Dream Job? Mike D. Goes Backstage at NASCAR

This is the first in a continuing series of updates on Dodge Motorsports from the people who hang out with the drivers, go to the races and help organize all the programs. Feel free to pass along any questions or thoughts. They have access to some pretty incredible people and events. — RLD

By Mike Delahanty
“The Perfect Job”
a.k.a. — Senior Manager - Dodge Motorsports

Pick any measure – any superlative or any comparison; NASCAR is “Big Time Auto Racin’”. Excitement and speeds are big – approaching 200 MPH at the superspeedways like Daytona or Talladega. Its fan base is big – 75 million strong. The facilities are big with the capacity to handle upwards of 200,000 screaming and hollering fans. On any weekend where there is a Nextel Cup race, it’s the single largest gathering of people in that state or region. There are few other events that draw that many friends and family together for a span of several days to camp and party in and around the race track.

OK, the NFL has a larger TV audience, but NASCAR is #2 and its growth since the 1990s has been stronger that any other spectator sport. Fan loyalty is high and most display their favorite driver somewhere on their vehicle, clothing – and sometimes even body parts. And it’s big business with many of the top Fortune 500 companies involved in the sport.

At Dodge Motorsports the action and pace is … well – big. With 36 races from mid February through Thanksgiving there is a race just about every weekend. That means one or more of us from the Dodge Motorsports Team are at the race to work with a number of our race teams and sponsor partners.

The NASCAR races are traveling road shows that set up in a different city every week. We at Dodge Motorsports are members of the supporting cast that work with the stars – the cars and drivers – to deliver the racing excitement to the fans watching and listening – both at the track and on radio and TV. It’s amazing now well the whole NASCAR machine works in moving its huge racing, marketing and broadcasting infrastructure across the country week after week. Last weekend it was California – this week it’s Richmond, Va.

For those of us who happen to be racing fans – or in my case – racing junkies – these is no better job imaginable. The “Perfect Job” really does exist and I am lucky to be one of those to be in this position. The best analogy to describe the experience of working in the NASCAR world is “being backstage” at your favorites band’s greatest concerts.

There is just one more race until the Chase for the Nextel Championship starts. Dodge has one driver qualified – Kurt Busch from Team Penske. It looks like Kurt is nearly locked into the Chase – he just needs to finish no worse that 36th at Richmond and he’s in. If momentum is any measure of what to expect from the “Blue Deuce”, Kurt should be one of the contenders for the Championship. Since July, both Ryan Newman and Busch have been among the top running cars week in and week out. I like to say they are examples of the “Penske-Perfect” execution that has been seen from all of the Penske Racing programs.

Stay tuned – we have a big weekend planned for the NASCAR race in Dover that will be sponsored by the Dodge Dealers. I’ll take you through all of the activities from the “backstage” view.