This week on Kentucky Focus with Scott Fitzgerald, what does your smile have to do with the calendar—and why is NASCAR Nashville making waves north of the border in Kentucky? Two timely conversations that may hit closer to home than you think.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. Summer may have
just begun, but believe it or not, now is the
time to start thinking ahead.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
To back to school season.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
What yes, especially when it comes to your family's dental health.
We'll talk to an expert who says waiting until August
could leave.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
You scrambling and possibly in the waiting room longer than
you like.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Plus, one of the biggest events on the national sports
calendar is back and well, not necessarily in Kentucky. There's
still a big reason why this matters to folks right
here in the Commonwealth. I'm Scott Fitzgerald and you're listening
to Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Welcome to Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the
show that looks at issues affecting the Commonwealth and it's citizens.
We cover state politics, in history, human interest stories, sports,
and even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on kNN.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
This is John Stossel.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Anything that makes it harder for you to speak limits
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(01:16):
to expert help in your state.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
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Speaker 1 (02:19):
And welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. As
we flipped the calendar to June, it may be hard
to think about school bells ringing again and maybe even
false sports.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
But before long parents, of course, I'll be checking off.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
That back to school list, and that may include a
medical physical. But just as important is your child's dental
health and if neglecting could prove to be costly. Joining
us as doctor Pat Carroll, nationally respected dentist, educator and
sports dentistry expert with exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky, and
we're talking about back to school dental checkups and protecting
(02:51):
those pearly whites during fall sports, and even.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
How to stay on top of oral health during summer camps. Doc, welcome,
appreciate you joining us.
Speaker 7 (02:58):
I'm glad to do it, Scott, glad to be.
Speaker 8 (03:00):
Thanks for that very nice introduction, although some of it
may not be true, but I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I absolutely you bet, of course it is.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Doc, is so doctor Carroll's Family's gear up for back
to school season. How important is it to include a
dental check up on that to do list?
Speaker 7 (03:14):
Right?
Speaker 8 (03:14):
Now's the time if you haven't already, it maybe be
a little bit too late, but go ahead and get
the first thing and get that call to your dentist
in because a lot of times during the school year,
with as busy as parents and kids are, you know,
the excuse to not get kids to the dentist is.
Speaker 7 (03:27):
How we're just so busy you can't take them out
of school. And we get that. But now, as you
might imagine, that's we started getting very busy in the summer.
Speaker 8 (03:35):
So if you haven't made that call to get them in,
call now because a couple of things. It's one of
those things. You know, if you're OCD like i am,
you know, you get your checkbox, you check that off
the list, you've got that done. But the other thing
is if you go in and there is some bad news,
like there's some dental work that.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
Needs to be done and things well, again.
Speaker 8 (03:51):
You need to get it scheduled early so that you
can get that in during the summertime when you're not
having to take the kids out of school. Because as
you know, these days, we're always and you may not
believe this, but dentists and our families take vacations too,
so sometimes we're not in the offices much in the summer,
So get that phone call early, get it done so
if there's any work that needs to be done, we
can get it done before you get even busier when
(04:13):
you get back in school in the fall.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Doctor Pat Carroll joining us with Exceptional Dentistry here in Kentucky,
and we're talking about while now is the time you
want to plan before you head back to school, and Doc,
what are some of the common dental issues you see
in kids and teens around this time of year.
Speaker 8 (04:26):
You know, you always see the normal things that luckily
we don't see nearly the dental disease that we used
to see back in the Stone Age when I got
out of dental school. When you talk about what maybe
some of the things that happen in summertime that can
contribute to some dental disease, is when we're in the fall,
most families get into a routine. So you're in that
(04:47):
routine where kids get up, everybody brushes their teeth before
they go to school. There's not a lot of stuff
going on in school, they eat lunch, they come home,
they're routine. So you get into that routine of brushing
your teeth and eating right. Well, summer, for a lot
of people, that all goes out the window. When I
was a teenager, you know, I didn't get up. I
thought ten o'clock only came once a day. So you
get out of that routine. And what I try to
(05:08):
tell people in the summers, at least, try to stay
on some routine. Try to be sure before those kids
leave the house in the morning, they brush their teeth.
When in school they're only eating, you know, at lunch,
there's not a lot of cnyclell as. You know, in summertime,
most of us are going, going, going, so the eating
habits get worse. Kids may be snacking between meals a lot.
They're out with their buddies and just hanging out and
(05:29):
you know, going to the store or whatever and buying stuff.
Also in the summertime, with the heat and everything, I'll
drink a big water drinker, but you know, most kids
they're not too into the water, so they think, well, well,
I'll do the next healthiest thing. I'll drink some of
those hydration drinks, the Gatorade and those kinds of things.
But those things are full of sugar. You got your
bottle of gatorade and the kids at the park or
(05:50):
wherever they are, and they're sipping on the gatorade all day.
That's just bathing the teeth and sugar, so that leads
more to decay starting this time of year too, So
I think more thing is try to maintain that routine
as much as you can in the summer with brushing, eating,
minimizing snacks and those kinds of things.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Doctor Pat Carroll joins us with the Exceptional Dentistry here
in Kentucky. We're talking about getting your kids back and
conditioning them for when they do go back to school,
not something we always think about over the summertime. And
Doc talking about kids that may be transitioning to braces
or needing more advanced care. I know my son has
gone through this as well. Is there an ideal age
or time to schedule these back to school visits?
Speaker 8 (06:28):
Not being an orthodonist, but we do do a lot
of visiline. Now, if you're thinking, like the child's going
to need to get into braces and stuff, a lot
of the orthodonists will like to get them started in
the summer where they can get them, Like if you're
going with traditional braces, where they have to have the
longer appointments to you know, actually put the braces and
those kind of things on so that you're not missing
(06:49):
school or you're not missing those kinds of things. And
if you think about it, not to single at your sun,
but if you remember, sometimes there's a little other things
that may need to be given to set things up,
like pulling a tooth down or a little visit to
a real surgeon to do things. Again, those things are
much better planned during the summer. So the sooner you
can get in in the summer, the more times you're
going to have to get that done and not disrupt
(07:10):
you or your child's schedule as you go back into
school in the fall.
Speaker 7 (07:14):
If that makes any.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Sense, absolutely it does. Doc, that's great advice.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
And again having a great conversation doctor Pat Carrolly's with
exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky, and we're talking about getting
your kids conditioned just right as they get ready to
head back to school. And we're just a bet we're
going to talk a little bit about sports as well.
But doctor kind of wrap up the back to school
dental health conversation. How can parents help reinforce good dental
hygiene habits once school starts and kids get busy again.
Speaker 8 (07:39):
Well, I guess you know two things. It depends on
the age group you're dealing with. If you're dealing with
younger children still impressionable and actually will listen to us,
you have to set the same example. I mean the
younger children, brush your teeth in the morning with them,
brush your teeth at night with them. When you talk
about snacks and things like that, and not snacking on stuff. Again,
set that example. You're asking me to give advice on teenagers.
(08:02):
We raised three of them.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
I don't know, Scott.
