Editorial: The great race

Friday, March 9, 2007 | 7:03 a.m.

W ith the Las Vegas Motor Speedway's improvements that include a new track and the infield's new Neon Garage viewing area, even longtime race fans will see plenty of new sights at this weekend's NASCAR races.

The weekend of racing, which typically attracts more than 160,000 fans who generate an estimated $100 million in nongaming revenue, culminates with Sunday's Nextel Cup race, the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. Many fans come back year after year.

Still, speedway owner Bruton Smith has pumped $30 million into an entirely new infield, complete with a multilevel structure that gives fans a bird's-eye view of the garage area. He also moved the pit road closer to the grandstands so that more fans could get a good look at the pit stop action. These improvements increase fans' abilities to observe the actual race-day operations of NASCAR teams, which already are known for being highly accessible to fans.

Newer, steeper banking on the 1.5-mile track also promises to make for a more competitive race, and one in which there is still some question as to whether the cars' tires can hold up on the new surface.

With all of these improvements, fans should have a more exciting and rewarding race experience, and Las Vegas' Nextel Cup race is becoming one of the top NASCAR events.

Welcome, race fans. Enjoy the new digs.