NEW YORK — Jeff Gordon was taking a leisurely stroll past Central Park when he heard someone calling his name from a passing car. In one of the few cities where the NASCAR star still maintains some anonymity, he was taken aback.

"I thought I recognized him, and I turned around ... and it was Spike Lee," Gordon said Thursday. "He thought I didn't recognize him, but I did, and he stuck his head out the window and yelled `Spike Lee! What's up?'

"I thought that was the coolest thing ever."

That's the kind of recognition NASCAR is looking for each year by celebrating its "Champions Week" in the Big Apple. A tradition started 26 years ago by former chairman Bill France Jr., the industry takes the city by storm for an entire week of parties, promotions and pomp.

Lunch at the 21 Club, cocktails at Tiffany & Co., sightseeing at the Top of the Rock, a "victory lap" through Times Square and a blowout bash at hip club Marquee, where DJ AM will spin the hottest tunes. It's a whirlwind of activities that concludes with tonight's black-tie gala at the historic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

"It is truly a who's who of corporate America," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer, who likened the CEO turnout at the banquet to the crowd the NFL draws at the Super Bowl.

It's everything France had hoped for when he took his Southern little sport to the big city in an effort to jump on corporate America's radar.

Two decades later, NASCAR no longer needs to force itself in the face of every big-time CEO. The sport has indeed arrived, leaving many longtime fans wondering why the industry still goes to New York to celebrate in a city that doesn't host an event and is filled with residents who view this week as little more than a nuisance.

But Brian France, who took over the reigns from his father, still thinks New York is the place NASCAR needs to be.

"It's important because we don't race here, so we need to rev up the market a little bit, so to speak," he said following Thursday's three-hour industry luncheon at Cipriani.

"We had the 10 cars going through Manhattan, which was pretty hard to pull off but got great exposure for the sport. Plus you have so many companies based here. So for a lot of reasons it's important to be here."

But in the same breath, Brian France admits that several other cities have asked to host the week and NASCAR is willing to listen to any pitches.

"There is so much interest, we are going to have to at least understand what that interest means," he said. "This event has become such a marquee national event, there are several cities that have asked us to talk to them. We haven't yet, but we'll see how it goes."

For Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was born and raised in NASCAR country and is one of the few active drivers with a true appreciation for the sport's roots and tradition, thinks Charlotte, N.C., could make a case for hosting the event.