Speaker 8 (08:06):
I think in those cases you can kind of appeal
with different things. If you if yourself have had dental
issues or like I have and I know you have,
you can point out to them their mid teens, like, hey,
you know I had this problem because I didn't do this.
This is what I had to go through. It costs
me this much time as much money. Do you want
to go through that?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
So those kind of things, I think setting an example
for younger children, and then with the older children, showing
them the consequences of not having dental care.
Speaker 8 (08:32):
I mean, I grew up in the oldest of five
and a very lower middle class family, we didn't have
a lot of money for ministry, So I have my
own dental issues. I use those issues to show my children, like, hey,
I had to do this, Thank god I'm the dentistry.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
It would have cost me this much money. So those
kinds of things.
Speaker 8 (08:50):
Everybody likes a routine and just getting them on that routine.
We're gonna brush here, We're gonna brush here. This is
what we're gonna flyo of cutting down the snacks and stuff.
That's about the only advice that I can really give
you one.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
It's good advice for sure. Doctor Pat Carroll is with us.
He's with the exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky. And if
you like more information or you want to reach out
to doc you have a question or two, or just
want to maybe get in and get yourself or get
your kids looked at Kentucky and at dental dot com
is the website. Doc Let shift over now, because before
too long, we're going to start to see different fall.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Camps open up.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
When it comes to sports, and a lot of kids
are playing sports now in school, and you have deep
experience in sports dentistry from baseball to hockey to college athletics.
How critical. Is it properly fitted in mouthguard for kids
in fall sports?
Speaker 8 (09:32):
You know, I consider side a bunch of statistics from
the research of things. But as you just said, I've
been involved in sports dentistry probably for thirty five years
now at the professional and collegiate and the youth sports levels,
and we've treated a lot, a lot of dental injuries.
But there's one thing in common all the dental injuries
that I've treated, every single one, and I can say
(09:54):
this conflict, They've had one common denominator.
Speaker 7 (09:57):
I bet you could guess what common denominator that was.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I'm gonna say that nobody wears them.
Speaker 7 (10:03):
Nobody wore a mouthguard.
Speaker 8 (10:04):
Every dental injury I treated, I'd say you have your mouthguard,
and they say nope. So I have never treated a
dental injury that a person came to me and said, yeah,
this happened, but I did have my mouthguard yet. Never
I mean never, So I don't think you can emphasize
how important a mouthguard is. Now I can give you
a bunch of statistics. Basically, thirty nine percent of all
(10:25):
dental traumatic injuries have happened during sports, so over a
third of all dental injuries are sports related. Of those,
you can reduce your chance statistically sixty percent by wearing
a mouthguard of those. But I still say you wear
a mouth guard, it's almost one hundred percent of not
being injured.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Let me ask you this, doc, there are plenty of
options when it comes to mouthguards. I'm not asking you
really to endorse a certain brand unless you wanted to.
But what's the difference between say, getting a custom fit
mouthguard and the ones we always had as a kid
that had that cheap mint taste them that still give
me PTSD over football practice, That cheap boil and byte version.
It seemed to cut out the inside of my mouth
(11:04):
more than it helped me.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
The first thing about a mouthguard is that you have
to wear the mouthguard. If you find one that's comfortable
for you, then I think that's definitely what you need
to get. But if you ask me, the American Dental
Association actually does endorse a mouth guard, and it's called
the Game on the Mouthguard. It's not made of that
spongy eva material that we used to do, but it's
(11:28):
made of something different. But it's actually an advanced polymer.
And what you can do is you don't boil it.
You actually put it in a microwave to fit your
mouth that way. But the great thing about that one
is if you have like braces and things like that
teeth moved, you can actually put it back in the
microwave that your teeth are moving and get it to
fit again. So that's one thing that it's called a
game on mouthguard. It's about twenty five bucks online. It's
(11:50):
not dirt cheap, but it is certainly affordable for most people.
If you think about the money you and I spend
on our kids playing hockey or my grandson three hundred
dollars baseball, it's like, so, you know, twenty five dollars
to protect one of the most important things on your body.
I don't think is asking too much. Most of the
injuries that I've seen are not in the sports you
would think they would be in. When you came to
(12:11):
professional hockey, I saw a lot of mouth sure, but
again those.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Guys sometimes didn't have their mouthguards in it.
Speaker 8 (12:18):
But I've seen most of my injuries are coming from
like basketball, baseball, soccer, and I have kids tell me
I can't wear these, you know, and I can't breathe,
and as I tell you, guys, I swear no oxygen
exchanges through your teeth.
Speaker 7 (12:33):
That's your lungs.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
You know.
Speaker 8 (12:34):
Teeth don't anything to do with it. But I try
to point out to them. If you look at arguably
the best female basketball player in the world, lady named
Agia Wilson. I don't know if you're you're probably familiar
with her. Yes, you look at any picture of it.
That woman never has her mouth guard out. Well, she's playing.
There are pictures of her all over the internet. Man,
you can see your mouth guard. She wears that thing.
Speaker 7 (12:54):
She has beautiful teeth.
Speaker 8 (12:55):
So I always tell people, look, if Asia Wilson can
do it, you can do it. You know, that's just something.
Wear it, even in those sports you don't think about.
There was some research on concussions and did mouthguards help
for that? It helps a little bit, and that it's
not going to help you if you bang your head
on the ice or on the turf, you know, on
the back, you know, if you fall backwards and hit
your head. But if you take a blow in the
(13:16):
chin or in the face, where the concussion is usually
caused by the lower jaw being forced up into the
to the skull kind of the there. Mouthguard really does
help there. And again I don't know if you saw
on Facebook my partner, doctor Debl Schumaker, just made a
mouth guard for one of the leading jocks out of
Churchill and he doesn't run a race without it. You know,
(13:37):
that's the sport I didn't think about. But he says
he's always clinching his teeth when he's on the horse,
and if he has a spill, he feels better having
that thing in his mouth.
Speaker 7 (13:44):
So that's just a little another aside on some bike
guard stories.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Horse racing now they wear mouthguards. That's a great testament. Again,
Doctor bat gerally is with exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky
for more information Kentucky and a dental dot com and doc.
Before we let you go, you obviously are an educated dentist.
You've completed more than twice the required continuing education you've
needed in your profession. What's one new advancement in pediatric
(14:08):
or supports chemistry that really excites you in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 8 (14:12):
Some of the things that have made it like easier
in pediatric dentistry and orthodonics, and when we've done crowns
and things for you people in the passion, we had
to take that little bit of goop, make your impression
and put in your mouth, and nobody really likes that,
especially children, making them space maintainers or things for them
that they don't really like that. So we've now got
to where we have what's called an interoral scanner, and
(14:33):
basically it's like a little camera that takes the easiest
way thousands of pictures at a time and we just
basically can scan your teeth or scan our crown prep
We don't put on that goop in your mouth, so
that we can then have something that we can always
refer back to. We can always see if things have changed,
so we don't put that goop in your mouth.
Speaker 7 (14:51):
Children aren't thrown.
Speaker 8 (14:52):
Up on us there, So you know, inter oral scanners
have really simplified things. One thing that I think pediatric
dentists and we now are looking at when you're talking
about young people is industry is kind of really kind
of caught up with how important airway and breathing and
arch development is and that your arts develops.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
By where your tongue goes.
