Okay, I've figured out how NASCAR can start to grow its fanbase once again: start paying each newcomer a million dollars. Hey, it's worked for Kurt Busch.

Here's the deal: Michael McGee of Broken Bow, Oklahoma was selected in a contest as the "Dickies American Worker of the Year" for 2009. McGee won 50 large and a VIP package to the Dickies 500 this past weekend. Not a bad deal for just doin' your job, right?

Oh, but it didn't end there. On Saturday, 12 "beautiful" (that's Y! Sports NASCAR editor Jay Hart's description, quote marks included) women paraded into the Texas Motor Speedway media center, and McGee was told to select one of them. (Not as a prize, silly. The 12 ladies represented each of the 12 Chase drivers.) McGee, who's not a NASCAR fan -- he apparently didn't even know who Kurt Busch was -- selected Lady No. 7, who proceeded to take off her jacket and reveal the number 2, for Kurt. And then Kurt went out and won the whole doggone race, making McGee $1 million richer. How's that for some good fortune?

McGee, who's a 25-year-old agricultural teacher and horse training business owner, promised to use the funds to start a scholarship, but that may have just been the heat of the moment talking. (Kidding, of course. You don't get to be American Worker of the Year by cutting corners like that. Or something.)

Anyway, it was a nice sidelight to the weekend. Though we probably should've known something strange was afoot when the lady wearing the 48 broke her heel, tripped, and banged her head on the podium on her way up to the stage. Omens come in strange packages.

Related: Kurt Busch