Three Race Tracks Tony Stewart has never won a Sprint Cup race at: There are three current race tracks the Cup Series runs on that Tony Stewart has not won at [a Cup race]:
Auto Club Speedway 0 for 17 with a best finish of 4th in 1999 & 2001
Las Vegas 0 for 11 with a best finish of 2nd in 2000
Darlington 0 for 17 with a best finish of 3rd in 2009
Stewart has won at 19 of 23 tracks he has raced on, didn't win at Rockingham which is no longer active for Cup racing.(10-11-2009)
LVMS invites President Obama to see Las Vegas from new perspective: Las Vegas Motor Speedway is inviting the President to see firsthand how visiting Las Vegas for entertainment is a boon to the economy. LVMS president Chris Powell is inviting President Barack Obama to be the grand marshal for the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Feb. 28 [FYI - he would replace current Grand Marshal Kim Kardashian if the President chose to attend]. The invitation comes less than 24 hours after the president told a gathering in New Hampshire that Americans shouldn't "blow a bunch of cash on Vegas" during the current economic climate. "It's a shame that the president doesn't realize the impact of tourism on the Las Vegas economy," Powell said. "Telling people not to visit Las Vegas is the same as telling them not to buy vegetables would be to a farmer in the Midwest - or telling them not to buy cars would be to an autoworker in Detroit. On the last weekend of this month, NASCAR Weekend at the speedway will bring in more than $150 million to the local economy. It will generate 3,000 jobs at the speedway alone. Hotels in town have reduced room rates. We've reduced ticket prices. And the races themselves will be a showcase of American knowhow and ingenuity. I would love to have the president come to Las Vegas Motor Speedway during NASCAR Weekend and see firsthand how important tourism is to our community. We'll even let him give the command to start engines. NASCAR Weekend is the largest sporting event in Nevada, and the 300,000 people who visit here during the weekend will surpass any event in Las Vegas in 2010."(LVMS)(2-4-2010)
Las Vegas headliner Terry Fator to sing national anthem for Shelby American: Popular Las Vegas headliner Terry Fator has been tapped to sing the national anthem for the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 28. Fator, known throughout the world for his celebrity singing impressions and unparalleled ventriloquism, won the second season of NBC-TV’s America’s Got Talent and currently performs at The Mirage Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. “It is an honor for me to sing the national anthem at the Shelby American race in Las Vegas,” said Fator. “I believe that my fans and NASCAR fans are one and the same, so it is a match made in Heaven. I grew up in Texas, so you know I’m a NASCAR fan!” Tickets for the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300 are available by visiting www.lvms.com or by calling (800) 644-4444.(2-2-2010)
LVMS secures discounted hotel rooms for NASCAR Weekend: Las Vegas Motor Speedway has partnered with 13 local hotels to bring deeply discounted room rates to race fans for the Feb. 26-28 NASCAR Weekend. “We understand that coming to races involves much more than just the purchase of a race ticket,” said LVMS president Chris Powell. “Several months ago, we announced the decision to lower all weekend and Sunday-only tickets for the NASCAR Weekend. We have been working since that time with our hotels for more affordable rates for our race fans. We are very appreciative to our hotel partners in helping us meet the needs of the thousands of race fans who travel from out of town to attend the races here at LVMS.” Participating hotels have dropped room rates by as much as 25 percent for the race weekend. In addition, many hotels are offering promotions such as free hats, free cocktail hours, discounted food options and gifts for kids. The following hotels are part of this partnership: Sam’s Town, The Orleans, Harrah’s, Imperial Palace, Flamingo, Bally’s, South Point, MGM Grand, Luxor, Excalibur, Mirage, Palace Station and Green Valley Ranch. Race fans interested in booking one of these deeply discounted rooms can do so by visiting www.lvms.com/hotels. Tickets for the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Sam’s Town 300 featuring the Las Vegas debut of Indy star Danica Patrick are available at www.lvms.com or by calling 1-800-644-4444.(1-26-2010)
Promotions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
Thomas Taylor has been promoted to Manager, Information Technology Services.
Jeff Motley has been promoted to Vice President of Media Relations.
Tara Barkis Jimenez has been promoted to Manager of Business & Development in the Sales & Marketing Dept.
Naysan Gray and Craig Cochran have been promoted to Senior Manager, Business Development in the Sales & Marketing Dept.
