Editorial: NASCAR a perfect fit

Tuesday, March 15, 2005 | 9:38 a.m.

The Nextel Cup Series race on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which drew an estimated crowd of 156,000, was the most exciting of the eight Cup races held here so far. It was a bonus that two drivers born and raised in Las Vegas -- brothers Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch -- finished second and third respectively. Kurt, the defending Nextel Cup Series champion, even joked after the race that the strong showing by Kyle, a 19-year-old rookie, meant that he wouldn't be giving any more advice to his kid brother.

Both NASCAR and Las Vegas' tourist-based economy have benefited from their relationship, as tens of thousands of visitors join locals in attending the race. The event grows more popular with each passing year, so much so that Las Vegas Motor Speedway officials announced Sunday that they will add 14,000 seats to the Speedway. We've been hoping for some time to get a second NASCAR Cup Series race held here, and the success of this past weekend should put our city at the top of the list.

It also is telling that, while some other major sports leagues have shied away from Las Vegas because of legalized gambling, NASCAR has embraced Las Vegas. At NASCAR there isn't the hand-wringing seen by some other major-league sports, such as the NFL, which even refuses to let ads promoting Las Vegas to be aired during the Super Bowl telecast. The NFL's shortsightedness could quickly become the minority view, however. Major League Baseball, for example, has taken a more progressive outlook, as Las Vegas was one of the finalists earlier this year to get a franchise, which eventually was awarded to Washington, D.C.

This past weekend's successful Nextel Cup Series race is just further evidence that Las Vegas is becoming a major American city and, when it comes to sports, is more than ready for the big leagues.