattle, Washington, a Denver, Colorado or a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, cities that we're not in…eventually, NASCAR's going to have to take a look at them because that's where they have major markets for other sports."
ISC does not have a timetable to determine whether a racetrack will be in the metro Denver area's future.