Students want to make it official: NC loves racing

Town commissioners endorse plan to name state sport

By: G.C. Allen | Mooresville Tribune
Published: February 25, 2011

The General Assembly named the cardinal as the state bird of North Carolina in 1943, the gray squirrel as the state mammal in 1969, granite as the state rock in 1979, and the Carolina lily as the state wildflower in 2003.

And if a group of students from Lake Norman Elementary and Mount Mourne IB schools succeed in their efforts, stock car racing will join that list as the state’s official sport.

With an impressive presentation at Town Hall Monday that included speeches and a variety of visual aids, students won town commissioners’ endorsement of their effort to establish a state sport.

Several students addressed the commissioners, sharing information about the intersection of Mooresville’s history, stock car racing’s history, and the current economic impact of the racing industry on the Mooresville community.

“Stock car racing as North Carolina’s state sport makes sense – dollars and sense,” one student said as he spoke to the board.

Nettie Gambill, a fourth-grade teacher at Lake Norman Elementary, explained to commissioners that the students have been involved in a project regarding state symbols. As a part of that effort, which dates back to the previous school year, the students decided to work toward convincing state legislators to adopt an official state sport.

For now, only 11 U.S. states have an official sport, she said.

“The sport they chose has a history with this state. … Its importance to this community has earned Mooresville the nickname, ‘Race City USA,’ ” Gambill told commissioners.

Students in other N.C. communities have successfully lobbied state legislators to make similar decisions regarding state symbols. In 2010, the General Assembly adopted the Colonial Spanish mustang as the state’s official horse based on a suggestion from students in Currituck County, according to ncpedia.org, an online project involving the Government and Heritage Library at the State Library of North Carolina, which is part of the state’s Department of Cultural Resources.

Also, the sweet potato was adopted as the state’s official vegetable in 1995 based on the lobbying efforts of students in Wilson County.

Students told commissioners they have the support of N.C. Rep. Grey Mills of Mooresville, who represents the 95^th District.

Acting on a motion by Commissioner Mac Herring and a second from Commissioner Rhett Dusenbury, board members gave their unanimous support to the students’ effort. That support will be documented in a letter which students may take to Raleigh.

Those who support the students’ efforts regarding stock car racing are invited to send e-mail to NCStateSport@gmail.com and visit online at www.facebook.com/NCStateSport.