Gaughan hopes to impress his dad at LVMS

Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999 | 10:06 a.m.

It's a good thing that Brendan Gaughan relishes intense situations, or the native Las Vegan would be a bundle of nerves heading into this weekend's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Winston West Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Not only will the 24-year-old Gaughan be driving in front of his hometown fans Friday and Saturday evenings in races sponsored by two of his father's hotel-casinos, his immediate future in the truck series may very well hinge on how well he performs in Friday's Orleans 250.

Michael Gaughan last month purchased Chesrown Motorsports' inventory of race trucks and equipment and the younger Gaughan said Friday's race could go a long way toward determining whether he will run a full NCTS schedule next season.

"Nothing has been determined (about next year), but this weekend is going to be a big weekend for us," Gaughan said. "You want to talk about pressure -- the pressure is on. We've got a lot of people coming out to look at us and they're going to be watching to see how I do.

"A lot of what happens next year is basically left on my shoulders. My dad did what he could, he got the team and he got us here. Now it's up to me to show that I'm a driver and that I'm worth spending money on and that I can do this job. If I do my best, I think my best is going to be pretty darn good here."

And the former Georgetown University basketball player let it be known that he is looking forward to -- not dreading -- this weekend.

"I like to consider it more pressure because I love pressure," Gaughan said. "Hey, if I could handle the pressure at Georgetown, this will be easy."

Although Gaughan didn't have a chance to test his new Chevy truck until this afternoon's practice sessions at LVMS, he said he was confident heading into Friday's 167-lap race -- despite the fact it will be only his second NCTS race this year.

"We know this truck is going to be fast," Gaughan said of the truck formerly raced by Rick Carelli. "I'm not looking just to do well anymore, I'm looking for a top 10.

"I've been pretty humble about what I wanted to accomplish (in the truck races at LVMS) the last couple of years, and I have no reason to say that I should be able to finish top 10 except for it's Vegas. I know this track, we know we have a good truck, I believe in myself and I've got a lot of good people behind me who believe in me and I think our team can do it."

In his only other NCTS start this year, Gaughan started 29th and finished 32nd in April at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.

Gaughan will attempt to do double duty this weekend, trying to qualify for Friday's truck race and Saturday's Gold Coast 150 Winston West Series race.

Coming off a second-place finish in the most recent Winston West race in Salt Lake City, Gaughan said he no longer is looking just to "run well" on his hometown track.

"We're past the stage of 'let's just run well' for the West Series -- we're looking to win one," Gaughan said.

"We built a brand-new car for this race. We tested it last week here and the first time out of the box, we were a little over a half-second faster than anybody out here testing with us. My engine builder, Kevin Kroyer, told me it was the best motor he has ever built for this series."

Both Gaughan's truck and stock car are sponsored by his father's Orleans Hotel-casino, which has made it easier for the younger Gaughan to accommodate his friends this weekend.

"It's a good thing my dad is sponsoring the races because I think he gave half the tickets he got to me," Gaughan said. "I've given at least 200 tickets away to friends -- I didn't even know I had 200 friends."