NASCAR: BMS general manager notices increase in fan interest

Bristol Motor Speedway general manager Jerry Caldwell is eager to bring the days of sellout crowds back to his storied track, so he’s spent the past few months listening to customers. Caldwell has heard all sorts of feedback, but one request has been common.

“Fans have asked over and over for more exposure to the drivers. That’s why we’ve gone to every race team and asked them to participate in our initiative,” Caldwell said.

Prior to the Aug. 27 IRWIN Tools Night race at BMS, various NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will take part in a public question-and-answer session. The VIP list features Dale Earnhardt Jr.

That ambitious bit of outreach is one reason why Caldwell expressed optimism for resurgence in attendance. The official crowd estimate for the March 20 Jeff Byrd 500 at BMS was 120,000.

“Ticket sales are really strong for August,” Caldwell said. “We still face our head winds of the economy, but we’re encouraged by the initiatives we’ve launched.”

BMS officials met the Monday morning following the Jeff Byrd 500. For Caldwell and his team the challenge of luring back fans was personal.

“Everyone here takes it that way, and that’s why we’re head and shoulders from any other track from a fan experience,” Caldwell said. “We all have such passion in our jobs, and we get bummed when we don’t sell out.”

With a lack of entertainment options and a limited supply of NASCAR in the area, BMS faces a unique set of challenges. And those challenges are more evident when high gas and lodging prices are factored in.

“We’re dealing with a much smaller market than say a Las Vegas or Dallas-Fort Worth,” Caldwell said. “And we have so many fans that are coming from six plus hours away.”

In addition to creating the driver forums, BMS officials have been working with area hotels to offer more reasonable prices.

“We’ve got our unique challenges, but I’m encouraged,” Caldwell said.

“We have to find ways to make the trip easier for fans and give them things that they are not going to find at other places.

The dates for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at BMS should be announced soon. Caldwell would welcome a later date for the March event

Dirt daze

A large crowd of dirt late model racing fans remained at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat until 12:49 a.m. Tuesday for the opening round of the 10-race Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals touring series.

After a pair of rain delays, NASCAR Camping World Series title contender Austin Dillon held off Chris Madden for the win. Dillon, 21, also competed in Thursday’s truck race at Kingsport Speedway and in Saturday’s Summer Sizzler Shootout at Volunteer Speedway.

“It had a rough weekend, but this is a good start to this coming weekend in Iowa,” said Dillon, who drove several laps in Kentucky with the hood covering his windshield and also damaged his car at Volunteer. “It’s awesome to win this race. This is more fun than NASCAR. These guys are like my heroes.”

Dillon set a new track record with a lap of over 110 mph in qualifying Monday, but that mark was eclipsed by Jonathan Davenport just moments later.

For most of Monday, Dillon and his younger brother, Ty, held the top two spots. Madden delighted fans with a series of bold passes on the inside and outside of the slick surface.

“I was watching the scoreboard and I was wanting Ty to come in right behind me,” said Dillon, whose black car was adorned with the familiar No. 3 “When Madden passed Ty, I tried to pick things up just a little bit and make sure I kept the lead. It was a great race, and I just love Wythe Raceway.

Handsome Harry

Former NASCAR driving great Harry Gant signed autographs for dozens of fans at Kingsport Speedway on July 8.

Gant, who still looks youthful at 71, shared many tales of his colorful racing career while also displaying one of his old cars. Gant dominated the old NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series from 1972-74, with many of his victories coming at Kingsport.

According to Gant, his decision to return to his old proving ground grew out of a reunion with retired NASCAR drivers last year.

“It’s good to have the drivers come back to some of these places,” Gant said. “Kingsport was one track I really wanted to come back and see.”

Except for the concrete surface, Gant said little has changed at Kingsport.

“It looks like it always did to me – just a different color,” said Gant, who ran on an asphalt surface at Kingsport.

In 1982, the Late Model Sportsman Series was consolidated into a national touring series. The inaugural season of what is now the Nationwide Series consisted of just 29 races – a far cry from the hectic days of sportsman racing

“I can remember running 28 different tracks and 75 to 90 races a year – with one race car,” said Gant, who had a successful run with Bristol car owner Ed Whitaker.

From 1981 until his retirement in 1994, Gant drove the No. 33 Skoal Bandit at the top level of NASCAR. Robert Pressley, the current promoter at Kingsport, replaced Gant in the Skoal ride.

Behind a talent-stocked Late Model class, Pressley has been able to generate solid attendance and consistent car counts at Kingsport. Friday’s Late Model race featured several clashes between drivers, on and off the track.

Burton boys

Jeb Burton, 18-year-old son of former Morgan McClure Motorsports driver Ward Burton, qualified ninth in his ARCA Series debut Saturday at Berlin Raceway in Michigan.

The late model standout at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway and North Carolina’s ACE Speedway settled for a 21st place finish after becoming entangled in a early with another driver early in the race.

Ward Burton, a former Daytona 500 winner, is working to land a full-season sponsor deal for his son.

Ty Dillon leads the ARCA point standings.

agregory@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports | (276) 645-2544