Full Throttle

With apologies to Howard Morris who directed With Six You Get Egg Roll, a semi-classic that debuted in 1968.

In the three plus decades since things have become more efficient and now it only takes four NASCAR officials, Brian France, Paul Brooks, Robbie Weiss and Ken Clapp to “get egg roll.”

In Beijing, China.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France is leading the four person delegation for a week-long visit to China to discuss possible projects with government, sports and business officials in Beijing.

According to Scene Daily talks will center on discussions about lower-level NASCAR-type events or series at Chinese racetracks and business relationships that might include NASCAR and Chinese interests.

The presence of Ken Clapp, who is a NASCAR consultant and formerly NASCAR’s West Coast director, may indicate any move into China might include NASCAR’s Grand National Division, West Series.

At this point that’s just speculation on my part but it would continue a pattern set when NASCAR ran a series of events in Japan.

For the first two years NASCAR raced at the famous Suzuka road circuit. When the new Twin Ring Motegi course opened late in ‘97 the events switched to the tri-oval located there for the 1998 race.

The 1999 Coca-Cola 500 at Motegi (part of the NASCAR Winston West Series 14-race schedule) was the first points race in NASCAR history held outside North America.

Although France has had designs on Asia for some time he may have been caught sleeping, for once. While he’s been dreaming and talking F1’s Bernie Ecclestone has announced an FIA sanctioned stock car series called Speedcar.

Speedcar opens its first season in November next year with F1 veterans Johnny Herbert, Gianni Morbidelli, Narain Karthikeyan, Stefan Johansson and Jean Alesi signed to drive.

With both of the racing worlds billionaire head honchos about to butt heads in Asia the next few years should make for interesting viewing.