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Fast learners: Disney's animated smash has kids taking to NASCAR with lightning speed

By Johnny Diaz, Globe Staff | July 15, 2006

LOUDON, N.H. -- When Cameron and Hanna Matheson saw Disney's animated feature "Cars," they wanted to hop into Lightning McQueen's driver's seat and see a real Piston Cup race track up close.

It didn't take much for the kids, 10 and 11, to nudge their parents, Greg and Denise Matheson, die hard NASCAR fans who usually watch the races on TV at home on Sundays.

So this family did some driving of their own, traveling 12 hours in an RV from Prince Edward Island to the New Hampshire International Speedway here.

"It's exciting," Greg Matheson said Thursday amid the constant drone of mechanical purring from the 17 cars performing practice runs. "The people, the sounds, the cars . . . "

His wife cut in: "It brings out the best in everyone and people together. It's a family event."

With its anthropomorphized cars, the box-office smash "Cars" has revved up interest in NASCAR among kids, evidenced by the sea of RVs packed with families this weekend. While the movie wasn't made with NASCAR's participation, the flick features what are clearly NASCAR-like cars and races. In doing so, it has exposed the sport to younger fans, who tend to be drawn more to football and baseball than to stock-car racing.

NASCAR has been increasing its presence in pop culture, from last year's Lindsay Lohan vehicle "Herbie: Fully Loaded" to Will Ferrell's turn as a driver in next month's NASCAR spoof "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." Semis wrapped in promotional material for "Talladega Nights" are parked this weekend at the Loudon track, which is hosting tomorrow's Nextel Cup race .

Andrew Giangola, director of business communications at NASCAR, said the organization is trying to tap into a younger demographic in several ways -- from a reading series called "Read for Speed" to NASCAR-themed building blocks to children's underwear and shirts. Just this week, Michael Eisner's Team Baby Entertainment signed a deal with NASCAR to produce educational sports videos for newborns and toddlers.

"NASCAR is much different from the stick and ball sports or kids shooting hoops," Giangola said. "Kids don't play NASCAR in the street, or at least they shouldn't. NASCAR has to do things that are different and creative, and that's part of the reason for the merchandise. It gives kids a hook to drivers like Jeff Gordon. We did have a movie last year, Lindsay Lohan racing the Love Bug in NASCAR, and that was appealing to kids."

NASCAR, which also promoted the sport through an Imax film about NASCAR that played at the New England Aquarium two years ago, opened an entertainment office in Los Angeles in 2000. Its goal is to have NASCAR participate in or develop at least one movie a year to expose the sport to the masses that might otherwise prefer MTV or a Red Sox game.

The strategy seems to be taking off.

Megan Roper, 10, sat in the 51st row, at the top of the bleachers, Thursday with her sister and two brothers, their mother, and friends from their neighborhood in Gilmanton , N.H. Megan recently saw "Cars" and wanted to see the track in Loudon. She wasn't up to speed on the names of the drivers circling the track at more than 100 mph, but that didn't matter.

"It's very loud, but it's awesome," she said, covering her ears once she stopped speaking to a visitor.

As she popped pieces of cotton back into her ears, her mother, Eileen Roper, took hers out to explain the recent interest. "All the kids have an interest in race cars since seeing the movie 'Cars,' " she said.

Seated just as high but on the other side of the stands with just as good a view was Bill Coor of Westford and his two grandsons, Kevin and Kenny Keins.

"Papa, look at that," said Kevin, 6, pointing to car No. 8.

"That's Dale Earnhardt Jr.," Coor calmly explained over the chorus of engines. The retired high school wrestling coach travels to watch five NASCAR races a year, from Loudon to Miami. His grandsons saw the "Cars" movie, and he took it upon himself to introduce them to the real thing in Loudon, a track he loves.

Why?

"The noise, the gas, the smell," he said, taking a deep whiff as if inhaling a preferred cologne.

"It's a great family tradition," added Coor, whose son and daughter-in-law were driving up from Westford to meet up with his RV camped out at the racetrack's grounds. At least 8,000 campers are expected to park here for tomorrow's race.

"To most people, cars going round and round is boring. But once you've been here and see what it's like, you're hooked," he said. "This is more family-oriented. You bring your kids and you have a good time."

Although his grandsons were covering their ears, they seemed to agree with him.

Johnny Diaz can be reached at jodiaz@globe.com.

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