Speaker 8 (15:13):
So if you have tongue restrictions about tongue ties and
things like that that can actually cause a problem with
how your airway develops, how your breathing goes in. You know,
I've seen kids that hey, you know this arch is constricted.
You does your kids snore?
Speaker 7 (15:27):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (15:27):
Yeah, he snores an e it is he kind of hyperactive? Yeah,
So we can get them early and not in their teens,
but in their seven to ten, seven to twelve year
old ranges where we can start putting expanders and things
in their mouth to get their arch from the better
so that their airways better, which contributes just to health
as we go.
Speaker 7 (15:44):
On to life.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
So I think that's the biggest thing is we're becoming
aware of things. The dentistry impacts not just teeth, it
impacts people earlier and how if we get an earlier
start on that, we can improve their life for the
rest of their life.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
You know. So that's kind of exciting. Don't get me wrong.
Teeth are important. I love it.
Speaker 8 (16:00):
But when I can make a positive impact, I know
I'm making a positive on somebody's life in the next
eighty years on how they breathe, how they face develops.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
That that's pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
It is exciting. Doctor Pat Carroll with us with exceptional dentistry. Again,
you can get them at Kentucky and a Dental dot Com.
You'll answer any questions and make an appointment and get
in there and check in and Doc. This has been
certainly insightful on a number of levels. I know a
lot of parents just don't think about oral health care
for their kids.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
They're thinking about vacation.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
The last thing they want to think about is going
back to school because I got out of school. You
are a gem and I appreciate every bit of you. Doc,
Thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
Glad to do it, Scott, Thank you man, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Thank you again to doctor Pat Carroll with exceptional dentistry
here in Kentucky. And again, if you have questions for
Doc or you'd like to schedule an appointment, simply.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Visit Kentucky and at Dental dot Com.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Coming up, it's one of the biggest events nationally on
the sports calendar this weekend and it stands a chance
to impact the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I'm Scott Fitzgerald and we'll tell you about it right
here on Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Hi, I'm Garisnise.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
At the end of your workday.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Do you know you've made a difference the.
Speaker 9 (17:10):
Veterans affairs medical staff do The doctors, nurses, counselors, and
health technicians get to care for perhaps the most deserving
of all Americans, the men and women who have served
in our nation's ARNI forces.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Visit VA Careers.
Speaker 9 (17:26):
Dot VA dot gov to find out how you can.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Make a difference to.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzger. You know
here in Kentucky. Losing Kentucky Speedway from the NASCAR Cup
schedule was it tough blow.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
For race fans around the Commonwealth.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
But just a short drive down I sixty five, there's
a bright spot that's keeping the engines roaring.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
The Nashville Superspeedway.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Not only does it offer fans all three major NASCAR series,
the Craftsman Truck Series, Exfanity Series, and the Cup Series,
but it's quickly becoming a destination for racing excitement in
the region.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
And here's the key. It still benefits.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Can hotels, restaurants and gas stations in towns along the
I sixty five corridor see a boost from race traffic.
Fans from Louisville Etown Bowling Green and Beyond are making
weekend trips, spending money and stay connected to the sport
they love. Sitting down with us today is Nashville Super
Speedway General Manager Matt Gricchi. Matt, it's great to have
you with us, but let's start with the big pig. Sure,
(18:20):
what's it like being the GM of such a legendary
venue like Nashville Super Speedway.
Speaker 7 (18:25):
It's certainly exciting.
Speaker 10 (18:26):
I think, you know, every day is a little bit different,
and you know, our task is to welcome folks into
Nashville Super Speedway. We've got about seven hundred acres and
we try to use it as much as possible throughout
the year between you know, small events, medium sized events, public,
private and community engagement and everything along those lines. So
every day is a little bit different, but our culmination
(18:48):
all comes with our NASCAR Triple Header weekend and that's
coming up.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
And joining us is Nashville Super Speedway General Manager Matt
Grecchi ahead of a big racing weekend coming up the
end of this month. Matt, having Nashville on the NASCAR schedule,
it has been a big move for this sport. What
does it mean to have NASCAR's presence in the music City.
Speaker 10 (19:05):
Nashville is such a hop out of motorsports enthusiasts and
it's very important to the motorsports environment vice versa. I
think you know it's important for us to be on
a schedule and going into our fifth annual NASCAR Triple
Header weekend, we couldn't be more proud to be hosting
a NASCAR Cup Series race and then doing it with
a hometown partner with Cracker Barrel based here in Lebanon, Tennessee.
(19:27):
It definitely brings two worlds together that just are meant
to be.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Again, we're talking with Nashville Super Speedway general manager Matt
Gricchie and Matt, we've seen.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
NASCAR branch into new cities and venues.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
How does Nashville and the Cracker Barrel four hundred fit
into the sports growth for engagement and how does it
help Nashville.
Speaker 10 (19:44):
It's a fast growing market community, but it's also a
destination and people want to come visit here. They won't
experience it where they live in the United States. Through
outside of the United States, Nashville is on a target
list for folks to come visit and for us to
offer the opportunity to motorsports here, motorsports, view motorsports and
do it here, whether it's the Truck Series race, the
(20:05):
Expinity Series race, Cup Series racer, like you said, an
anycar series race. We get to host all those here
at Nashville Super Speedway. And I think it's because of
the destination of what Nashville and Middle Tennessee is. There's
so much to do, so much to see, and we're
proud to be on one of those to do lists
of come in and view some great motorsports racing.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Nashville Super Speedway General manager Matt Gritchie joining us for
a few minutes to talk about the Cracker Barrel four hundred,
the entire NASCAR series coming to Nashville as we turn
the corner and head into the heat of the summer.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
That's for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And Matt, do you think Nashville brings sort of a
different energy and vibe than other NASCAR cities.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
If so, what is that, Well, you can turn the.
Speaker 10 (20:43):
Corner and you can see some great musicians, that's for sure.
So that's that's one key thing that you get to
experience some great music. But it's also a great entertainment
scene across the board. Lots of great sports. The entertainment
value is paramount, and you know it's a great food
scene as well. So there's a lot of different things
that you can do within the market. When you want
(21:04):
to come to a NASCAR Series race, and if it's
not just the race you want to experience, then Nashville
is probably the market to come to because there's a
lot to do while you're in town. And then you
can put that at the tip of the spear that
it's a NASCAR Cup Series.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Race as well, and of course NASCAR, as you just mentioned,
it's all about the experience. It's a full experience. I've
been to plenty of races myself. Is an amazing trip,
that's for sure. What kind of entertainment or fan activities
are y'all planning around the Cracker Bil four hundred.