Aaron Crowley has been promoted to Senior Manager, Business Development & Advertising in the Sales & Marketing Dept.
Brock Ita has joined the staff as Coordinator of Client Services in the Sales & Marketing Dept.(LVMS PR)(1-6-2010)
Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities grants $275,000 to charities: The Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities hosted its annual Grant Distribution and Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Las Vegas Chapter awarded $275,000 to 78 local children's charities at the ceremony. Children from all recipients were invited to attend and the event, which included musical entertainment by Malia Civetz and dancing by the Culture Shock dance group. The evening concluded with a visit from Santa Claus (delivered to the speedway in a Richard Petty Driving Experience stock car) and gifts for each child. Fund raising events for the 2009 season included the Mel Larson Night of Champions Presented By Autotrader.com (which honored Carroll Shelby), the 11th annual NASCAR Driver Auction at Sam's Town Live!, the chapter's seventh annual golf tournament and the sixth annual Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament at the Cannery Hotel & Casino. Making a difference in a child's life is the focus of Speedway Children's Charities. SCC strives to do this in collaboration with the non-profit organizations it supports nationwide. Individually, SCC's local chapters identify the needs of children in their communities and award grants to organizations that address them.
(LVMS.com)(12-16-2009)
Shelby Autos returns to sponsor Vegas race: Shelby Automobiles, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., will return in 2010 as the sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Shelby teamed up with LVMS this past March for the Shelby 427. Next year's event on Feb. 28 will be called the Shelby American to honor the 45th anniversary of the Shelby G.T. 350 and 427 Cobra introductions in 1965. March's race was known as the Shelby 427 and featured a 427-mile, 285-lap race. The event will return to its traditional 400-mile, 267-lap distance in 2010. The 2010 NASCAR Weekend will kick off with qualifying for the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Friday, Feb. 26. The Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race is set for Saturday, Feb. 27. Tickets for all 2010 events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, including the Shelby American on Sunday, Feb. 28, can be purchased by calling 1-800-644-444 or online at www.lvms.com. Neon Garage, Lucky 7 Preferred parking and driver introduction passes also are on sale.(LVMS)(11-6-2009)
Las Vegas sets 2010 Cup date, tix for sale: The annual NASCAR Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be a February affair in 2010. LVMS officials announced Friday that next year’s event will take place Feb. 26-28. It marks the first year the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event will be run in February. “In reality, it’s on the same weekend as the 2009 event, it’s just a quirk in the calendar that has the event being held in February,” said LVMS president Chris Powell. “We have been blessed with great weather on this weekend the past few years, and we look forward to having another great weekend with a packed house in 2010.” Tickets, which start as low as $49, are on sale now. Race fans can purchase tickets by calling 1-800-644-4444, logging on to www.lvms.com or in person at the LVMS ticket services office. LVMS has reduced the price of all Weekend Package and single-day tickets from 2009 pricing. Neon Garage passes also have been reduced from 2009. The speedway has introduced a special Family Four Pack which starts at $199. Lucky 7 Preferred Parking and Driver Introduction passes also are available. Times for all events will be announced at a later date.(LVMS)(8-31-2009)
LVMS NASCAR ticket prices, tix go on sale Monday: The theme for the 2010 NASCAR Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: "High speeds and lower prices." Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday. A limited number of tickets will be available for $49 - the lowest pricing of NASCAR tickets since the speedway's inception. In fact, LVMS has reduced the pricing on all Weekend Packages and Sunday-only tickets for next year's NASCAR Weekend. In addition, the speedway has implemented a new payment structure to make ticket-buying easier than ever. For the first time, race fans can secure their tickets by paying just 33 percent of the value of their purchase. The remaining balance will be charged in equal installments on Oct. 15 and Nov. 15. The speedway also has created a Family 4-Pack for both weekend tickets and Sunday's Sprint Cup event. Weekend Family 4-Packs are $316 and a Sunday-only Family 4-Pack is just $199. Some of these specials represent a 50-percent reduction in ticket prices. LVMS is using the weekend of Feb. 26-28 as the "working dates" for the 2010 NASCAR Weekend. These dates are pending the signing of sanctioning agreements with NASCAR. The NASCAR Weekend will consist of Pole Day for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series event and the 13th annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Neon Garage passes, driver introduction passes and Lucky 7 preferred parking passes also go on sale Aug. 17. Tickets are available online at www.lvms.com, by calling the speedway's tickets services department at 1-800-644-4444 or in-person at the speedway box office.(LVMS)(8-15-2009)
LVMS hires new excutive: Mike Mossholder has been named vice president of sales and marketing for Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mossholder comes to LVMS from his post as vice president of sales and marketing for Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Prior to working at the famed horse-racing facility, Mossholder spent five years as director of marketing partnerships for the Miami Dolphins and Dolphin Stadium (now Landshark Stadium). While with the Dolphins, he was instrumental in securing corporate partnerships for the NFL team as well as for the 2007 and 2010 Super Bowls, the 2009 BCS Championship game and the Florida Marlins.(LVMS)(7-28-2009)
Lower ticket prices at Las Vegas; go on sale Aug. 17: The theme for the 2010 NASCAR Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: “High speeds and lower prices.” Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, Aug. 17. A limited number of tickets will be available for $49 – the lowest pricing of NASCAR tickets since the speedway’s inception. In fact, LVMS has reduced the pricing on all Weekend Packages and Sunday-only tickets for next year’s NASCAR Weekend. In addition, the speedway has implemented a new payment structure to make ticket-buying easier than ever. For the first time, race fans can secure their tickets by paying just 33 percent of the value of their purchase. The remaining balance will be charged in equal installments on Oct. 15 and Nov. 15.
