It's Time for Sin City to Have Shot

While nothing has been officially announced, it appears the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series postseason awards ceremony will be trekking across the country from New York City to Sin City in December.

The powers-that-be in the NASCAR world, specifically SMI Chairman Bruton Smith and NASCAR, have long bantered back and forth about taking their awards banquet to Las Vegas but never before has the city represented so much potential to NASCAR.

Given the current economic landscape in America and across the world, the banquet, held in Manhattan since 1981, is in dire need of revitalization to infuse it with some fresh energy, and the possibilities don't get more promising than Las Vegas. Along with the rest of the country, NASCAR has suffered in the recession, so we must explore new avenues to reach out to the sponsors and fans who are the sport's lifeblood. If Vegas encourages more race fans to experience the banquet, or makes it more affordable or easier to reach, then it is time to pack it up for the move. The awards ceremony should flourish in Las Vegas and inject into the sport the spark it currently needs.

The Big Apple has a certain electricity and buzz but that fizzles right out when it comes to NASCAR. The historic Waldorf-Astoria and NASCAR's presence there are steeped in tradition but in these financial times, that no longer is enough. We've got to do it better.

While many New Yorkers showed up to support NASCAR during Champions Week, the sport struggled to gain acceptance among the local media and the community as a whole. The NASCAR show car parade through Midtown was cancelled last year, due in part to complaints from area residents, but we could easily substitute a parade down The Strip in Vegas. The awards ceremony itself hasn't included the general public due to space constraints at the Waldorf-Astoria, but finding convention centers, hotels or casinos in Las Vegas capable of holding thousands won't be a problem. Plus, the cost of hotel rooms for the teams and fans in Vegas will be a fraction of those in New York during the holiday season.

However, New York City's loss of the NASCAR banquet should not mandate a removal of attention to the country's largest media market. Jeff Gordon made a very valid point when he said the sport still should make the media blitz through NYC for the champion and The Chase contenders. But the actual awarding of the championship would be better served under the neon lights of Las Vegas instead of the Christmas lights of New York.

While we're talking about relocating the awards ceremony, let's go for the gusto and totally scrap the current format that has become too "stuffy" and boring for anyone to enjoy.

The formality and monotonous pace at which the ceremony trudges along has long been a running joke in the NASCAR garage area. We all realize how vital each driver's few moments are to properly thank his sponsors who pump so much money into these teams. However, there has to be another way to afford appropriate credit to these companies while making the process more television-friendly and entertaining for the fans at home because the banquet is a celebration for them, as well. We must find additional avenues to appeal to the fan who may be watching his or her first NASCAR function and isn't familiar with any of the drivers, teams or sponsors. Look to other sports and industries for examples, such as the Country Music Awards.

I also think the format should be more inclusive and supportive of the winning crew. The cameras traditionally pan to the team sitting atop the balcony off to the side while the driver acknowledges them. However, I'd like to hear their names announced, see their faces and learn more about who these men and women are. I think the fans appreciate the "people" stories that make these championships possible.

I was fortunate enough a few years ago to cover Supercross, which schedules its banquet in Las Vegas on the same weekend as its season finale. That's a fantastic plan because the season's energy, excitement and thrill of the championship are so fresh in everyone's minds. The celebration is larger and more intense because it follows the concluding event by a mere 24 hours. I doubt that concept would ever work in NASCAR for logistical reasons but maybe there is a lesson somewhere in there.

I'm looking forward to hearing an official announcement that we're headed to Vegas in December. The city and race track always welcome NASCAR with open arms, the crowds at Las Vegas Motor Speedway consistently are outstanding and the local media is very supportive of us. Vegas has a lot to offer its tourists, whether for a race weekend, guys', girls' or family vacation. People flock to Las Vegas for the city itself, and it's for that reason, that I think the awards ceremony will flourish there and help bolster NASCAR during these crucial times.

Krista Voda is the host of NCWTS Setup, the popular pre-race program for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on SPEED, as well as a NASCAR pit reporter for FOX Sports. A veteran of the NASCAR garage, Voda also hosts The SPEED Report and was the first female to host a NASCAR pre-race show. She hosted Totally NASCAR and NASCAR Nation on SPEED, in addition to serving as a reporter and pre-race show host for AMA. Voda also has extensive experience in radio and local television and works as a sideline reporter for the NFL and BCS on FOX. For more information on Voda, or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.