Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2005 | 10:17 a.m.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway virtually is assured of setting an all-time attendance record for its annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race with the announcement that additional seating has been added for this year's NASCAR weekend.
LVMS general manager Chris Powell announced Tuesday that the speedway would add bleacher seating outside Turn 3 that could push attendance for the March 13 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 close to 160,000.
Tickets for the additional seating went on sale today for $99 each and include a reserved seat for both the Nextel Cup and NASCAR Busch Series races as well as a general admission seat for the Sept. 24 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Champ Car World Series races.
Powell did not disclose how many temporary seats would be erected for the March 11-13 NASCAR weekend, but it is believed that as many as 16,000 seats could be added if demand warrants.
The all-time attendance mark for a Nextel Cup race at LVMS is 145,275 in 2003, according to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority estimates. A crowd estimated at 144,600 attended last year's race, but the speedway did not put up the temporary bleachers.
Powell said the decision to add the bleacher seats this year was sparked by record ticket sales for this year's NASCAR weekend. All but a few seats in the speedway's permanent grandstands have been sold for this year's races, Powell said.
"I think that speaks very well for Las Vegas as a destination spot and I think it speaks well for the employees of the speedway who have worked from the first day to make every (year's race) better than the previous one," Powell said. "I think people know ... they can come out to Las Vegas and enjoy a great city and great racing at a first-class facility."
Powell said he had confidence that the traffic plan state and local agencies and speedway officials have in place could handle the additional spectators.
"Our people have proven over the last few years that they are very good at getting everybody onto the property and off of the property quite well," Powell said. "That's a result of years of work on everything from ingress and egress as well as concessions ... (by) speedway employees and the various governmental agencies."
Tickets for the temporary grandstand are being sold for $99 today through Feb. 20. After Feb. 20, the price will increase to $119, Powell said. Tickets can be purchased at the speedway ticket office, online at www.lvms.com or by calling 1-800-644-4444.
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