The Elevator: Up and down the Vegas sports scene

By Ron Kantowski

Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009 | 2 a.m.

A special NASCAR weekend version of who’s going to the penthouse and who’s getting the shaft. You will note this version of The Elevator also uses the official NASCAR vocabulary:

GOING UP

The 17

What’s the frequency, Kenseth? How about three wins to open the season? Daytona 500 and Auto Club 500 winner Matt Kenseth usually runs well at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, too, as his victories in 2003 and ’04 suggest. He’s either really good or, like Tom Cruise in “Days of Thunder,” he has a set of perfectly matched tires.

The 18

Last week, Kyle Busch of Las Vegas made NASCAR history by winning two major touring series races (Camping World Truck and Nationwide) on the same day. They should call his car “Wonderboy” because, like Robert Redford’s baseball bat, he’s a Natural.

The 2

You don’t hear as much about Kyle’s brother Kurt, the 2004 Sprint Cup champion, anymore because he drives for Penske Racing (Goin’) South (in the standings). But after two races, he’s third in points and heading in a northerly direction. Busch the Elder, like Raymond Babbitt in “Rain Man,” is still an excellent driver.

The 48

Jimmie Johnson’s run of three consecutive Las Vegas victories ended last year but I would never count him out here. (Or anywhere else, for that matter). His scruffy chin whiskers, on the other hand, need to be black-flagged ASAP by one of the other Gillette Young Guns.

The 44

I don’t think AJ Allmendinger has much of a chance to win Sunday’s Shelby 427, even if he was running third at Daytona when the rains hit. I just like typing AJ Allmendinger.

GOING DOWN

The 88

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took out about half the field — or so it seemed — when he instigated The Pretty Big One at Daytona and last week at California finished 39th, ahead of only the Kansas City Royals, Sacramento Kings and Joaquin Phoenix. But at least he called Brian Vickers to apologize for that wreck and say that rubbin’ is not always racin’. David Letterman, on the other hand, has yet to hear from Joaquin Phoenix.