The speedway also has created a Family 4-Pack for both weekend tickets and Sunday’s Sprint Cup event. Weekend Family 4-Packs are $316 and a Sunday-only Family 4-Pack is just $199. Some of these specials represent a 50-percent reduction in ticket prices. LVMS is using the weekend of Feb. 26-28 as the “working dates” for the 2010 NASCAR Weekend. These dates are pending the signing of sanctioning agreements with NASCAR. Neon Garage passes, driver introduction passes and Lucky 7 preferred parking passes also go on sale Aug. 17. Tickets are available online at www.lvms.com, by calling the speedway’s tickets services department at 1-800-644-4444 or in-person at the speedway box office.(LVMS)(7-23-2009)
- Smith wants Las Vegas to hold season-finale: Bruton Smith wants NASCAR to yank its final race of the season out of south Florida. Never at a loss for words, the track owner said the championship-deciding race should return to Atlanta Motor Speedway, where it was held through 2001, or Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- both facilities he owns. "Why have the last race of the season at some Godforsaken area just north of Cuba?" he said, referring to Homestead Miami Speedway. Atlanta's fall race shifted a few weeks earlier in 2002 and this year it moves to an even earlier spot on Labor Day weekend. While plagued by weather issues when held in November, Smith said his track would still be a better location for NASCAR to hold the final race than Homestead. "If they'll give us our date back," he said, "we'll fill up the place again and do something major for the sport. If that doesn't work, put it in Las Vegas. We'll add more seats -- and sell out every one of them." Smith, who controls Atlanta and six other Sprint Cup tracks through Speedway Motorsports Inc., has long feuded with NASCAR and a related company that owns a majority of the facilities used on the circuit, including Homestead. NASCAR officials shrugged off Smith's complaints and disputed his claims that attendance was poor, saying last year's race was sold out. "We think Homestead-Miami is an excellent venue for NASCAR's Ford Championship Weekend," Jim Hunter, the vice president of corporate communications, said in a statement. Smith also renewed his call for NASCAR to hold a Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway, which he purchased last year. IndyCar and Nationwide Series events have been held there, but NASCAR has balked at scheduling a Cup race.(Associated Press)(3-7-2009)
- Drivers to Conduct Fan Forums at Speedway Motorsports Races: NASCAR drivers and Speedway Motorsports are teaming up to bring fans closer to their favorite drivers than ever before. The new "PRN Up To SPEED" program will bring NASCAR's top names out for fan forums at the SPEED Stage during each of the 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends at Speedway Motorsports' seven speedways across the country. The Performance Racing Network's on-air personalities will emcee question-and-answer sessions with some of the sport's biggest personalities at the SPEED Stage leading up to SPEED's regularly scheduled weekend programming.
