Star drivers lining up to help Washington track plan

UPDATE #2 This AP article makes it sound like some of the Washington legislators were not too impressed by NASCAR bringing in its drivers to try and sway their vote.

02/21/07 NASCAR is planning to bring in the big guns in support of a $368 million racetrack proposal that has, so far, left many lawmakers unimpressed. Former NASCAR stars Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and current driver Greg Biffle – a Vancouver, Wash., native – will attend a function in Olympia on Wednesday and meet with lawmakers Thursday morning, International Speedway Corp. Vice President Grant Lynch said.

"We think we'll get a good turnout at the shindig we're throwing," Lynch said.

Petty, Waltrip and Biffle will have a private dinner with lawmakers in Olympia Wednesday night and will meet with lawmakers Thursday morning at the Capitol before flying to California for the Auto Club 500 this weekend, said ISC spokesman Lenny Santiago.

Santiago said the drivers would speak to lawmakers as people who are "within the industry that are not involved with the company but do race in our facilities."

"They're going to explain why they think this project is important to the state and what our facilities can generate in terms of economic impact," Santiago said. More…

02/20/07 Plans to build a NASCAR track in New York City have moved to the back burner, but International Speedway Corp. officials still have high hopes to get a speedway approved in the Seattle area. ISC is sending three NASCAR stars to Washington this week to meet with state and local officials in an effort to promote the project. NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip will be there Wednesday and Thursday, along with Nextel Cup driver Greg Biffle, a Vancouver, Wash., native. All of them are traveling to the West Coast anyway, because NASCAR races at California Speedway next weekend. ESPN.com