What might be the costliest race of the year from a track preparation standpoint is the Labor Day weekend activities at the Motor City’s Belle Isle circuit. To prepare for the ALMS-Indy Racing League double-header, millions of dollars are being spent shortening, upgrading and refining the city-owned Belle Isle road course not far from downtown Detroit. Acres of new concrete have been poured to enhance team and hospitality areas, and fan (and sponsor) amenities increased and glamorized. In addition to slightly shortening the lap distance, several corners of the circuit have been reshaped and widened to assure easy passing. Race chairman Bud Denker, a VP at Penske Automotive, says sponsor interest in the event is so high a “sold out” announcement might have to be sent to potential sponsors not yet signed up. But fans planning to attend face a new twist. No spectator parking at all is permitted on Belle Isle on race day! Using their Super Bowl-learned parking lessons, track management has arranged with dozens of parking lots in downtown Detroit and its environs to accommodate fans’ vehicles. Shuttle buses will deliver race goers to the track site and return them to their cars. Daylong parking at these shuttle-served lots will cost $5 per car, no more, plus $5 for each fan’s round-trip shuttle ride. Success of this unique undertaking could mean a long-term motorsport involvement for this country’s most important auto city.

Remember Buick? It tied with Lexus for the No. 1 ranking in the latest Vehicle Dependability report issued by J.D. Power and Associates. Lexus was exclusive in the No. 1 spot for a dozen years. This year’s runners-up are Cadillac, Mercury and Honda, the Power report tells us.

Why is racing so costly these days? A recent report revealed 24 crew members are on hand to provide service every time NASCAR star Matt Kenseth takes his No. 17 Roush-Fenway Ford out for practice, qualifying or a race!    

A Ferrari Berlinetta Lusso, owned and driven by the late movie actor Steve McQueen and appraised between $800K and $2 million, was sold for $2.31 million at California’s recent Monterey Jet Center auction. Deceased movie stars have become of significant interest due to the escalating value of their names as advertisers have developed posthumous peddling to a high degree. The celebrity marketing firm CMG Worldwide says it now represents more than 300 faces including those of Jean Harlow, Babe Ruth and Marilyn Monroe.  

A message? Kasey Kahne and Jason Leffler, the 1-2 finishers in Friday night’s Busch Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, grew up in midget racing. And had not Ryan Newman been knocked out with two laps to go, the finish would have been midget grads 1-2-3! Remember that’s where Jeff Gordon started too.  

Constant reader Fred Nagle of Maryville, Tenn., sends along news clippings relative the saving of the former Smoky Mountain Speedway from oblivion by ex-driver Kevin Coffey. He purchased the Blount County Fairgrounds and the track, renamed it Mountain Raceway and plans to promote it heavily. The area lost Atomic Speedway and Coffey says he will create an indigenously Southern culture at the track that celebrates sheet metal, powerful engines, daredevil drivers and a fan base that doesn’t mind getting a little red clay in its mouth. To Mr. Coffey we say Bravo!  

It will be party time at Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park on Sept. 2 when the track celebrates its 50th anniversary with a Jim Haynes (former operator) party. On track Saturday and Monday it’s the Rolex Vintage Festival presented by BMW. 

Are Manny, Moe & Jack coming? We ask after learning the Oct. 28 Nextel Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be sponsored by Pep Boys, the nationwide automotive aftermarket retail and service chain. Pep Boys was once the title sponsor of the IRL way back when.

“Motor Mouth,” a $7.99 novel by Janet Evanovich about her protagonist’s NASCAR-driving boy friend investigating a scandal, made the N.Y. Times paperback best-seller list last week.

Long-retired Indy Car owner Rolla Vollstedt, now 88 years old, who gave Janet Guthrie her now-famous Indy 500 drive, was recently treated to a glowing review of his activities, past and present, by AP feature writer Anne M. Peterson. Vollstedt keeps busy these days in his Portland, Ore., workshop building racing car parts.

It will be interesting to see what the No. 12 Penske Dodge Ryan Newman drives looks like when it shows up for the Sept. 2 Nextel Cup race in California. Sponsor Kodak has conducted a nationwide design contest for the car that drew 3,000-plus entrants. The winning designer is being chosen and will travel to the race at Kodak’s expense. 

Of all the pit-pass wearing racing insiders who have appeared on TV with a microphone in their hand, none have done as well as Tim Brewer. Brewer’s work as an ESPN technical analyst using Chevy’s Cut-Away Car is superb, short and to the point, which really helps the racing fan better understand the complex nuts and bolts jargon the guys in the booth discuss. On the other side of the coin “talk about,” an order ye ed detests, is still being heard from reportedly knowledgeable pit reporters who, obviously, can’t create an intelligent question to pose.  

Those who visit Detroit regularly will agree The Rattlesnake is one of the city’s finest restaurants. And The Rattlesnake décor is decidedly auto racing, like the F-1 DFV Cosworth cylinder head on its men’s room wall. But few know that the chef-owner of The Rattlesnake, Jimmy Schmidt, is always absent on weekends the ALMS is racing. Why? Schmidt is the touring chef for members of the GT-1 Corvette team. No race team members have ever dined better. PS: Bring money.