Speaker 10 (21:31):
Your day's chalk fill with opportunities to go, engage and
see and do you know, fan Zone is open outside
of the gates to anybody that's on the grounds, so
you get to hear great music, you get to see
drivers up close and personal, merchandise opportunities, fan engagement opportunities,
giveaways in the fan zone, just an interactive aspect of
(21:51):
what a NASCAR event is that's all prior to any
green flags flying, so you get the value out of
your ticket and come into the venue and experience the
fan zone. There's great opportunities to get further engaged, whether
you want an ultimate fan pass and walked through the
garage or a track pre race track access pass and
be stage front for the driver introductions before they go
to the green flag for Cracker Brow four hundred. Great
(22:14):
opportunities to be entertained throughout the weekend here at Nashville
Super Speedway, and we bring the music to you as
well with live performances throughout the weekend the fan Zone
and then our pre race concert as well.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
Matt Gricchie joining us for a few minutes in NASCAR
and Nashville's Super Speedway General manager and Matt. We just
recently saw NASCAR come out with the factor shifting Championship
weekend back to Homestead Miami.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
They're rotating that through different cities.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
We also saw that NASCAR stood a top the crowded
motorsports weekend on the television.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
The Worth four hundred Cup Series at.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Texas Motor Speedway saw well over two point five million
viewers on FS one that's the highest viewership among I mean,
you were going up against F one and IndyCar and
the verge of the Indy five hundred. Where do you
see NASCAR now in twenty twenty five and where do
you see it five six years down the road?
Speaker 10 (23:02):
The on track has been tremendous and I feel like
that's where the viewership is coming back in and you're
seeing some great ratings results and great on track content.
You know, at National Superspeedway we've had two three wide
racing five overtime restarts last year with Joey Logano and
Victory Lane with a Gibson guitar trophy. You know, the
content has been great, and I think you're seeing some
(23:23):
driver personalities coming through. And with NASCAR's announcement of you know,
shifting the championship race around a little bit is good.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
You know.
Speaker 10 (23:31):
The great thing about the NASCAR landscape is that the
playing field is different every single week and that's because
of the racetracks are different and the cars are different.
So I think moving it around a little bit and
bring it to different markets is a good move for
the sport and good to see where you get to
engauge in different racetracks and see different drivers that maybe
are more capable or put them on better racing at
(23:54):
different places based on the time of year and the racetrack.
So I think it's a good move. And I feel
like NASCAR and motorsports in general is on the rise,
and you see that across the board. I think motorsports
being an avenue that's enjoyable for all, and so if
one is good that I think it's good for all.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
And finally, wrapping things up way Nashville Super Speedway general
manager Matt Griechi matts you get a unique view of
who's coming through the gates outside of Tennessee, where you're
seeing the most fans traveling from and are there any regions.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
You'd love to see more NASCAR fans make the trip from.
Speaker 10 (24:30):
Well, we welcome folks from all fifty states, So I
will say that in six to eight different countries typically
through through our year. Louisville is a tremendous market for us.
A nice easy drive, you know, the greater Midwest is good.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
You know.
Speaker 10 (24:44):
The great thing about Nashville is it's pretty easy to
get to whether you're driving or flying, and so we
get to see a lot of folks come across the
across the nation and get to us to experience the weekend,
and I think it's such a friendly family environment as well.
We get to offer a child twelve and under can
(25:04):
enjoy the weekend for just ten dollars the entire weekend,
not ten dollars per day. So I think, you know,
that's a family attractive option for folks to come visit us,
you know, get your kids exposed to motorsports and see
it up close and personal with a great ticket option.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
And again, thank you to Matt Gricchie, general manager of
Nashville super Speedway. And while we may not have a
Cup race in Kentucky right now, Nashville success still brings
economic impact to the commonwealth and keeps the NASCAR spirit
alive thriving for US fans just across the border.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I'm Scott fitzjol. We're back after this. You're listening to
Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 11 (25:41):
The mission of Kentucky State Place is a safeguard and
enforce the laws across the commonwealth. One of our priorities
is making sure families across our New Kentucky home are safe.
Not only safe, but also they feel safe when we
have someone that commits a crime, and we were warning
that those pay their debt to society, and they do.
(26:03):
But once they finish that, and that's when we want
to incorporate these re entry programs for those to be
able to go back in their communities. And what that
does and that they become contributed members is socided they
have an income they can provide for their family and
by that then they're not committing further offenses, which makes
Kentucky a safer place. And by Kentucky being a safer place,
(26:25):
that's also safer for law enforcement across their commonwealth. Now
we will collaborate with other public agencies and other law
enforcement entities to ensure that people can have a better
life for themselves and their family.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. Before we go,
a sports note here in Kentucky. Of course, the buzz
around college sports usually peaks in March bracketts, basketball, and
of course all eyes on the hardwood. But this year
it's late May and baseball is stealing the spotlight. Four
Kentucky based college baseball teams are heading to the NCAA tournament.
(27:01):
It would be Kentucky Louisville, Western Kentucky and Maurice staid,
that's a remarkable accomplishment and a moment we're celebrating. Of course,
across the gum in wealth. Kentucky's baseball routes run deep,
from Happy Chandler to Hall of famers like Peewee Reese
and Jim Bunning, and more importantly, the legacy of the
Negro Leagues, which gave us teams like the Louisville black
Caps and players who broke barriers long before the majors did.
(27:22):
And of course we're home to the Louisville Slugger, the
bats swung by legends for generations. So this week, tip
your cat to the Wildcats, the Cards, the Hilltops and
the Racers, because right now Kentucky isn't just about basketball.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
It's about baseball too.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Now I'll put the raps on another edition of Kentucky Focus.
A big thank you to our guest this week, Dr
Pat Carroll with exceptional dentistry in Kentucky, and of course
Nashville Superspeedway gymeral manager Matt Greechie well sharing their insights
from planning ahead for your family's dental health this summer
to understanding how regional events like this weekend's NASCAR race
in Nashville continue to impact communities right here in Kentucky.
(27:59):
Thank you for me in Kentucky Focus part of your
listening Again. We truly appreciate your time, your trust, and
your connection to the stories that shape our commonwealth.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
I know I speak for all of us at the.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Kentucky News Network and Kentucky Focus when I say, until
next time, take care of yourselves and each other. I'm
Scott Fitzgerald. You're listening to Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the show that
looks at issues affecting the commonwealth and its citizens. We
cover state politics, in history, human interest stories, sports, and
even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on K and N.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
We're discussing child development with some experts.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Tell me what's the normal development of say a two
year old, hi' so saying two.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
To forward phrases and engaging in pretend to play? And
what about social development being enthusiastic about the company of
other children. Thank you.
Speaker 12 (28:53):
It's time to change how we view a child's growth.
It's not just physical. There are milestones your child should
reach in how he played, learns, speaks, and acts. A
delay in any of these areas could be a sign
of a developmental problem, even autism. The good news is
the earlier it's recognized, the more you can do to
help your child reach his full potential. Talk with a doctor.
(29:13):
Visit CDC dot gov, slash act early, or call one
eight hundred CDC Info a message from the US Department
of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn the signs ACT early.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
In Kentucky, call five oh two eight five two, seven, seven,
nine nine, or visit kyautism dot org.
Welcome to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. Summer may have
just begun, but believe it or not, now is the
time to start thinking ahead.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
To back to school season.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
What yes, especially when it comes to your family's dental health.
We'll talk to an expert who says waiting until August
could leave.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
You scrambling and possibly in the waiting room longer than
you like.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Plus, one of the biggest events on the national sports
calendar is back and well, not necessarily in Kentucky. There's
still a big reason why this matters to folks right
here in the Commonwealth. I'm Scott Fitzgerald and you're listening
to Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Welcome to Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the
show that looks at issues affecting the Commonwealth and it's citizens.
