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close'Step-Mom' billboards axed after Kelley Earnhardt Elledge objects
'It's taken a life of its own,' Texas track boss says in defense of campaign, 'and that's what you want'
DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008
Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage has agreed to change billboards featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. after the original message drew objections from Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, Earnhardt Jr.’s sister and business manager.
Originally, the billboard read “Reason #88: Step-Mom” with Texas Motor Speedway, the NASCAR logo and the April 3-6 dates for the Samsung 500 weekend.
Earnhardt Jr. left Dale Earnhardt Inc., which is led by his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, following the 2007 season. He will drive the No. 88 Chevrolets for Hendrick Motorsports this year.
NASCAR Scene magazine said Elledge called the billboard “completely inappropriate” earlier this week.
The new wording, which will take about a week to changet, will say “Reason #88: New Car Smell.”
The billboard is one of four being used to promote the upcoming race. Tony Stewart’s reads “Reason #20: Road Rage!” Jeff Gordon’s says “Reason #24: 81 Cup Wins. Zip at Texas!”
And Jimmie Johnson’s says: “Reason #48: Twice as Good as 24!”
Gossage told SceneDaily.com that the campaign has “done what it was supposed to do, causing people to talk about it and news folks doing stories about them. It's taken a life of its own, and that's what you want out of an advertising campaign.”
| TRACK FACTS Date Opened: February 5, 1996 First NWCS Race: Interstate Batteries 500, April 6, 1997 Qualifying Record: Bill Elliott, 194.224 mph (27.803 sec), 4/5/02 Race Record: Terry Labonte, 144.276 mph, 3/28/99 Owner: SMI Chairman: O. Bruton Smith Phone: (817) 215-8500 Tickets: (817) 215-8500 Shipping Address: 3601 Hwy 114 Justin, TX 76247 Mailing Address: PO Box 500 Fort Worth, TX 76101 |
TRACK CONFIGURATION Distance: 1.5 Mile Oval Banking in Turns 1-4: 24º Banking in Straightaways: 5º Length of Frontstretch: 2,250 ft. Length of Backstretch: 1,330 ft. Grandstand Seating: 154,861 Miles/Laps: 501 mi. = 334 laps |