Take a load off

Monday, Sept. 25, 2006 | 7:19 a.m.

Brendan Gaughan has driven in the Baja 1000, considered the most grueling auto race in North America, but not even that punishing test ever left Gaughan as tired as he was Saturday afternoon - and that was before he raced 146 laps in the NASCAR Craftsman Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Gaughan, a 31-year-old Las Vegas native, competes in 25 truck races a year but none are as hectic as the weeklong run-up to his hometown race.

In the days prior to Saturday night's Smith's Las Vegas 350, Gaughan was up early Tuesday and Wednesday mornings for radio and TV appearances; hosted a charity poker tournament Wednesday night at his father's South Point Hotel and Casino; woke up at the crack of dawn Thursday to promote the race by driving his No. 77 Dodge race truck from his house to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway; hosted an open house for his fans at the Orleans Racing shop; and took part in an autograph session Thursday evening at the Fremont Street Experience.

"This was the easy part," Gaughan said of driving in Saturday night's 146-lap race. "It's never a normal race week for us (when we race in Las Vegas) and we're not ecstatic about a 15th-place finish but we had fun.

"For as hectic as this week was, we got to do some really cool stuff and got some real good press."