Planning eases race-day traffic

Tuesday, March 7, 2000 | 9:38 a.m.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway general manager Chris Powell was "ecstatic" with the improved traffic flow during this weekend's NASCAR races, but said he intends to continue to work to make traffic flow even more smooth for future races.

"From a traffic standpoint, we made a tremendous leap over last year," Powell said. "We learned a lot of things last year that really helped us this year and we learned some things this year that will help us for next year.

"But that will be the case every year, where you learn things ... we would just like to learn it twice a year."

Although Powell said he talked with NASCAR officials about his desire to host a second Winston Cup race every year, such a date is not imminent.

"We're going to continue to push (for a second date)," Powell said. "I talked to (NASCAR senior vice president and chief operating officer) Mike Helton and (senior vice president) Brian France over the weekend ... and I felt as though I was heard."

Powell credited five areas that helped LVMS officials get all 130,000 fans into the Speedway parking lots in time for the 11:30 a.m. start time and empty the parking lots within 2 hours and 50 minutes from the time the race was called at 3:08 p.m. due to rain.

"Without a doubt, the widening of Las Vegas Boulevard was most important to the free flow of traffic," Powell said. "The cooperation we got from Nellis (Air Force Base), with the CAT buses running through Nellis was another factor.

"The straight shot off I-15 into our north parking lot was another factor; the NHP doing traffic reports on radio was a big help; and our friends at Metro Police, the Highway Patrol and North Las Vegas (police) all got out there in the middle of those intersections and directed traffic, instead of the strategy they used last year, which was to push the buttons on the control for the signals."

The NHP broadcast traffic updates on KKLZ-FM (96.3), which allowed fans stuck on I-15 to get off the interstate and use Las Vegas Boulevard to gain access into the Speedway.

Powell estimated that 10 percent of the estimated 130,000 fans that attended Sunday's CarsDirect.com 400 used the improved bus route. Last year, Powell said he received the most complaints from fans who attempted to take the bus and experienced long delays.

This year, Nellis allowed CAT buses exclusively to use a private road through the base, cutting the time it took fans to get from the Strip to the Speedway to 35 minutes.

Even though Speedway officials were able to clear the parking lots in less than three hours following the race, Powell said he still had scattered complaints that it took too long to get all the cars from the north parking lot onto I-15.

"We've still got a challenge in emptying out the north parking lot," Powell said. "That is something we will continue to address."

Powell also said he will review the speedway concession prices, which drew some complaints from fans.

Shortly after taking over as general manager of LVMS, Powell cut the prices of concessions at the property's short track.

Despite his elation over solving the Speedway's most pressing traffic concerns, Powell said he was disappointed that Sunday's rain showers shortened the 267-lap Winston Cup race to 148 laps.

"I feel such a disappointment for two groups," Powell said. "One group is the fans, who were not able to see the complete show because of the rain -- and we had a real good race going on.

"I also feel disappointed for our employees, who really worked hard, because you don't like to be criticized as much as we were criticized in the past. After having a weekend of so many raves, to end it on such a down note as a rainout is disappointing."