There’s been much off-track activity lately in the business end of motorsports, including Jim Cramer’s prime time NBC Sunday evening special called, “The American Dream with Jim Cramer.” Cramer’s special centered on NASCAR and was somewhat similar to his daytime “Mad Money” CNBC program.
A former hedge fund manager who is not afraid of controversy, Cramer is a Wall Street icon. He met recently with race fans at Lowe’s Motor Speedway during a race weekend for the NBC special that aired July 11 at 7 p.m. Cramer’s programs are produced by Regina Gilgan, the talented executive behind both the NBC special and Cramer’s weekday “Mad Money With Jim Cramer” that airs on CNBC at 6 and 11 p.m. E.T. weekdays. Gilgan told us initial ratings were acceptable considering the earlier Sunday evening timeslot on parent NBC and hopes for more Cramer specials in the future. 
Cramer, meanwhile, told the assembled crowd on Lowe’s pit row that investment opportunities are all around us (noting the NASCAR sponsors) and not to be afraid to invest in good quality stocks during this economic downturn.  He specified that over time, stocks still present the best returns versus other investments, especially in inflationary times, and to do your homework before you invest in a stock.
After interviewing Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Casey Mears, Jeff Burton and Kyle Busch, he took to the track for a fast ride with Nationwide Series standout Brad Keselowski in the U.S. Navy-sponsored Chevrolet. He later answered questions from the audience and had a few special guests who gave examples of winning investment strategies. Cramer’s straight talk about the economy and ability to admit he’s made mistakes along the way help prospective and experienced investors who seek this type of information.
One area we disagree with is Cramer’s take on ethanol, which he feels has no place in racing. Until everything plays out, I’ll still side with the ethanol group, praise the IRL and ALMS, and continue to view ethanol as both a protective veil against the unwanted and uninformed who may have political clout. Still, as I’ve said before, I’ll join everyone in the “no corn-based ethanol” protest line when people start missing meals because we’re using corn for fuel instead of food.
Additionally, and in defense of racing’s gasoline usage, a typical NASCAR weekend burns about 5,000 gallons of Sunoco GTX260, which doesn’t come close to the average 366 million gallons that Americans use daily in gas vehicle consumption. Racing “nay-sayers” also seem to always forget the billions in revenue racing generates for hundreds of businesses, from hotels to restaurants that serve the racers and fans during race weekends.
Although the “American Dream” is very entertaining, NBC’s “Introduce Cramer” to mass America via NASCAR allowed him only limited time for “digging in” as he does on his weekday CNBC show, in digesting specific stocks and giving buy-sell recommendations. Still, Cramer gives NBC television viewers a good glimpse of who he is, with emphasis on sincerity and entertainment packaged around his investment recommendations. 
Of course, disclaimers precede and follow Cramer’s personal recommendations for obvious reason. (This means if he’s wrong and you suffer a monetary loss, you can’t sue. In racing vernacular, it’s similar to signing a pit pass).
Check your local listings for replays of  “The American Dream with Jim Cramer,” as Gilgan said re-air dates are in the planning stage right now.
It’s worth the watch.