Kelly/Shorts screen blares big wheels for NASCAR
Saturday was the first time the 'other' side of the video board at Kelly/Shorts Stadium was used.
Most are familiar with the double-sided video screen as a scoreboard. But for the crowds outside the football stadium Saturday, it was a big screen TV and it was how they watched the NASCAR Subway 500 Race.
"This is the first time we have done any major event on this side of the video board," said Associate Athletic Director Nick Williams. "We we're approached by NASCAR Kinetics and they wanted to use the football stadium, but I said why don't we turn it into a fan-event after the spring football game.
"They're in a nationwide competition and athletics is all about competition, so we worked with them."
With free food and prizes given away throughout the event, many got to watch in the race in rows of chairs that were set up on the grass. Participants could have played various games and activities, which included a life-size NASCAR simulator.
NASCAR Kinetics team leader and Constantine senior Kelly Morse said NASCAR needs to be promoted more at CMU and within the surrounding community.
"Our goal was to help bring NASCAR to Mount Pleasant," she said. "I think that it (the event) got a lot of people who didn't know NASCAR, and it brought them out, and that's what this is all about."
NASCAR fans Brett Godwin and his wife Karen agreed that NASCAR needs to become more relevant within the community.
"I wish they would do it more often. It doesn't seem to get a lot of hype," said Brett of NASCAR in Mount Pleasant. "I hope they can continue it. It would be nice."
His wife added " I think most people don't consider it a sport. To a lot of people, it's just driving a car, and it's much more than that."
Team member Erica Lemm said they could not have done anything more to promote the event.
"In my opinion, we could not have done anything more. We did get a good number of people at the beginning," the Clinton Township junior said, late in the night when the crowd was a bit smaller thanks to the wind and cooler temperatures. "We had a billboard and (Detroit junior) Sarah Kirkland and I were on News Central 34. I feel like we couldn't have done it any better."
Lemm they would have been able to attract more people if they hadn't been worn out by the tailgating and spring football game that took place just hours before.
"The spring game and tailgating definitely affected it," she said.
NASCAR Kinetics: Marketing in Motion is a nationwide program that just began on campus this semester in five schools around the country.
To be a member, students must be a registered sophomore, junior, or senior. They also must have a 2.5 grade point average or higher, be 18-years old and have an interest in public relations, marketing, advertising, journalism, business, interpersonal communication, broadcast and cinematic arts or sports marketing.
Deadline for fall applications is May 1 and applications can be found across campus.
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