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the next 11 years, only a couple of drivers won two of the designated races and the $1 million stayed in the bank. Then along came Jeff Gordon in 1997. The kid who so many loved to hate and his team with a flair for the dramatic had the bonus in their sights. After winning at Day- tona and Charlotte, they came to Darlington with a special paint job; “Million Dollar Date” was printed in the rainbow stripes of the 24’s hood and on the rear quarter pan- els. Dollar signs let the jackman know the proper place for that piece of equipment at each pit stop. In a hold-your-breath last lap, Gordon and Jeff Burton banged doors all the way to the checkers. And after the 24 eked out the win, Gordon’s victory lap was paced by an armored car spewing fake currency. It was a day that got lots of attention, both weeks before and after the Crown Jewels win. The next year, the contest was killed. Sure, a reworked $1 million giveaway replaced it, but fans knew it was just a marketing ploy. There was no historic hook, just an effort to gin up fake enthusiasm for some- thing created to give more drivers more money. NASCAR, you just don’t get it. Fans don’t care about the money — in fact, the fixation on dollars has driven away numerous folks who used to live for Sunday afternoon racing. What we want is to see the unbe- lievable done. Two men in a dozen years were able to win the monster races of your sport. Those who saw both accomplishments will never forget it, and now it’s time to give us another chance to see such spec- tacular feats. Sure, times and schedules and racetracks change. But NASCAR has the chance to rekindle some real excitement by providing us a race among races, a demanding mini- series where the best of the best can shine. Yeah, yeah, I already hear the whining about the money. Don’t even bother. Even though the econ- omy is tight, you can get multiple sponsors to pony up. Four presenters at $250,000 each, and it’s set. Or NASCAR itself, despite its cries about costs, can foot the bill. As history has shown, it’s not going to happen every year. Besides, that’s what insurance is for! I will make one concession to changing times. Replace Daytona with the Brickyard. Daytona already is NASCAR’s Super Bowl. It doesn’t need any more attention. By putting NASCAR’s Indy race into the Crown Jewels, you’ll have a different layout and challenge. And maybe that’ll make it easier for the stock and open-wheel series to work out those Memorial Day scheduling issues, too! Kay Bell is an Austin, Texas-based writer. When she’s not yelling at her television during NASCAR races, she blogs about taxes and other financial topics at www.dontmesswithtaxes. typepad.com. Visit www.truckersnews.hotims.com and enter 353 AUGUST 2010 TRUCKERS NEWS 39