THE ELEVATOR

by Ron Kantowski

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 | 9:42 a.m.

Who's headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene - and who's getting the shaft.

GOING UP

NASCAR and Charlotte

Well, whaddya' know? In deciding to erect its $107.5 million Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., the stock car sanctioning body proved that it hasn't forgotten its roots and the fans who made it famous. Putting the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Kansas City would have been like putting the Blues Hall of Fame in Boise.

UNLV baseball

After playing eventual national champion Texas to two one-run losses in a three-game series at Austin last year, the Rebels rallied to hook the Horns in one-run games at Wilson Stadium on Friday and Saturday and lost a third one-run game on Sunday. Can you say College World Series dark horse?

Gael Monfils

After being upset in the first round of the Tennis Channel Open, the 19-year-old Frenchman, ranked No. 29 in the world, didn't make excuses or cry on his croissant. He stayed in Las Vegas and won Sunday's paddle tennis championship at the Open after being introduced to the sport only a few days earlier. Monfils even played to the crowd with dance moves and by standing on his head. Tennis needs more guys like him. Heck, France needs more guys like him.

GOING DOWN

Mountain West men's basketball coaches

In the most grievous election day scandal since the Hanging Chads, the majority of the MWC coaches left UNLV's Lou Amundson off their all-conference ballots. To paraphrase Wyoming coach Steve McClain, "Fiddlesticks." If you don't think the Rebels' big guy can play, just ask Bob Knight, who chased Amundson up the tunnel at the Thomas & Mack Center to tell him so in December.

UNLV baseball

Just 24 hours after nearly sweeping college baseball juggernaut Texas in a three-game series at Wilson Stadium, the Rebels lost 9-0 to Texas Tech, which is not a juggernaut. So you may want to hold off reserving those rooms in Omaha, Neb.

Kyle Busch (in Mexico)

After taking out Mexican driver Michel Jourdain in a crash during Sunday's NASCAR Busch Series stop on Mexican soil, Shrub had better not be planning a weekend getaway to Acapulco or Mazatlan any time soon. Good thing for the Las Vegas racer that Pancho Villa died in 1923 or there might have been another Mexican Revolution in the garage area after the race.

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