LVMS rewarded with second NHRA event

Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2000 | 10:14 a.m.

The National Hot Rod Association announced today that The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway would host two national points races next season.

LVMS will continue to hold the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in April and also will stage a national event the last weekend in October.

The second annual SummitRacing.com Nationals will be held April 5-8 and the date for the fall race will be Oct. 25-28. A sponsor for the fall event was not announced today.

It had been speculated that LVMS would receive an all-star event for its second national date, but Speedway general manager Chris Powell lobbied for a second points race instead.

The NHRA granted Powell's wish after Virginia Motorsports Park announced earlier this year that it would be switching allegiance from the NHRA to the rival International Hot Rod Association in 2001. That move forced the NHRA to retool its schedule and, ultimately, award a second points race to Las Vegas.

"Both our April event and our October event will be national events, so it's a very good day for drag racing in Las Vegas," Powell said. "(Two points events) was what we wanted all along, given the reception the event got this past April and I'm just happy that our pleas were heard by NHRA."

The inaugural SummitRacing.com Nationals drew an estimated crowd of 30,000 for final eliminations at the $10 million Strip, which was completed just days before the event.

"The community had a lot to do with our getting a second national event," Powell said. "We're just very fortunate to be in a town that, because of its place as a destination city, has helped us get a second national event and for that we're very grateful."