Gillet has Big Plans for NASCAR

George N. Gillett, Jr. has big plans for NASCAR. As a majority owner of Gillett Evernham Motorsports, the American entrepreneur plans to embark on improving the racing sport. Gillett is a huge sports enthusiast, as he also owns Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and is co-owner of Liverpool of the English Premier League. But Gillet�s passion has always been in racing and that is reason enough for him to concentrate some effort towards the sport. He is quoted saying, �What brought me here to NASCAR is a love of cars. My family has been in the car business for, I don't know, 50 or 60 years. We own 30 or 40 auto dealerships.�

Gillet himself has dabbled in motorsports in the past, �I used to be a (race car) driver. We sponsored cars. We went to the winner's circle at the Indianapolis 500 with Buddy Lazier (in 1996). We've been in the sport a long time. In the mid-70s, (former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr.) and I talked about us becoming an investor in NASCAR and/or in Talladega and Daytona. Our interest is not fresh and new. We're not new to the sport. We've been around it a long time.� The man knows exactly what he wants to do to improve NASCAR, having been there to experience the sport first hand.

Gillet�s first aim is to improve the quality of driver performance in the NASCAR race track. Gillet says that, �"The driver development area is an area that we feel very passionately about. I think you'll see us do some interesting things in driver development. I think you'll see us create a whole new television series on driver development, with a whole new thought and idea. I can't really go any further, but we've got a number of brilliant young drivers - male, female, national and international, already signed up for the series. I think you'll see us doing some fun things there.�

Two of Gillet�s more immediate �expansion� plans include: 1.) bringing in more auto dealerships and sponsorships, 2.) introducing new international race car drivers onto the NASCAR racetrack and consequently more fans from various parts of the world. It is interesting to note that it was the Gillett Evernham Motorsports racing team that brought Quebec native, Patrick Carpentier, into the NASCAR racing scene.

With these plans being implemented by one of NASCAR�s key players, NASCAR enthusiasts will surely have reason to stay tuned to America�s most watched motorsport.

Sources: NASCAR owner has ways to promote growth