Check out the NASCAR Ford parade Thursday in Charlotte

   Ford Racing stars from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will participate in a drive with their all-new 2013 NASCAR Fusions through the streets of Uptown Charlotte on Thursday, Jan. 24 starting at 11:15 a.m.

   The route will start from the NASCAR Hall of Fame complex on South Caldwell Street and then turn right onto Stonewall.  From there, the route will turn right onto Tryon Street and then right onto Fifth Street, where it will go past Time Warner Cable Arena.

   The parade will then turn right onto South Caldwell Street and then right onto Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard before ending up at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

   “We’re extremely grateful to our friends at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and city officials in Charlotte who have helped in making this event possible,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing.  “Our 2013 NASCAR Fusion is something we’re extremely proud of because it looks so much like the cars we drive on the street.  Now we’re going to literally be able to see that happen when our NASCAR Fusions take to the streets of Uptown Charlotte.”

Bruton Smith: Just say no to start-and-park teams

   Add Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith to those who would like to see an end to the practice in NASCAR of start-and-park racing - a term which refers to teams that run a handful of laps and park just to collect a portion of the race purse.

   “Start-and-park should not be a part of what we do,” Smith said on Tuesday. “I think it’s derogatory toward our sport. I’m going to try my best – and I hope you’ll join me – to see if NASCAR can do something about this. It certainly isn’t adding anything to our sport, and it certainly takes away.”

   He then asked media in the room to use their influence to put an end to the practice.