COLUMBIA - New Darlington (S.C.) Raceway president Chris Browning won't paint any doomsday scenarios for the region or state about life without NASCAR racing.
"I'm probably, regrettably, in the best position of anyone to speak firsthand of what the consequences can be," said Browning, the former head of recently sold North Carolina Speedway at Rockingham, N.C.
Despite Browning's efforts the past 12 years, NASCAR took one, then the other, of The Rock's two longtime race dates to satisfy larger tracks in less saturated markets. So he's understandably wary of some seeing him as the "Grim Reaper" of fading Southern racetracks.
"That's why I think I need to be proactive in speaking to legislators and officials and politicians," Browning said. "So many businesses in North Carolina just took (The Rock) for granted. They thought nothing was going to happen. Well, it happened and it happened pretty quick."
To prevent the same demise at Darlington - its Nextel Cup profile was slashed from two races to one for 2005 - Browning will meet with anyone who'll listen about the historic tracks.
One meeting will definitely involve Gov. Mark Sanford. Browning said North Carolina officials didn't seem serious about helping Rockingham until it was too late.
Darlington and Browning, who took over for Andrew Gurtis in June, will find an interested supporter in Sanford, said the governor's spokesman, Will Folks.
NASCAR's announcement in May that Darlington would only have one race next year "certainly hit the governor's radar screen," Folks said. "He's very knowledgeable of what that means and keenly aware of the economic development ramifications."
Darlington Raceway sits in the heart of the Pee Dee region, one of the state's most economically depressed. University of South Carolina studies have shown NASCAR race weekends can pump up to $25 million into the area.
Darlington's case also has a grass-roots push. A recently announced fan group, Fanz to Support the Darlington Raceway Tradition, is attempting to sign up as many members as possible (the $5 fee going to charity) to show NASCAR's leaders that racing interest remains vital and strong in South Carolina.
"They tell us we can go see races in Charlotte and Atlanta," said Bob Henry, the group's president. "I don't want to go to Charlotte and Atlanta. I want to stay right here."
Henry recently signed up country music artist Keith Bryant as the organization's spokesman. Bryant's song Tradition Sure Runs Deep off his latest album starts out, "We've got a family tradition here, it's been around for 50 years."
Bryant says the song is about NASCAR racing, but easily translates to its oldest superspeedway in Darlington, where NASCAR first raced in 1950.
"I'm proud if we can help keep racing at Darlington," Bryant said.
Browning says he'll have to convince fans, trade associations and businesses to purchase Darlington tickets earlier than ever so he might have power with leaders at NASCAR and track owner International Speedway Corp. to pursue things such as adding seats, improving the garage area and updating or rebuilding luxury suites. Henry says sales are what corporations understand best.
Whether Browning - or anyone - can grow Darlington is the big question.
The facility lost a race despite its first Southern 500 sellout on Labor Day and capital improvements such as SAFER barriers and a soon-to-debut lighting system. And next year, Darlington's lone event comes on Mother's Day weekend, long the circuit's sacrosanct downtime.
"I'm concerned," Browning said, "but I'm excited too about what we can do here."
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