Texas Motor Speedway beats Cowboys on size, speed and playoffs

Posted Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009 Comments   (0) Print Share Share Reprints
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By DAVID THOMAS

dthomas@star-telegram.com

There is a spot facing the media center where Texas Motor Speedway typically hangs a promotional banner, such as the boxing-themed "Rumble at the Speedway" banner featuring Danica Patrick and Dan Wheldon for the 2007 IRL race.

This week’s banner could be viewed as a shot at Cowboys Stadium: "STADIUM ENVY? OURS IS THE BIGGEST."

The banner lists the five largest stadiums in Texas, topped by TMS’ 138,122 seats. Next comes Texas’ Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (94,113, recently expanded to 100,119), followed by the Cotton Bowl (92,000), Texas A&M’s Kyle Field (82,600) and then the Cowboys’ new stadium (82,000).

Not only does TMS hold more fans than Cowboys Stadium, but it also has the playoffs come through every year.

Good deals

A clearance tent outside Gate 1 will offer NASCAR and TMS souvenirs for as little as $1 today and tomorrow.

The 40 Speedway souvenir stands around the track have reduced prices for items such as Dickies 500 T-shirts ($20) and hats ($22), as well as a "Race Saver Hat Special" with various TMS hats available for $8.

Clays and pins

Two events were held Thursday to benefit the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.

The Autotrader.com Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament featured Hornish and Kurt Busch at Main Event in Grapevine bowling with a variety of Dallas-Fort Worth area professional athletes.

Bobby Labonte, Johnny Rutherford and Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief were among those taking part in the Beretta Celebrity Clay Shoot presented by Coors Light at the Circle T Ranch in Westlake.

Artist to sign autographs

NASCAR artist Sam Bass will sign autographs from 10-11 a.m. today at the Speedway World Gift Shop. The first 200 fans purchasing at least $25 worth of merchandise at the gift shop or $25 worth of tickets at the ticket office will receive a signed poster of the Dickies 500 program cover Bass designed.

Get behind the wheel

Chevrolet is allowing fans to test-drive new vehicles, including the 2010 Camaro, today and tomorrow.

The Chevy Ride and Drive takes place from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today and 7-11 a.m. Saturday in the bus lot behind Hospitality Village, off Allison Avenue between Highway 114 and Victory Circle.

Fans can skip the lines by pre-registering at www.teamchevytestdrive.com.

Traffic and jams

If the guys in the small cars are the world’s best drivers, then the men in the big trucks must be the world’s best parkers.

The Nationwide Series garage area opened to haulers at 10:30 a.m. That began a long line of rigs waiting their turn to park in their spots for the next three days.

It is interesting to watch the truck drivers park, especially those with assigned spots closest to the garage gate. Most drivers are able to negotiate the big turn and park by having to back up and pull forward only once into a spot only two yards or so over from the next hauler.

The drivers maneuver their haulers as though they are motor scooters.

'Coldest’ November race ever?

Sunday’s forecast calls for a high of 70 degrees with partly cloudy skies.

If that forecast proves to be one degree on the high side, it would make for the coolest November race at TMS since the speedway went to two races in 2005.

High temperatures on the fall Sunday race days have ranged from 70 to 84 degrees. Only one time have skies not been clear for a race, in 2006 when it was hazy.

The top five Many of the Sprint Cup drivers are not at Texas Motor Speedway yet, but thanks to Twitter it is possible to keep up with them. Here are the top five ways tweeting drivers spent their Thursday:

1Kevin Harvick celebrated the New York Yankees’ 27th world championship and played third base in a softball game at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

2Elliott Sadler made appearances for Stanley Tools in Dallas (he wondered if he could sneak some tools out with him) and at an oil change place in Keller (he used to change oil at his brother’s dealership).

3Juan Pablo Montoya, a day after visiting the chiropractor, held a video conference with media in Colombia.

4Ryan Newman picked up apples for deer before heading back to the farm.

5Denny Hamlin posted a picture of a closet full of clothes, then said he had nothing to wear. He must have found something, because he made a FedEx appearance in Fort Worth.

David Thomas, 817-390-7760

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