"PRN Up To SPEED" will kick off Sunday at 9:30am/et, at the SPEED Stage located in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway midway. The stellar lineup will include Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch, legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, and four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon. Each Speedway Motorsports track [Atlanta, Bristol, Infineon, Las Vegas, Lowe's, New Hampshire, Texas] that hosts a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will hold "PRN Up To SPEED" sessions during their respective race weekend. The location of the SPEED Stage may vary from track to track, but at all Speedway Motorsports facilities, the stage is always located in an area where access is free of charge for fans.(SMI PR)(3-1-2009)
- LVMS anticipating sellout for Sunday's Shelby 427; offering $50 general-admission seats: Las Vegas Motor Speedway officials expect most every seat to be filled for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Shelby 427. "The recent surge in interest for Sunday's race is a testament to the strength of NASCAR and the true passion in NASCAR fans," said Chris Powell, LVMS president. "In anticipation of a sellout, we are creating a $50 general-admission credential. These admissions will go on sale Saturday at 9 a.m. and will remain on sale until Sunday's green flag at 1:30 p.m." The general-admission credential will allow race fans to sit at the lower level of the speedway's Section 4, just outside Turns 3 and 4. Seating in these rows has not been available for purchase since the speedway was reconfigured prior to the 2007 event. Powell added that today's announcement is great news locally. "Despite a challenging economy, this event continues to deliver great benefits for Las Vegas," Powell said. "I had my doubts a couple of months ago that we'd get so close to a full house, but now it looks realistic." Powell said that ticket renewals for Sunday's race, which were conducted in the late spring of 2008, were strong, but that the public sale of tickets had weakened when the economy turned sour later in the year. Recently, however, the speedway has observed a heightened interest in the event. "We're aware of some fans who, probably because of the downturn in the economy, have purchased tickets and will not be able to travel to Las Vegas for this weekend's racing activities," Powell said. "So that should explain any empty seats that are visible. Except for a couple of hundred singles that we have available, all of our tickets have been distributed." To obtain the $50 tickets, race fans should call the LVMS ticket services office at 1-800-644-4444. Tickets also remain available for Saturday's Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide race.(LVMS PR)(2-28-2009)
- LVMS officials urge race fans to use mass transit, alternate routes: More than any previous year, race fans attending Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Feb. 27-March 1 NASCAR Weekend events are advised to use mass transportation or alternate routes due to a highway improvement project on Interstate 15. Although the ongoing road construction poses a level of inconvenience, Las Vegas Motor Speedway officials are once again working closely with the Nevada Highway Patrol, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Nevada Department of Transportation to ensure smooth entrance and exit during the weekend. Race fans who do drive to the speedway should arrive early and use alternate routes. Race fans living in Summerlin, Aliante and Southern Highlands are advised to use the 215 Beltway. Race fans coming from Henderson and areas east of the Strip should use Las Vegas Boulevard or Nellis Boulevard. Anyone on the Strip should still use Interstate 15. Speedway officials also are encouraging as many race fans as possible to use buses and shuttles for transportation to the races. Las Vegas Motor Speedway has secured two options for mass transportation to the speedway for the Feb. 27-March 1 NASCAR Weekend. For those who have used the Citizens Area Transit (“CAT”) buses in the past, a new option is Coach America. Coach America will be filling many of the same routes as the CAT buses have in the past. Race fans can contact Coach America at nascar.coachamerica.com or (702) 948-7360. For those wishing to take a private charter to the races, LVMS recommends Key Tours. Key Tours has been providing service to the speedway for several years, and we vouch for the quality of its service. To reserve seats on either the Coach America or Key Tours buses, please go to www.LVMS.com and click on the “Getting to the Races” link in the NASCAR Weekend Quick Links box. For those who are not aware, federal legislation now prohibits government-funded transportation units from serving as a charter service when one or more private bus companies are willing to perform the service. As a result, the federally funded CAT buses in Las Vegas no longer can serve as a charter service to LVMS. The speedway will continue to crack down on the fraudulent use of handicapped placards. Speedway security will be checking the validity of handicapped passes on each vehicle. General parking is free at LVMS.(LVMS PR)(2-20-2009)
