My Un-Sophisticated Pitch

May 15, 2014

NASCAR

PO Box 2875

Daytona, FL 32120

NASCAR Executives,

Every year, the Christmas season brings about a plethora of holiday movies.  Some are classics, some are remakes of the classics and some are contemporary tales that the whole family can watch and enjoy.  One thing that seems to be missing from much of the holiday movie cornucopia is the niche movie.  I know there are some out there, but for the most part, many of the movies are made to appeal to a wide variety of viewers, and as such feature very conventional storylines and relatable people.  However, I think that it is possible to make a niche movie while also appealing to the demographic who might not normally enjoy this particular niche.

Allow me to explain.

I recently came across the Harlequin collection of NASCAR-themed romance novels and was completely floored by the idea.  I know there are many different subgenres of romance novels, but the female NASCAR fanbase is rather large, so combining NASCAR with romance was absolutely genius.  But then I got to thinking: wouldn’t that combination make for a great Christmas movie?  Most contemporary Christmas movies involve an element of romance, so people who might not be fans of NASCAR would still be interested in a Christmas romance.  And two out of three ain’t bad.  It’s a formula that stands out from the normal crop of movies and sounds like a winning combination to me.

Now, this is my story idea: Growing up in a family full of race car drivers, Tracee knew that she was destined for the track.  She spent most of her free time learning the trade with her father and brother, leaving little room for romance.  But when a new hot shot driver rolls into town, Tracee realizes that perhaps the thrill of the sport isn’t the only thing that gets her engine going.  The two meet and begin a fast-tracked physical relationship, as Tracee isn’t willing to share her heart with Rusty and her love of the sport.  But when a freak accident threatens to take Rusty out of the sport- and her life- for good, Tracee decides to take care of Rusty.  It’s then that she begins to feel it: that slow burn- as her feelings for Rusty begin to overtake her love for the sport.  Can they finally share her heart?

It’s not the most sophisticated story, but as I mentioned before, most Christmas movies have a relatable theme on the surface and this one has romance, tragedy and conflict.

I hope you will take the time to consider my proposal, as I am sure a number of NASCAR fans and Christmas movie fans in general will fall in love with Tracee and Rusty and their story of love and survival.  And at some point we can work Christmas in there.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

T.E. Grace