We cover state politics, in history, human interest stories, sports,
and even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on kNN.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
This is John Stossel.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Anything that makes it harder for you to speak limits
your life. So if stuttering affects you or your child
or someone you know, you can call the Stuffing Foundation
for help. The number is eight hundred nine nine two
nine three nine two. That's toll free eight hundred nine
nine two nine three nine two, or you can visit
their website www. Stutteringhelp dot org. They can refer you
(01:16):
to expert help in your state.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
Statistics show that roughly twenty veterans die by suicide every
day in the United States, and each day over one
thousand dogs are euthanized in shelters across the country. Knines
for Warriors is the leading nonprofit organization providing highly trained
service dogs the veterans with PTSD and other invisible wounds
(01:42):
of war.
Speaker 6 (01:42):
Hannah and I. Since we've been together, we have done
so much. There's nothing I won't do now as long
as Han is by my side. Without Hannah, I'll probably
still be stuck in the living room with the curtains drawn,
with my back to the wall, with probably gone on
my lope.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
The majority of service dogs from Canons are rescues, and
with each pairing, two lives are changed. Forever we rescue
the dog, the dog rescues the warrior. To learn more
about how Canons for Warriors is saving lives at both
ends of the leash, please visit Canons for Warriors dot org.
That's Canons for Warriors dot Org.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
And welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. As
we flipped the calendar to June, it may be hard
to think about school bells ringing again and maybe even
false sports.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
But before long parents, of course, I'll be checking off.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
That back to school list, and that may include a
medical physical. But just as important is your child's dental
health and if neglecting could prove to be costly. Joining
us as doctor Pat Carroll, nationally respected dentist, educator and
sports dentistry expert with exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky, and
we're talking about back to school dental checkups and protecting
(02:51):
those pearly whites during fall sports, and even.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
How to stay on top of oral health during summer camps. Doc, welcome,
appreciate you joining us.
Speaker 7 (02:58):
I'm glad to do it, Scott, glad to be.
Speaker 8 (03:00):
Thanks for that very nice introduction, although some of it
may not be true, but I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I absolutely you bet, of course it is.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Doc, is so doctor Carroll's Family's gear up for back
to school season. How important is it to include a
dental check up on that to do list?
Speaker 7 (03:14):
Right?
Speaker 8 (03:14):
Now's the time if you haven't already, it maybe be
a little bit too late, but go ahead and get
the first thing and get that call to your dentist
in because a lot of times during the school year,
with as busy as parents and kids are, you know,
the excuse to not get kids to the dentist is.
Speaker 7 (03:27):
How we're just so busy you can't take them out
of school. And we get that. But now, as you
might imagine, that's we started getting very busy in the summer.
Speaker 8 (03:35):
So if you haven't made that call to get them in,
call now because a couple of things. It's one of
those things. You know, if you're OCD like i am,
you know, you get your checkbox, you check that off
the list, you've got that done. But the other thing
is if you go in and there is some bad news,
like there's some dental work that.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
Needs to be done and things well, again.
Speaker 8 (03:51):
You need to get it scheduled early so that you
can get that in during the summertime when you're not
having to take the kids out of school. Because as
you know, these days, we're always and you may not
believe this, but dentists and our families take vacations too,
so sometimes we're not in the offices much in the summer,
So get that phone call early, get it done so
if there's any work that needs to be done, we
can get it done before you get even busier when
(04:13):
you get back in school in the fall.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Doctor Pat Carroll joining us with Exceptional Dentistry here in Kentucky,
and we're talking about while now is the time you
want to plan before you head back to school, and Doc,
what are some of the common dental issues you see
in kids and teens around this time of year.
Speaker 8 (04:26):
You know, you always see the normal things that luckily
we don't see nearly the dental disease that we used
to see back in the Stone Age when I got
out of dental school. When you talk about what maybe
some of the things that happen in summertime that can
contribute to some dental disease, is when we're in the fall,
most families get into a routine. So you're in that
(04:47):
routine where kids get up, everybody brushes their teeth before
they go to school. There's not a lot of stuff
going on in school, they eat lunch, they come home,
they're routine. So you get into that routine of brushing
your teeth and eating right. Well, summer, for a lot
of people, that all goes out the window. When I
was a teenager, you know, I didn't get up. I
thought ten o'clock only came once a day. So you
get out of that routine. And what I try to
(05:08):
tell people in the summers, at least, try to stay
on some routine. Try to be sure before those kids
leave the house in the morning, they brush their teeth.
When in school they're only eating, you know, at lunch,
there's not a lot of cnyclell as. You know, in summertime,
most of us are going, going, going, so the eating
habits get worse. Kids may be snacking between meals a lot.
They're out with their buddies and just hanging out and
(05:29):
you know, going to the store or whatever and buying stuff.
Also in the summertime, with the heat and everything, I'll
drink a big water drinker, but you know, most kids
they're not too into the water, so they think, well, well,
I'll do the next healthiest thing. I'll drink some of
those hydration drinks, the Gatorade and those kinds of things.
But those things are full of sugar. You got your
bottle of gatorade and the kids at the park or
(05:50):
wherever they are, and they're sipping on the gatorade all day.
That's just bathing the teeth and sugar, so that leads
more to decay starting this time of year too, So
I think more thing is try to maintain that routine
as much as you can in the summer with brushing, eating,
minimizing snacks and those kinds of things.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Doctor Pat Carroll joins us with the Exceptional Dentistry here
in Kentucky. We're talking about getting your kids back and
conditioning them for when they do go back to school,
not something we always think about over the summertime. And
Doc talking about kids that may be transitioning to braces
or needing more advanced care. I know my son has
gone through this as well. Is there an ideal age
or time to schedule these back to school visits?
Speaker 8 (06:28):
Not being an orthodonist, but we do do a lot
of visiline. Now, if you're thinking, like the child's going
to need to get into braces and stuff, a lot
of the orthodonists will like to get them started in
the summer where they can get them, Like if you're
going with traditional braces, where they have to have the
longer appointments to you know, actually put the braces and
those kind of things on so that you're not missing
(06:49):
school or you're not missing those kinds of things. And
if you think about it, not to single at your sun,
but if you remember, sometimes there's a little other things
that may need to be given to set things up,
like pulling a tooth down or a little visit to
a real surgeon to do things. Again, those things are
much better planned during the summer. So the sooner you
can get in in the summer, the more times you're
going to have to get that done and not disrupt
(07:10):
you or your child's schedule as you go back into
school in the fall.
Speaker 7 (07:14):
If that makes any.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Sense, absolutely it does. Doc, that's great advice.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
And again having a great conversation doctor Pat Carrolly's with
exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky, and we're talking about getting
your kids conditioned just right as they get ready to
head back to school. And we're just a bet we're
going to talk a little bit about sports as well.
But doctor kind of wrap up the back to school
dental health conversation. How can parents help reinforce good dental
hygiene habits once school starts and kids get busy again.