- Helton among those to participate in LVMS “Fast Chats”: NASCAR President Mike Helton and #24-Jeff Gordon will be among the NASCAR personalities who field questions from race fans next week in Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s first “Fast Chats” program. There is no charge for race fans to attend Fast Chats as the lively question-and-answer sessions will take place on the LVMS midway, outside the entry gates. Others who will be “on the hot seat” for a 20-minute session include Las Vegas natives Kurt and Kyle Busch. “NASCAR is making a huge push to connect more with the race fans, and we’re taking that a step farther here in Las Vegas,” said LVMS President Chris Powell. “This is an opportunity for any race fan to ask a question of some of the sport’s key players. My guess is that the fans’ question likely will be more probing than those posed by members of the media.” Fast Chats will take place on the SPEED Stage on the LVMS midway at various times throughout the weekend. There will be multiple chats each day, and a complete schedule will be posted to the speedway’s website at www.lvms.com. A daily chat schedule will be posted near the SPEED Stage. A few tickets remain for the Feb. 27-March 1 NASCAR Weekend. The action begins on Friday with zMAX Pole Day for the Sprint Cup Series. The Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race is Saturday, Feb. 28 and concludes with the Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on Sunday, March 1. For tickets and information, log on to www.lvms.com or call 1-800-644-4444.(2-19-2009)
- Las Vegas Strip to host NASCAR Hauler Parade on Feb. 26: In 2008, tens of thousands of people lined the Las Vegas Strip to watch the NASCAR team haulers parade down one of the country’s most famous streets. Due to the overwhelming enthusiasm for last year’s parade, the haulers are coming back this year. The 2009 edition of the NASCAR Hauler Parade will begin at 10:00am on Thursday, Feb. 26. The colorful NASCAR team haulers, transporting the Sprint Cup race cars that will compete later that week in the Shelby 427, will parade north on the Strip among the world’s most well-known hotels and casinos. The transporters will be staged at approximately 10:00am in the right lane of Las Vegas Boulevard just south of Russell Road. Once all trucks are lined up, the haulers will move north on Las Vegas Boulevard. The haulers will proceed the roughly five miles to Sahara Avenue before returning to Interstate 15 and the short ride north to the speedway. The speedway expects 48-50 haulers to take part in the parade, which will conclude with the haulers arriving at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in preparation for the March 1 Shelby 427. Race fans will be able to watch the hauler parade from both sides of the Strip and from any of the properties along Las Vegas Boulevard.(LVMS PR)(2-19-2009)
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway dropping beverage prices by $1: In an effort to enhance the fan experience for the Feb. 27-March 1 NASCAR Weekend, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and its concessionaire, Levy Restaurants, have worked together to offer lower prices on various concessions items. “We realize that everyone is watching what they spend these days,” said LVMS president Chris Powell. “I’m pleased that we could reach an agreement with Levy Restaurants to lower some of our concession prices and provide a breakfast combo. We are taking several steps to make this year’s event more enjoyable for our race fans. Lower concessions prices will have a positive effect on everyone.” The price of all cold beverages (excluding cocktails) has been reduced for the 2009 Shelby 427 Sprint Cup Race weekend. Water, soft drinks and beer have been reduced by $1 at both the superspeedway and the Dirt Track. Additionally, the Midway concession stand will offer a special breakfast combo meal from 8:00am to 10:30am daily that includes a breakfast sandwich and coffee – for just $2. “In this current economic climate it’s more important than ever that we provide fans with a range of options and pricing that help fans continue to enjoy race day,” said Ian Orr, regional director of operations for Levy. “We’re happy to partner with the speedway on the unique and exclusive pricing of select menu items that are fan friendly”. Tickets are on sale for LVMS’s 2009 NASCAR Weekend and may be purchased by calling (702) 644-4444 or online at www.LVMS.com.(LVMS PR)(2-18-2009)
- Las Vegas headliner Gordie Brown to entertain Shelby 427 crowd: Gordie Brown, a multi-talented impressionist, singer and entertainer, will headline the pre-race show prior to the Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1. Brown, who starts a new show at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino this week, has spent the past year on a world tour with Celine Dion, where he has served as her opening act. Brown will perform for approximately 15 minutes immediately prior to the 1 p.m. introduction of drivers for the Shelby 427.
