the California 500 as "the place for the family to be for their Labor Day weekend" nine months later. Legendary Hollywood PR agent, Warren Cowan of the Rogers & Cowan public relations agency heavily promoted the Hollywood community and the astronauts’ interest in the sport and involvement with the track. During races the suites were full of celebrities, including Paul Newman, Kirk Douglas, Dick Smothers, John Wayne, James Garner and Ina Balin, as well as many astronauts, including Pete Conrad. The dedication of the track occurred in August 1970 with the staging of the first celebrity pro-am race, featuring many stars from the entertainment industry paired with professional, race winning drivers. The celebrity pro-am race was subsequently aired as a TV special on NBC. The speedway's board of directors when the track opened consisted of chairman Dan Lufkin, of Donaldson, Lufkin, Jenrette; CEO David Lockton; Donald Riehl, of DLJ; William Loorz, CEO of Stolte Construction; Paul Newman, Kirk Douglas, and Dick Smothers from the entertainment industry; J.C. Agajanian, an American motor sport promoter and race car owner; Parnelli Jones, 1963 winner of the Indianapolis 500; Roger Penske, retired race car driver, race car owner and auto related business entrepreneur; Briggs Cunningham, an American sportsman who raced cars and yachts; and Chuck Barnes, chairman and CEO of Sports Headliners, and former director of public relations for Firestone Tires. The advertising campaign was so successful that all reserved seats were completely sold out over six weeks before the inaugural California 500. The 178,000 in paid attendance and $3.3 million gross remained the largest crowd and highest gross in inflation adjusted dollars of any single day sporting event other than the Indianapolis 500 for nearly three decades. California governor Ronald Reagan presented the trophy to race winner Jim McElreath, a teammate of car owner A. J. Foyt. President Richard M. Nixon was represented at the event by his daughter Tricia Nixon, and her husband, Ed Cox. The second event, the Mattel Hot Wheels Super Nationals Drag Race on November 20, drew a crowd second only to the NHRA Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana and the Ontario drag strip proved to be the fastest ever with many world records set. The NASCAR sanctioned Miller High Life stock car race on February 28, 1971, drew a crowd of 80,000 and was the third largest crowd to see the first low bank 2-1/2 mile oval stock car