Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: LVMS could nab 2nd NHRA points event

Friday, June 30, 2000 | 10:15 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand's motor sports notebook appears Friday. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

Officials of the National Hot Rod Association barely had a day to revel in the announcement of their new long-term television contract with ESPN and ESPN2 when they were dealt a blow by one of their member tracks.

The NHRA was within 10 days of announcing its 2001 schedule when the Virginia Motorsports Park on Wednesday announced that it was dumping the NHRA in favor of the rival International Hot Rod Association. VMP had hosted an NHRA national event since 1995.

The unexpected move has NHRA officials scrambling to replace the Virginia Nationals with another national event in time to release their 2001 schedule next weekend during the Winston Showdown all-star event in Bristol, Tenn.

One option the NHRA reportedly is considering is giving The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway a second points race next year instead of an all-star event that already is penciled in on the schedule for next fall.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway general manager Chris Powell said he has been in contact with the NHRA since the announcement by the VMP.

"We're looking into it but I can't say that it's going to happen," Powell said of replacing his drag strip's all-star event with a points-paying race. "I talked with an NHRA representative (Wednesday) who said that they have several scenarios in mind."

Although Powell would not comment further, it is believed that he would rather have a points-paying event than an all-star race. But the NHRA is reluctant to give the year-old Strip a second points race.

The NHRA has been backed into the corner in some respects in that NHRA president Tom Compton announced this week that two facilities that have hosted two annual national events -- Houston Raceway Park and the Texas Motorplex -- both would be losing one of their events beginning next year.

The schedule the NHRA was prepared to announce next weekend reportedly includes a new points race at Bristol Dragway (replacing the Winston Showdown) and a second date at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago.

Roush Racing announced this week that it will not extend driver Chad Little's contract to drive the No. 97 Winston Cup John Deere Ford after the 2000 season. ...

Joe Garone, crew chief of the No. 32 Winston Cup team, was fined $50,000 after an illegal liquid brake cooling device was found on Scott Pruett's car following Sunday's race at Sears Point Raceway. Besides the fine, Pruett suffered a loss of 50 driver points and team owner Cal Wells also was levied a 50-point penalty.

With 12 races remaining in the season, Vasser trails FedEx Championship Series points leader Roberto Moreno by just 14 points.

"No one is getting nervous because we all know we have the ability to win on any track, but with just over half of the season remaining, we think it's time to start putting together a good string of races and moving up in the standings," Vasser said. "We all have confidence that the Toyota-Lola can win, so it's just a matter of time before we visit the podium again."

Vasser hopes it comes Sunday in the Grand Prix of Cleveland, where the 1996 CART champion earned the pole in '96 and '98 on the temporary road course at Burke Lakefront Airport.

"I have grown to enjoy racing at Burke," Vasser said. "We had some bad luck in Cleveland last year, so hopefully I got that out of my system. This is a good time of year to start earning valuable points and that's our goal heading into the weekend." ...

Las Vegas resident Patrick Carpentier was fined $10,000 by CART for what it determined were "blocking maneuvers" by Carpentier during the closing laps of Sunday's race in Portland.

Goodyear set an unofficial track record with a top lap of 146.75 mph and proclaimed the track fit for open-wheel racing. The IRL has never competed on a track less than a mile in length.

"It's a challenging track," Goodyear said. "We should be able to run two or three abreast comfortably. The pit lane here is great; it's nice and wide. There's also probably more speed tire-wise."

The IRL is scheduled to stage its first race at Richmond on June 30, 2001. ...

Goodyear and Panther Racing announced Thursday that they have mutually agreed to part ways at the conclusion of this season. ...

Robby Gordon this week denied rumors that he would replace Greg Ray in John Menard's IRL entry for some or all of the remaining three IRL races.

"I'll say right here that I will not be driving in the IRL this season," Gordon said. "I can't really speak to what John is doing with Team Menard and Greg Ray, but I can tell you that my focus is on the Winston Cup team."

Angelle Seeling's recent win at the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, gave her 13 career Pro Stock Motorcycle victories. Seeling now is now five wins away from tying Shirley Muldowney as the winningest female driver in the history of the NHRA.

Goerke, a Las Vegas native, is the older brother of Billy Goerke, who drives Collins' Class 8 vehicle in the SCORE Desert Series.

Chuck Trickle of Las Vegas moved to the top of the standings in the Sunbelt Region of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series. Trickle has won three of eight races this season in the Late Model division on the 3/8-mile paved oval at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. ...

A 50-lap NASCAR Late Model main event and fireworks display will highlight a special July 3 show at the 3/8-mile paved oval at LVMS. Grand American Modifieds and Legends will also be competing and the evening will include live music by local alternative band Uncle Owen, a demolition derby and a limousine jump. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the racing begins at 7:30.