Busch series interested in Las Vegas

Friday, June 14, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

It's not official yet -- in auto racing, it seems nothing ever is. But it would appear the new Las Vegas Motor Speedway is in line to host a NASCAR Busch Grand National Series event next spring.

"There's no secret there have been discussions between NASCAR and that track about doing something next year," said NASCAR public relations director Andy Hall Thursday. "It is a possibility, although nothing is set in stone."

The Busch series is to Winston Cup what triple-A is to Major League Baseball, providing drivers with a steppingstone to NASCAR's premier circuit. Johnny Benson, the 1995 BGN championship, is driving the Pennzoil Pontiac on this year's Winston Cup trail.

The keen racing in the Busch series also attracts Winston Cup regulars such as Terry Labonte, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and Ken Schrader, who compete in BGN races when their Winston Cup schedules allow.

From NASCAR's standpoint, a Las Vegas date would enable BGN to tap into a West Coast market for the first time. The Busch series never has ventured west of Milwaukee.

From the Speedway's standpoint, hosting a successful Busch event would enhance its chances of landing a coveted Winston Cup date. It's the same route other new venues (such as New Hampshire International Speedway) have pursued as a precursor to hosting Winston Cup.

In an attempt to keep costs down, the Busch series seldom has strayed from its Southeast roots. But Hall said BGN has grown to where it can comfortably consider expanding its boundaries.

Most BGN seasons consist of 26 or 27 races. That's still the preferred number, although Hall said a race wouldn't have to fall off the schedule for another to be added, the current scenario in Winston Cup.

That should come as encouraging news to Las Vegas' many stock car fans.

Backmarkers

* LAS VEGAS SPEEDWAY PARK: Stock car racing returns Saturday with the Quaker State QuickStart at 7 p.m. Twin 25-lap sportsman division main events top a full evening of racing. General admission tickets are $10 for adults; $6 for seniors, military personnel and students; and $2 for children 3-12. ... Keith Bush claimed his first Super Pro victory of the season last weekend during Round 5 of the National Performance Center E.T. Series on the dragstrip. Class winners were T.J. Fogarty in Pro, Jerry Mock in Sportsman, Terry Ainsworth in Street and Clark Paris in Motorcycle. ... Speedway Park is seeking nostalgic dragsters (at least 20 years old) to run the quarter-mile in next weekend's tribute to the old Stardust Raceway. If you own such a vehicle, you are encouraged to call 643-3333.

* NASCAR RULES: The ever-changing Winston Cup rule book added yet another chapter this week when the Chevrolet teams were allowed to add an additional quarter-inch to their front and rear spoilers for this weekend's 500-miler at Pocono and the June 23 Miller Genuine Draft 400 at Michigan International Speedway. It was just two weeks ago that the Ford teams were allowed to lower their roof pillars to achieve more downforce. Needless to say, the changes have most of the teams scrambling and complaining -- not necessarily in that order. "It really makes us wonder if they want competitive, multiple-manufacturer racing," Ford spokesman Dan Rivard told the Associated Press.

* FIRESTONE ALL WET: In this era of spin doctors and political correctness, Firestone's reaction to getting caught out in the rain at last Sunday's Detroit Grand Prix was refreshing. Firestone-equipped cars had taken the first five qualifying spots but quickly fell backward on a wet track, its hastily-grooved rain tires proving no match for Goodyear's. "Splish, Splash ... Firestone Took a Bath" proclaimed the company's own postrace press release. "Needless to say, last Sunday was an embarrassment," said Firestone rep Tony Troiano while listening in on a teleconferecne featuring Adrian Fernandez, whose fourth-place finish topped the Firestone runners at Detroit. "We had rain tires available at every test session. Unfortunately, it had never rained." Troiano said when the Firestone engineers returned to Akron following the race "it was like turning on the kitchen light and seeing the cockroaches scatter." In other words, there was a lot of activity devoted to developing the rain tire this week.

* MIXED RESULTS FOR MEXICO: Adrian Fernandez hoped his career-best, fourth-place finish in last Sunday's Detroit Grand Prix gave Mexico something to cheer about, after his countryman Julio Cesar Chavez was humbled by Oscar De La Hoya in their WBC junior welterweight title bout at Caesars Palace last Friday. "I've been personal friends with Julio for a long time -- we've always supported him," Fernandez said. "It was a disappointment ... but Julio has been on top for a long, long time. All of Mexico is still very proud of him."

* VASSER AILING: IndyCar points leader and new Las Vegas resident Jimmy Vasser is being monitored for an inner-ear condition resulting from a practice accident at last weekend's Detroit Grand Prix. Vasser, a four-time winner on this year's IndyCar circuit, is suffering from vertigo but expects to drive in next weekend's Budweiser/G.I. Joe's 200 at Portland. "I feel fine," he said.

* ETC: NASCAR ride shopping: Mike Wallace (parted company with Donleavy Racing) and Steve Grissom (contract not renewed by Diamond Ridge Motorsports). ... After the first 12 Winston Cup races of 1996 there have been six different winners. There were eight last year. The top five drivers in the standings were separated by just 183 points last year; this year, it's 352. ... Bill Elliott, still nursing a broken thigh bone suffered in an April crash at Talladega, hopes to make his Winston Cup return Aug. 3 at the Brickyard 400. ... With three incident-free victories in his past four starts, Michael Andretti has been taken off IndyCar probation for rough driving. ... Kenny Bernstein clicked off the fastest E.T. in NHRA history at last weekend's rained-out Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Ohio, jetting down the quarter-mile in 4.606 sec. in the Budweiser Top Fuel dragster. ... Las Vegas sprint car fans can tune up for the World of Outlaws season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by tuning into The CBS Sports Show on Sunday. The Outlaws' stop at Ohio's Eldora Speedway will be featured in the 1 p.m. telecast. ... Scott Pruett, Bryan Herta and Alex Zanardi topped the speed charts at this week's IndyCar open testing at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. ... Las Vegas Motor Speedway vice president Lex Dudas will be this week's guest on Mike Henle's motor sports radio talk show, airing at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on KNews (970-AM). ... There have been 177 road race laps in the two-year history of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and desert racing specialist Walker Evans has finished 176 of them. The off-road legend finished 16th at last Sunday's Lund Look 225K on the road course at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kan. ... Mark Tate drove the rebuilt Smokin' Joe's to victory in last Sunday's Thunder Tour presented by Las Vegas unlimited hydroplane race at Kansas City. Tate's boat was wrecked in a collision with Chip Hanuer in Miss Budweiser at the Detroit River Gold Cup the previous week. ... Individual race tickets for each of Phoenix International Raceway's five 1996-97 events go on sale Tuesday. Call 1-800-638-4253 for ticket info. ... Las Vegan Wayne Jacks, the only man to start all six NASCAR Winston West events at Tucson (Ariz.) Raceway Park, will be bidding for start No. 7 at Saturday night's Valvoline/Jiffy Lube 200. ... Las Vegas' Donnie Williams stands 10th in NASCAR Winston Racing Series Sunbelt Region points with four wins in 11 starts at Las Vegas Speedway Park.

* WEEKEND GLANCE: Winston Cup: UAW-GM Teamwork 500 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (10 a.m. Sunday, TNN). Defending champ: Terry Labonte. Formula One: Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal (9:50 a.m. Sunday, ESPN). Defending champ: Jean Alesi. NHRA: Pontiac Excitement Nationals at National Trail Raceway, Hebron Ohio (delayed, June 16, ABC). Defending champions: Scott Kalitta (TF), Al Hofmann (FC), Steve Schmidt (PS).

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