Green out to dog field in LV

Friday, March 2, 2001 | 10:49 a.m.

Jeff Green has 10 NASCAR Busch Series victories to his credit, but it's clear that his win in the inaugural event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1997 was special.

Green, who will drive the No. 10 Nestle Nesquik Ford in Saturday's Sam's Town 300 at LVMS, has two "trophies" to remind him of his first career NBS win.

Besides the hardware he received from the speedway to commemorate his win from the pole, Green bought a female black Labrador shortly after the race and named her "Vegas."

Green, who has finished in the top 10 in each of his three Busch Series starts in Las Vegas, said the key to winning on the 1.5-mile superspeedway is fuel mileage.

"The main factor to hitting the jackpot at Las Vegas is fuel mileage because the race tends to have long green flag runs," Green said. "You also need a car that turns well off the corner because they are so tight there. The faster you go, the more the car tries to push, so you need a car that turns really well.

"The new motor program for the NASCAR Busch Series may also have some effect on the outcome of the race. The major difference the new motors will have on our race is the fuel mileage factor. We will not get as good gas mileage as before, so it is another factor to consider in race strategy."

Green will have his work cut out for him if he is to become the first Busch driver to repeat as a winner in Las Vegas. In addition to the regular Busch Series drivers, seven Winston Cup drivers will attempt to qualify for the race -- including defending race champion Jeff Burton.

Burton has posted an average finish of 2.6 at LVMS after sweeping both the Busch Series and Winston Cup races here last year. Burton, who has made three NBS starts at Las Vegas, was fourth in 1998 and third in 1999.

Two-time Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie, who won the season opener at Daytona; and last week's race winner, Todd Bodine; also should contend for the fourth annual Busch Series race at LVMS.

Hank Parker Jr. won the pole last year with a track-record qualifying lap of 166.328 mph but struggled to a 31st-place finish.

The Sam's Town 300 will take the green flag at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The race will be televised live on FX (Cox Cable channel 24).