Speaker 8 (07:39):
Well, I guess you know two things. It depends on
the age group you're dealing with. If you're dealing with
younger children still impressionable and actually will listen to us,
you have to set the same example. I mean the
younger children, brush your teeth in the morning with them,
brush your teeth at night with them. When you talk
about snacks and things like that, and not snacking on stuff. Again,
set that example. You're asking me to give advice on teenagers.
(08:02):
We raised three of them.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
I don't know, Scott.
Speaker 8 (08:06):
I think in those cases you can kind of appeal
with different things. If you if yourself have had dental
issues or like I have and I know you have,
you can point out to them their mid teens, like, hey,
you know I had this problem because I didn't do this.
This is what I had to go through. It costs
me this much time as much money. Do you want
to go through that?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
So those kind of things, I think setting an example
for younger children, and then with the older children, showing
them the consequences of not having dental care.
Speaker 8 (08:32):
I mean, I grew up in the oldest of five
and a very lower middle class family, we didn't have
a lot of money for ministry, So I have my
own dental issues. I use those issues to show my children, like, hey,
I had to do this, Thank god I'm the dentistry.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
It would have cost me this much money. So those
kinds of things.
Speaker 8 (08:50):
Everybody likes a routine and just getting them on that routine.
We're gonna brush here, We're gonna brush here. This is
what we're gonna flyo of cutting down the snacks and stuff.
That's about the only advice that I can really give
you one.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
It's good advice for sure. Doctor Pat Carroll is with us.
He's with the exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky. And if
you like more information or you want to reach out
to doc you have a question or two, or just
want to maybe get in and get yourself or get
your kids looked at Kentucky and at dental dot com
is the website. Doc Let shift over now, because before
too long, we're going to start to see different fall.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Camps open up.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
When it comes to sports, and a lot of kids
are playing sports now in school, and you have deep
experience in sports dentistry from baseball to hockey to college athletics.
How critical. Is it properly fitted in mouthguard for kids
in fall sports?
Speaker 8 (09:32):
You know, I consider side a bunch of statistics from
the research of things. But as you just said, I've
been involved in sports dentistry probably for thirty five years
now at the professional and collegiate and the youth sports levels,
and we've treated a lot, a lot of dental injuries.
But there's one thing in common all the dental injuries
that I've treated, every single one, and I can say
(09:54):
this conflict, They've had one common denominator.
Speaker 7 (09:57):
I bet you could guess what common denominator that was.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I'm gonna say that nobody wears them.
Speaker 7 (10:03):
Nobody wore a mouthguard.
Speaker 8 (10:04):
Every dental injury I treated, I'd say you have your mouthguard,
and they say nope. So I have never treated a
dental injury that a person came to me and said, yeah,
this happened, but I did have my mouthguard yet. Never
I mean never, So I don't think you can emphasize
how important a mouthguard is. Now I can give you
a bunch of statistics. Basically, thirty nine percent of all
(10:25):
dental traumatic injuries have happened during sports, so over a
third of all dental injuries are sports related. Of those,
you can reduce your chance statistically sixty percent by wearing
a mouthguard of those. But I still say you wear
a mouth guard, it's almost one hundred percent of not
being injured.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Let me ask you this, doc, there are plenty of
options when it comes to mouthguards. I'm not asking you
really to endorse a certain brand unless you wanted to.
But what's the difference between say, getting a custom fit
mouthguard and the ones we always had as a kid
that had that cheap mint taste them that still give
me PTSD over football practice, That cheap boil and byte version.
It seemed to cut out the inside of my mouth
(11:04):
more than it helped me.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
The first thing about a mouthguard is that you have
to wear the mouthguard. If you find one that's comfortable
for you, then I think that's definitely what you need
to get. But if you ask me, the American Dental
Association actually does endorse a mouth guard, and it's called
the Game on the Mouthguard. It's not made of that
spongy eva material that we used to do, but it's
(11:28):
made of something different. But it's actually an advanced polymer.
And what you can do is you don't boil it.
You actually put it in a microwave to fit your
mouth that way. But the great thing about that one
is if you have like braces and things like that
teeth moved, you can actually put it back in the
microwave that your teeth are moving and get it to
fit again. So that's one thing that it's called a
game on mouthguard. It's about twenty five bucks online. It's
(11:50):
not dirt cheap, but it is certainly affordable for most people.
If you think about the money you and I spend
on our kids playing hockey or my grandson three hundred
dollars baseball, it's like, so, you know, twenty five dollars
to protect one of the most important things on your body.
I don't think is asking too much. Most of the
injuries that I've seen are not in the sports you
would think they would be in. When you came to
(12:11):
professional hockey, I saw a lot of mouth sure, but
again those.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Guys sometimes didn't have their mouthguards in it.
Speaker 8 (12:18):
But I've seen most of my injuries are coming from
like basketball, baseball, soccer, and I have kids tell me
I can't wear these, you know, and I can't breathe,
and as I tell you, guys, I swear no oxygen
exchanges through your teeth.
Speaker 7 (12:33):
That's your lungs.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
You know.
Speaker 8 (12:34):
Teeth don't anything to do with it. But I try
to point out to them. If you look at arguably
the best female basketball player in the world, lady named
Agia Wilson. I don't know if you're you're probably familiar
with her. Yes, you look at any picture of it.
That woman never has her mouth guard out. Well, she's playing.
There are pictures of her all over the internet. Man,
you can see your mouth guard. She wears that thing.
Speaker 7 (12:54):
She has beautiful teeth.
Speaker 8 (12:55):
So I always tell people, look, if Asia Wilson can
do it, you can do it. You know, that's just something.
Wear it, even in those sports you don't think about.
There was some research on concussions and did mouthguards help
for that? It helps a little bit, and that it's
not going to help you if you bang your head
on the ice or on the turf, you know, on
the back, you know, if you fall backwards and hit
your head. But if you take a blow in the
(13:16):
chin or in the face, where the concussion is usually
caused by the lower jaw being forced up into the
to the skull kind of the there. Mouthguard really does
help there. And again I don't know if you saw
on Facebook my partner, doctor Debl Schumaker, just made a
mouth guard for one of the leading jocks out of
Churchill and he doesn't run a race without it. You know,
(13:37):
that's the sport I didn't think about. But he says
he's always clinching his teeth when he's on the horse,
and if he has a spill, he feels better having
that thing in his mouth.
Speaker 7 (13:44):
So that's just a little another aside on some bike
guard stories.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Horse racing now they wear mouthguards. That's a great testament. Again,
Doctor bat gerally is with exceptional dentistry here in Kentucky
for more information Kentucky and a dental dot com and doc.
Before we let you go, you obviously are an educated dentist.
You've completed more than twice the required continuing education you've
needed in your profession. What's one new advancement in pediatric
(14:08):
or supports chemistry that really excites you in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 8 (14:12):
Some of the things that have made it like easier
in pediatric dentistry and orthodonics, and when we've done crowns
and things for you people in the passion, we had
to take that little bit of goop, make your impression
and put in your mouth, and nobody really likes that,
especially children, making them space maintainers or things for them
that they don't really like that. So we've now got
to where we have what's called an interoral scanner, and
(14:33):
basically it's like a little camera that takes the easiest
way thousands of pictures at a time and we just
basically can scan your teeth or scan our crown prep
We don't put on that goop in your mouth, so
that we can then have something that we can always
refer back to. We can always see if things have changed,
so we don't put that goop in your mouth.
