Hall of Fame game

Sometimes, the most obvious ideas are the ones that are overlooked.

Consider NASCAR's decision to create its first-ever Hall of Fame. Why it took nearly 56 years – the sanctioning body was formed in 1949 – for someone to think of creating a glorious repository of NASCAR history and honor is beyond me.

But the most important thing is that lots of someones are climbing on the bandwagon to build a long overdue, permanent facility where NASCAR can pay tribute to its all-time greatest.

Still, NASCAR is faced with a dilemma: Where should a Taj Mahal of stock car racing be built?

NASCAR has solicited four major U.S. cities to submit bids to create a public-private partnership that would bring a Hall of Fame to their respective communities. Those cities are Daytona Beach, Charlotte, Atlanta and yes, Toto, even Kansas City.

Why should there be even a smidgen of debate? NASCAR's roots are in the Southeast, and the sanctioning body both formed and held its first-ever race on the sandy beaches of Daytona in 1949. It's a no-brainer where the proposed Hall should go – Daytona Beach.

What's more, NASCAR already has the mecca of stock car racing there, namely Daytona International Speedway. Right at the front door to DIS is Daytona USA, a huge multimedia tourist draw.

There's no better spot for a Hall of Fame to be located than at DIS – unless you want to go a few miles east and build along the same beaches where NASCAR first got its start. No disrespect to the fine folks of Charlotte, Atlanta and Kansas City, but you collectively are out of your leagues if you think the NASCAR Hall of Fame should be based in your communities.

Sure, Charlotte would earn strong consideration because the surrounding 50-mile metropolitan area is home to most of the current NASCAR team race shops. But Charlotte becoming a NASCAR center almost is incidental. Who's to say that many years ago, the trend for race shops to relocate could just as easily have brought teams to places like Atlanta, Dallas, Jacksonville or Miami?

Granted, many of NASCAR's best drivers hail from the Carolinas. But if you haven't noticed, the last four Cup champions have all been non-Southerners: Jeff Gordon from California/Indiana, Tony Stewart from Indiana, Matt Kenseth from Wisconsin and reigning champ Kurt Busch from Las Vegas.

Atlanta has some attraction in that it's the largest of the four contenders. But the biggest NASCAR tie is Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has seen exciting racing over the years. That same argument, however, can be made for many other places that have had exciting racing, like Darlington, Rockingham (N.C.) and Martinsville (Va.).

Lastly, there's Kansas City, which could be a dark horse because France likes the idea of having a Hall that is centrally located within the U.S. – a claim he repeated as recently as Monday during the annual NASCAR Media Tour in Charlotte.

But where's the link, other than Kansas Speedway? I'm old enough to remember that the metropolitan Kansas City area lobbied for years to build a NASCAR racetrack, yet it was turned down several times before International Speedway Corporation realized there was money to be made in the Kansas plains and finally relented.

The four cities have until June to put together proposals on why NASCAR should put its past, present and future memories in their respective hands. A final decision on which locale will be the winner could come by the end of the year.

Sure, there are existing motorsports museums adjacent to NASCAR racetracks in Talladega, Ala., and Darlington – as well as a smaller one in Mooresville, N.C. But with the exception of a total of three race weekends per year, you can't exactly call those places garden spots of the U.S.

Daytona, meanwhile, has plenty of advantages – many of which aren't even NASCAR-related. Less than an hour away is Disneyworld and the surrounding Orlando area, which draws tens of millions of visitors every year – many of whom surely would want to make the short trek up to Daytona.

Further, the weather in Daytona is more temperate than any of the other three competitors. Also consider how many Northerners and snow birds plan their winter vacations to coincide with the Daytona 500.

Last but not least is the fact that DIS is to stock car racing what Indianapolis Motor Speedway is to open wheel: nothing short of the shrine of shrines.

Sure, Brian France needs to leave his options open and give everyone a chance to bid on such a prized jewel. But Daytona Beach is as much of a no-brainer as NASCAR having its own Hall of Fame.

It is a natural fit – and one that should get the final nod.