A few tickets remain for the Feb. 27-March 1 NASCAR Weekend. Neon Garage, Lucky 7 Preferred Parking and driver introduction passes also are available. Please call 1-800-644-4444 or log on to www.lvms.com to get your tickets and passes today.(LVMS PR)(2-17-2009)
- LVMS announces winner of “Vegas High Roller Sweepstakes” Las Vegas Motor Speedway would like to congratulate Peggy Herzog for winning the “Vegas High Roller Sweepstakes.” Herzog and her guest will enjoy the ultimate VIP experience during the 2009 NASCAR Weekend. She was chosen from more than 12,500 entries to enjoy complimentary tickets to the Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race, travel and accommodations, Vegas show tickets, and more. “My husband and I are so excited to be coming out for the NASCAR Weekend are looking forward to experiencing a NASCAR race like never before,” said Herzog. “I have been to Vegas before, but this visit will be a whole new and exciting trip that will be very special for me.” To thank everyone for their participation in the sweepstakes, LVMS is offering each entrant two tickets to the Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Saturday, Feb. 28. A few tickets remain for the Feb. 27-March 1 NASCAR Weekend. Neon Garage, Lucky 7 Preferred Parking and driver introduction passes also are available. Please call 1-800-644-4444 or log on to www.lvms.com to get your tickets and passes today.(LVMS PR)(2-10-2009)
- Open audition to determine national anthem singer for Sam’s Town 300: One aspiring singer will get the opportunity of a lifetime before the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, the race sponsor, as well as FOX 5 TV, are staging an open audition called Speedway Superstar to find a singer to perform the national anthem prior to the Feb. 28 NASCAR Nationwide Series event at LVMS. The first audition will be conducted Saturday, Jan. 24 at Sam’s Town on Boulder Highway. All performers must sing the national anthem a cappella. The top 25 singers on Jan. 24 will advance to the next round of competition on Saturday, Feb. 7. On that day, the top five will have their performances shown on FOX 5 the following week with the winner being chosen by a viewer vote as well as a panel of judges. The Jan. 24 auditions will begin at 10 a.m. Anyone wishing to audition must arrive at Sam’s Town before noon on Jan. 24. For more information on the competition see LVMS.com,(LVMS PR)(1-20-2009)
- “Earnhardt & Elvis” car to debut Feb. 27 at LVMS: Race fans attending Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Feb. 27-March 1 NASCAR Weekend will enjoy an added attraction as Motorsports Authentics, along with Elvis Presley Enterprises and Dale Earnhardt Inc., will unveil its new “Earnhardt & Elvis” car in the Neon Garage on Friday, Feb. 27. The “Earnhardt and Elvis” car, which features The King of Rock and Roll on the hood of the Intimidator’s famous #3 Chevrolet, is the third car in the Enduring Legends Series from Motorsports Authentics and Dale Earnhardt Inc. The series is in its second year and has been very well received by both NASCAR fans and collectors. Last year, Earnhardt was paired with American legends Johnny Cash and John Wayne. The worldwide unveiling of the “Earnhardt & Elvis” car will take place in LVMS’s Neon Garage during zMAX Pole Day and could include family members and friends of both the Earnhardt and Presley families. In addition, NASCAR fans also will be treated to a unique Elvis experience that will transform the Neon Garage into a Memphis music studio. For more information about the Enduring Legends Series, fans can log onto rccamembers.com or tune into SIRIUS’ “NASCAR Collector” every Saturday morning from 7-9 am EST on SIRIUS Channel 128. See full post at LVMS.com. See full PR on my Collectors News page.(1-16-2009)
- Las Vegas SCC to make grants during track tree lighting ceremony: The Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities will host its annual Grant Distribution and Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 6pm, in the media center in the infield of the superspeedway. The Las Vegas Chapter will grant $290,000 to 57 local children’s charities at the ceremony. The list of grant recipients includes: Candlelighters for Childhood Cancer of Southern Nevada, I Have a Dream Foundation Inc., Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, Miracle Flights for Kids, Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp, Positively Kids, and Shade Tree. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and children from all 57 organizations are scheduled to attend the event. The evening’s festivities will include a performance by the Culture Shock Las Vegas inner city dance troupe and local vocalist Malia Civetz. Santa Claus also is scheduled to make an appearance and Chris Powell, LVMS’s president and general manager, will light the traditional SCC holiday tree. Fundraising events for the 2008 season included the Mel Larson Night of Champions (which honored Dr. Dale Carrison), the 10th annual NASCAR Driver Auction at Sam’s Town Live!, the chapter’s sixth annual golf tournament, and the fifth annual Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament at the Cannery Hotel & Casino.(LVMS PR)(11-30-2008)