Speaker 7 (14:51):
Children aren't thrown.
Speaker 8 (14:52):
Up on us there, So you know, inter oral scanners
have really simplified things. One thing that I think pediatric
dentists and we now are looking at when you're talking
about young people is industry is kind of really kind
of caught up with how important airway and breathing and
arch development is and that your arts develops.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
By where your tongue goes.
Speaker 8 (15:13):
So if you have tongue restrictions about tongue ties and
things like that that can actually cause a problem with
how your airway develops, how your breathing goes in. You know,
I've seen kids that hey, you know this arch is constricted.
You does your kids snore?
Speaker 7 (15:27):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (15:27):
Yeah, he snores an e it is he kind of hyperactive? Yeah,
So we can get them early and not in their teens,
but in their seven to ten, seven to twelve year
old ranges where we can start putting expanders and things
in their mouth to get their arch from the better
so that their airways better, which contributes just to health
as we go.
Speaker 7 (15:44):
On to life.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
So I think that's the biggest thing is we're becoming
aware of things. The dentistry impacts not just teeth, it
impacts people earlier and how if we get an earlier
start on that, we can improve their life for the
rest of their life.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
You know. So that's kind of exciting. Don't get me wrong.
Teeth are important. I love it.
Speaker 8 (16:00):
But when I can make a positive impact, I know
I'm making a positive on somebody's life in the next
eighty years on how they breathe, how they face develops.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
That that's pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
It is exciting. Doctor Pat Carroll with us with exceptional dentistry. Again,
you can get them at Kentucky and a Dental dot Com.
You'll answer any questions and make an appointment and get
in there and check in and Doc. This has been
certainly insightful on a number of levels. I know a
lot of parents just don't think about oral health care
for their kids.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
They're thinking about vacation.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
The last thing they want to think about is going
back to school because I got out of school. You
are a gem and I appreciate every bit of you. Doc,
Thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
Glad to do it, Scott, Thank you man, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Thank you again to doctor Pat Carroll with exceptional dentistry
here in Kentucky. And again, if you have questions for
Doc or you'd like to schedule an appointment, simply.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Visit Kentucky and at Dental dot Com.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Coming up, it's one of the biggest events nationally on
the sports calendar this weekend and it stands a chance
to impact the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
What is it?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I'm Scott Fitzgerald and we'll tell you about it right
here on Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Hi, I'm Garisnise.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
At the end of your workday.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Do you know you've made a difference the.
Speaker 9 (17:10):
Veterans affairs medical staff do The doctors, nurses, counselors, and
health technicians get to care for perhaps the most deserving
of all Americans, the men and women who have served
in our nation's ARNI forces.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Visit VA Careers.
Speaker 9 (17:26):
Dot VA dot gov to find out how you can.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Make a difference to.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzger. You know
here in Kentucky. Losing Kentucky Speedway from the NASCAR Cup
schedule was it tough blow.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
For race fans around the Commonwealth.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
But just a short drive down I sixty five, there's
a bright spot that's keeping the engines roaring.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
The Nashville Superspeedway.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Not only does it offer fans all three major NASCAR series,
the Craftsman Truck Series, Exfanity Series, and the Cup Series,
but it's quickly becoming a destination for racing excitement in
the region.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
And here's the key. It still benefits.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Can hotels, restaurants and gas stations in towns along the
I sixty five corridor see a boost from race traffic.
Fans from Louisville Etown Bowling Green and Beyond are making
weekend trips, spending money and stay connected to the sport
they love. Sitting down with us today is Nashville Super
Speedway General Manager Matt Gricchi. Matt, it's great to have
you with us, but let's start with the big pig. Sure,
(18:20):
what's it like being the GM of such a legendary
venue like Nashville Super Speedway.
Speaker 7 (18:25):
It's certainly exciting.
Speaker 10 (18:26):
I think, you know, every day is a little bit different,
and you know, our task is to welcome folks into
Nashville Super Speedway. We've got about seven hundred acres and
we try to use it as much as possible throughout
the year between you know, small events, medium sized events, public,
private and community engagement and everything along those lines. So
every day is a little bit different, but our culmination
(18:48):
all comes with our NASCAR Triple Header weekend and that's
coming up.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
And joining us is Nashville Super Speedway General Manager Matt
Grecchi ahead of a big racing weekend coming up the
end of this month. Matt, having Nashville on the NASCAR schedule,
it has been a big move for this sport. What
does it mean to have NASCAR's presence in the music City.
Speaker 10 (19:05):
Nashville is such a hop out of motorsports enthusiasts and
it's very important to the motorsports environment vice versa. I
think you know it's important for us to be on
a schedule and going into our fifth annual NASCAR Triple
Header weekend, we couldn't be more proud to be hosting
a NASCAR Cup Series race and then doing it with
a hometown partner with Cracker Barrel based here in Lebanon, Tennessee.
(19:27):
It definitely brings two worlds together that just are meant
to be.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Again, we're talking with Nashville Super Speedway general manager Matt
Gricchie and Matt, we've seen.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
NASCAR branch into new cities and venues.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
How does Nashville and the Cracker Barrel four hundred fit
into the sports growth for engagement and how does it
help Nashville.
Speaker 10 (19:44):
It's a fast growing market community, but it's also a
destination and people want to come visit here. They won't
experience it where they live in the United States. Through
outside of the United States, Nashville is on a target
list for folks to come visit and for us to
offer the opportunity to motorsports here, motorsports, view motorsports and
do it here, whether it's the Truck Series race, the
(20:05):
Expinity Series race, Cup Series racer, like you said, an
anycar series race. We get to host all those here
at Nashville Super Speedway. And I think it's because of
the destination of what Nashville and Middle Tennessee is. There's
so much to do, so much to see, and we're
proud to be on one of those to do lists
of come in and view some great motorsports racing.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Nashville Super Speedway General manager Matt Gritchie joining us for
a few minutes to talk about the Cracker Barrel four hundred,
the entire NASCAR series coming to Nashville as we turn
the corner and head into the heat of the summer.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
That's for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And Matt, do you think Nashville brings sort of a
different energy and vibe than other NASCAR cities.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
If so, what is that, Well, you can turn the.
Speaker 10 (20:43):
Corner and you can see some great musicians, that's for sure.
So that's that's one key thing that you get to
experience some great music. But it's also a great entertainment
scene across the board. Lots of great sports. The entertainment
value is paramount, and you know it's a great food
scene as well. So there's a lot of different things
that you can do within the market. When you want
(21:04):
to come to a NASCAR Series race, and if it's
not just the race you want to experience, then Nashville
is probably the market to come to because there's a
lot to do while you're in town. And then you
can put that at the tip of the spear that
it's a NASCAR Cup Series.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Race as well, and of course NASCAR, as you just mentioned,
it's all about the experience. It's a full experience. I've
been to plenty of races myself. Is an amazing trip,
that's for sure. What kind of entertainment or fan activities
are y'all planning around the Cracker Bil four hundred.
