Editorial: For love of car and driver

Sunday, March 12, 2006 | 7:24 a.m.

Not even the threat of rain can dampen the enthusiasm of NASCAR fans, for whom a love of racing is only the beginning.

What's not to love? There are the other fans and the party atmosphere of the grandstands. And there are the drivers, who are considered among the most down-to-earth and approachable of sporting superstars. NASCAR fans love, love, love their drivers - and, it seems, with good reason.

While other celebrities might spend their pregame days relaxing in a luxury resort or spa, NASCAR drivers were out on the town. Tony Stewart, a favorite in today's UAW-Daimler-Chrysler 400, spent Thursday at the Salvation Army helping volunteers build a new playground.

Later Thursday more than half a dozen drivers, including Bobby Allison and Kyle Petty, participated in an auction at one of the off-Strip casinos and raised $169,000 for the Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities.

Certainly, some of these appearances are required by sponsors. But NASCAR drivers have a regular-guy air about them that suggests they would have been out there anyway. That, and the fast cars, of course, lure more than 150,000 adoring fans to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway each March - adoring fans who drop more than $100 million in nongaming revenue while they're here. And that's a lot of money for a rainy day.