- Las Vegas 2009 Test Dates Announced: Las Vegas Motor Speedway has set 2009 test dates for both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. The Nationwide cars will test on the 1.5-mile superspeedway on Wednesday, Jan. 28 and Thursday, Jan. 29. NASCAR has not announced a testing policy for the Sprint Cup teams for next year, but LVMS will be available to all Sprint Cup teams on Monday, Jan. 26 and Tuesday, Jan. 27 if testing is allowed by NASCAR. Race teams who test at LVMS will be preparing for the March 1 Shelby 427 Sprint Cup Series race and the Feb. 28 Sam’s Town 300 Nationwide Series event. Tickets for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend are on sale now by calling 1-800-644-4444 or logging on to www.lvms.com. Passes for the Neon Garage, driver introductions and Lucky 7 Preferred parking also are available.(LVMS PR)(11-12-2008)
- Las Vegas Cup race gets new name; longer race: The Sprint Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1, 2009 will be sponsored by Shelby Automobiles. The event will be lengthened to 427 miles and will be called the "Shelby 427." Together, LVMS and Shelby will market a Las Vegas Motor Speedway Limited Edition Shelby 427 package for the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang. LVMS President Chris Powell and Shelby Automobiles founder Carroll Shelby made the announcement Wednesday at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. "We are ecstatic to have the legendary Shelby name on our 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup race," Powell said. "It's a tremendous opportunity for us to give added exposure to the Shelby brand that has, over the years, become synonymous with the best in high-performance cars." Bruton Smith, founder and CEO of LVMS parent company Speedway Motorsports, and Carroll Shelby have been friends for many years. "We are thrilled to combine the efforts of our two companies in this sponsorship," Smith said. "Carroll and his team have long been known for the high quality of their work and the tremendous popularity of their cars."
Carroll Shelby has driven and designed race and sports cars for more than 50 years. His company, Shelby Automobiles, located its manufacturing facility at the speedway complex as the anchor tenant in 1998. The company uses the oval and road courses for its research and development. This is the first time Shelby Automobiles has sponsored a NASCAR event. "The Shelby name will be forever linked to racing because of our unrivaled success in competition over the years," said Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles. "The Ford Shelby Mustang programs have allowed us to begin exploring motorsports options again. While we determine the series best suited to our products, we wanted to raise our profile in the racing community, and the NASCAR race next to our campus presented the ideal opportunity. Shelby was the first small American sports car and muscle car manufacturer to win world championships, and now we're the first to sponsor a NASCAR race."
"We're thrilled to have our name on the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Shelby 427," Carroll Shelby said. "From drag racing to Formula 1, I've been involved in just about every type of motor racing except NASCAR. I love the competition, passion and excitement of the fans and teams in NASCAR. We're offering real enthusiasts an opportunity to be part of something really special through this program."
Since its inception in 1998, the Sprint Cup race at LVMS has been run at a length of 400.5 miles, which is 267 laps around the 1.5-mile oval. In order to accommodate the new event name, the race will be increased by 27 miles and will feature 285 laps.
As part of the one-year race sponsorship, Shelby Automobiles will market a Las Vegas Motor Speedway Limited Edition Shelby 427 package for the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang. Owners of 2007 and 2008 Shelby GT500s with the post title Super Snake package on their muscle car can purchase the limited edition "pace car" upgrade on a first-come, first-served basis by emailing shelby427@lvms.com. Shelby enthusiasts may have their names added to a waiting list for the package by emailing shelbywaitinglist@lvms.com. The upgraded package will include Mr. Shelby's personal autograph as well as many other event-related add-ons. Only 427 of these packages will be available through Shelby Automobiles. Those who purchase a Shelby 427 package will also receive special race tickets and other amenities, including the opportunity to serve as the race's honorary starter.