Speaker 10 (21:31):
Your day's chalk fill with opportunities to go, engage and
see and do you know, fan Zone is open outside
of the gates to anybody that's on the grounds, so
you get to hear great music, you get to see
drivers up close and personal, merchandise opportunities, fan engagement opportunities,
giveaways in the fan zone, just an interactive aspect of
(21:51):
what a NASCAR event is that's all prior to any
green flags flying, so you get the value out of
your ticket and come into the venue and experience the
fan zone. There's great opportunities to get further engaged, whether
you want an ultimate fan pass and walked through the
garage or a track pre race track access pass and
be stage front for the driver introductions before they go
to the green flag for Cracker Brow four hundred. Great
(22:14):
opportunities to be entertained throughout the weekend here at Nashville
Super Speedway, and we bring the music to you as
well with live performances throughout the weekend the fan Zone
and then our pre race concert as well.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
Matt Gricchie joining us for a few minutes in NASCAR
and Nashville's Super Speedway General manager and Matt. We just
recently saw NASCAR come out with the factor shifting Championship
weekend back to Homestead Miami.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
They're rotating that through different cities.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
We also saw that NASCAR stood a top the crowded
motorsports weekend on the television.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
The Worth four hundred Cup Series at.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Texas Motor Speedway saw well over two point five million
viewers on FS one that's the highest viewership among I mean,
you were going up against F one and IndyCar and
the verge of the Indy five hundred. Where do you
see NASCAR now in twenty twenty five and where do
you see it five six years down the road?
Speaker 10 (23:02):
The on track has been tremendous and I feel like
that's where the viewership is coming back in and you're
seeing some great ratings results and great on track content.
You know, at National Superspeedway we've had two three wide
racing five overtime restarts last year with Joey Logano and
Victory Lane with a Gibson guitar trophy. You know, the
content has been great, and I think you're seeing some
(23:23):
driver personalities coming through. And with NASCAR's announcement of you know,
shifting the championship race around a little bit is good.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
You know.
Speaker 10 (23:31):
The great thing about the NASCAR landscape is that the
playing field is different every single week and that's because
of the racetracks are different and the cars are different.
So I think moving it around a little bit and
bring it to different markets is a good move for
the sport and good to see where you get to
engauge in different racetracks and see different drivers that maybe
are more capable or put them on better racing at
(23:54):
different places based on the time of year and the racetrack.
So I think it's a good move. And I feel
like NASCAR and motorsports in general is on the rise,
and you see that across the board. I think motorsports
being an avenue that's enjoyable for all, and so if
one is good that I think it's good for all.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
And finally, wrapping things up way Nashville Super Speedway general
manager Matt Griechi matts you get a unique view of
who's coming through the gates outside of Tennessee, where you're
seeing the most fans traveling from and are there any regions.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
You'd love to see more NASCAR fans make the trip from.
Speaker 10 (24:30):
Well, we welcome folks from all fifty states, So I
will say that in six to eight different countries typically
through through our year. Louisville is a tremendous market for us.
A nice easy drive, you know, the greater Midwest is good.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
You know.
Speaker 10 (24:44):
The great thing about Nashville is it's pretty easy to
get to whether you're driving or flying, and so we
get to see a lot of folks come across the
across the nation and get to us to experience the weekend,
and I think it's such a friendly family environment as well.
We get to offer a child twelve and under can
(25:04):
enjoy the weekend for just ten dollars the entire weekend,
not ten dollars per day. So I think, you know,
that's a family attractive option for folks to come visit us,
you know, get your kids exposed to motorsports and see
it up close and personal with a great ticket option.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
And again, thank you to Matt Gricchie, general manager of
Nashville super Speedway. And while we may not have a
Cup race in Kentucky right now, Nashville success still brings
economic impact to the commonwealth and keeps the NASCAR spirit
alive thriving for US fans just across the border.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I'm Scott fitzjol. We're back after this. You're listening to
Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 11 (25:41):
The mission of Kentucky State Place is a safeguard and
enforce the laws across the commonwealth. One of our priorities
is making sure families across our New Kentucky home are safe.
Not only safe, but also they feel safe when we
have someone that commits a crime, and we were warning
that those pay their debt to society, and they do.
(26:03):
But once they finish that, and that's when we want
to incorporate these re entry programs for those to be
able to go back in their communities. And what that
does and that they become contributed members is socided they
have an income they can provide for their family and
by that then they're not committing further offenses, which makes
Kentucky a safer place. And by Kentucky being a safer place,
(26:25):
that's also safer for law enforcement across their commonwealth. Now
we will collaborate with other public agencies and other law
enforcement entities to ensure that people can have a better
life for themselves and their family.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. Before we go,
a sports note here in Kentucky. Of course, the buzz
around college sports usually peaks in March bracketts, basketball, and
of course all eyes on the hardwood. But this year
it's late May and baseball is stealing the spotlight. Four
Kentucky based college baseball teams are heading to the NCAA tournament.
(27:01):
It would be Kentucky Louisville, Western Kentucky and Maurice staid,
that's a remarkable accomplishment and a moment we're celebrating. Of course,
across the gum in wealth. Kentucky's baseball routes run deep,
from Happy Chandler to Hall of famers like Peewee Reese
and Jim Bunning, and more importantly, the legacy of the
Negro Leagues, which gave us teams like the Louisville black
Caps and players who broke barriers long before the majors did.
(27:22):
And of course we're home to the Louisville Slugger, the
bats swung by legends for generations. So this week, tip
your cat to the Wildcats, the Cards, the Hilltops and
the Racers, because right now Kentucky isn't just about basketball.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
It's about baseball too.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Now I'll put the raps on another edition of Kentucky Focus.
A big thank you to our guest this week, Dr
Pat Carroll with exceptional dentistry in Kentucky, and of course
Nashville Superspeedway gymeral manager Matt Greechie well sharing their insights
from planning ahead for your family's dental health this summer
to understanding how regional events like this weekend's NASCAR race
in Nashville continue to impact communities right here in Kentucky.
(27:59):
Thank you for me in Kentucky Focus part of your
listening Again. We truly appreciate your time, your trust, and
your connection to the stories that shape our commonwealth.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
I know I speak for all of us at the.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Kentucky News Network and Kentucky Focus when I say, until
next time, take care of yourselves and each other. I'm
Scott Fitzgerald. You're listening to Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the show that
looks at issues affecting the commonwealth and its citizens. We
cover state politics, in history, human interest stories, sports, and
even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on K and N.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
We're discussing child development with some experts.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Tell me what's the normal development of say a two
year old, hi' so saying two.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
To forward phrases and engaging in pretend to play? And
what about social development being enthusiastic about the company of
other children. Thank you.
Speaker 12 (28:53):
It's time to change how we view a child's growth.
It's not just physical. There are milestones your child should
reach in how he played, learns, speaks, and acts. A
delay in any of these areas could be a sign
of a developmental problem, even autism. The good news is
the earlier it's recognized, the more you can do to
help your child reach his full potential. Talk with a doctor.
(29:13):
Visit CDC dot gov, slash act early, or call one
eight hundred CDC Info a message from the US Department
of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn the signs ACT early.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
In Kentucky, call five oh two eight five two, seven, seven,
nine nine, or visit kyautism dot org.
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