Friday, March 30, 2007 | 7:15 a.m.
Paul Tracy has been around open-wheel racing long enough to know what to expect from next weekend's inaugural Vegas Grand Prix.
"It doesn't seem to matter how well they plan and prepare for these things, there are always some last-minute things that come up," Tracy said. "I don't think I've ever been to one of these (first-time street races) where practice has started on time."
Chris Kneifel, who is responsible for setting up the 2.44-mile, 12-turn course in downtown Las Vegas, insists Tracy and the other drivers will be rolling onto the circuit at 8:50 a.m. - sharp - next Friday for the first Champ Car practice.
"In terms of this racetrack, there aren't going to be any problems," Kneifel said. "We're going to be ready and it's going to be ready when we're supposed to be ready."
Tracy, a 17-year veteran of the Champ Car World Series and a Las Vegas resident, is fully behind the downtown street race and said the event will only get better over time.
But Kneifel said he expects the course to debut as one of the top circuits on the series' schedule, which includes street races in Long Beach and San Jose, Calif., and Phoenix.
"It will be spectacular," Kneifel said of the layout. "It will be challenging, fast, safe and one that others can take a look at and envy."
The city of Las Vegas has repaved about 80 percent of the course, which will use parts of Grand Central Parkway, Bonneville Avenue, Main Street and Ogden Avenue, among other streets. Tracy praised the racing surface, which he called "glass-smooth."
Kneifel said he and his crew are determined to avoid some of the pitfalls that have hampered other first-time street races.
"The one thing I've stressed to everyone is that you only get to do it for the first time once and we're going to do this the right way the first time," he said.
"We're not going to come out of here saying, 'We really need to fix it for next year.' I already know a lot of stuff that I would like to see us improve upon for next year but we're going to come in here and do this properly and do the city proud."
Haase ready for debut
Alex Haase, a 17-year-old Las Vegas native, will make his debut in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series on Saturday night at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas.
Haase will be driving with sponsorship from NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver and fellow Las Vegas native Kyle Busch.
Haase said he is planning a conservative approach to Saturday's 150-lap race on the 3/8-mile oval so he can receive clearance from NASCAR to race at the series' second race, in April at Phoenix International Raceway.
"The first race, I have to get approved to run Phoenix so I just want to stay out of trouble and hopefully get a good, solid finish out of it," Haase said. "We have the team that's capable of doing it and we have the equipment that's capable of doing it."
Bullring opener
The 2007 weekly racing season at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will open Saturday night with racing in six classes and a fireworks display.
Super Late Models, Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Chargers, Legends Cars and Bandoleros will share the bill on opening night. Spectator gates open at 5 p.m., qualifying begins at 5:05 and racing will get under way at 7.
A memorial to the late Spencer Clark will be dedicated at 6:45 behind the main grandstand. Clark, a former track champion at The Bullring, died in an automobile accident last year.
2
Number of Las Vegas residents expected to race in the April 8 Vegas Grand Prix (Alex Tagliani and Paul Tracy)
4
Number of career NASCAR Nextel Cup Series victories for Kyle Busch, a Las Vegas native
archive