The 2009 NASCAR Weekend will kick off with qualifying for the Shelby 427 Sprint Cup Series race on Friday, Feb. 27. The Sam's Town 300 Nationwide Series race is set for Saturday, Feb. 28. Tickets for all 2009 events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, including the Shelby 427 on March 1, can be purchased by calling 1-800-644-444 or online at www.lvms.com.(LVMS PR)(11-5-2008)
- New SAFER barrier installed along LVMS backstretch: Construction crews spent much of this week installing SAFER barrier along the inside wall of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway back straightaway. "Speedway Motorsports is committed to driver safety at all of its speedways," said LVMS general manager Chris Powell. "Following this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup event, we consulted with NASCAR officials and our own engineers. We all agreed that installing the barrier on the backstretch was the proper course of action." During this year's Sprint Cup event at LVMS, #24-Jeff Gordon made contact with the wall in the area that is now protected by the SAFER barrier. The final panels of the barrier were put in place Thursday morning. The new SAFER barrier covers 1,700 feet of the inside backstretch wall. SAFER barriers now cover 7,800 feet of the retaining walls around the 1.5-mile superspeedway. The first event on the superspeedway with the new barrier will be the Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350 Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday, Sept. 20.(LVMS PR)(8-22-2008)
- 2009 Las Vegas NASCAR tickets to go on sale July 1: Las Vegas Motor Speedway has completed another strong ticket-renewal process for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend, and the speedway is making tickets available for new fans earlier than ever. Tickets for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend will go on sale Tuesday, July 1 at 8am/et. For the first time ever, race fans purchasing tickets within the next four months will be required to pay only half the cost of the tickets with the balance due on Nov. 1. This offer is good to credit card users only. LVMS is using the weekend of Feb. 27-March 1 as the "working dates" for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend. These dates are pending the signing of sanctioning agreements with NASCAR. The NASCAR Weekend will consist of Pole Day for the Sprint Cup Series event, the Sam's Town 300 Nationwide Series event and the 12th annual Sprint Cup Series race.(LVMS PR)(6-19-2008)
AND Las Vegas Motor Speedway is opening its RV lots two days earlier than usual for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend and at no extra charge to race fans. The speedway will open all RV lots at noon on Monday, Feb. 24. This is two days earlier than lots have opened in past years. Anyone who has purchased an RV spot will be allowed the early entry. RV spaces and tickets for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend will go on sale Tuesday at 8 a.m. Pacific Time. Passes for the Neon Garage, driver introductions and Lucky 7 preferred parking also will be on sale. Race fans can call 1-800-644-4444 or log on to www.lvms.com for RV spaces, tickets and passes.(LVMS PR)(7-1-2008)
- Powell promoted to president of LVMS: Chris Powell has been promoted to president and general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it was announced Thursday
by Speedway Motorsports. Powell has been executive vice president and general manager of the facility since December, 1998. "Chris and the LVMS staff have done an excellent job in making Las Vegas Motor Speedway one of the top motorsports facilities in the country," said Bruton Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports. "We are appreciative of the efforts of Chris and his entire staff, and we look forward to even bigger and better things in the future." Powell, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, came to LVMS after serving as the manager of media relations for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company's involvement in the NASCAR Winston (now Sprint) Cup Series. "I appreciate the confidence that Bruton Smith and Speedway Motorsports have shown in me over the past nine and a half years. This promotion is a reflection of a dedicated and hard-working staff of employees who have helped make this speedway a model for others."(LVMS PR)(6-6-2008)
- LVMS donates more than a ton of unused food from NASCAR Weekend: On Monday Las Vegas Motor Speedway, along with food and beverage partner Levy Restaurants, donated more than a ton of food to Three Square Food Bank in North Las Vegas. The food, left from this past weekend's NASCAR events, was recovered
from the speedway's suites, corporate hospitality area and concession stands. LVMS partnered with Rock and Wrap It Up, a non-profit organization, to ensure the safe delivery of the food. Rock and Wrap It Up's volunteers assisted speedway and Levy employees in loading and unloading the food. Approximately 2,200 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables were delivered to the food bank. According to Three Square CEO Julie Murray, the food will be sent to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada and the Las Vegas Rescue Mission.
Three Square was established to eradicate hunger in the valley and provides wholesome, nutritious meals to non-profit organizations that serve a wide range of Southern Nevadans in need. A national model project inspired by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Three Square is a community collaborative partnership with the gaming industry, businesses, non-profit agencies, food distributors, UNLV, Clark County School District, governmental entities, several media outlets and hundreds of volunteers.(LVMS PR)(3-7-2008)
- Gordon calls for more SAFER walls at Vegas UPDATE LVMS statement: #24-Jeff Gordon, who escaped injury after crashing hard into the inside retaining wall in Turn 2 in the closing laps of Sunday’s UAW-Dodge 400, called on Las Vegas Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith to add ‘soft walls’ in the area. Gordon crashed on lap 263 of the 267-lap race and hit a spot in the wall where there is a gap. “I’m really disappointed right now in this speedway for not having a soft wall back there,” Gordon said. “And even being able to get to that part of the wall shouldn’t happen. I’ve got two things to say: 'Bruton, you need a soft wall and to change the wall back there on the back straightaway'. Thankfully, Hendrick Motorsports … builds an unbelievable race car because that’s the hardest I’ve ever hit.” Greg Biffle, who finished third in the race and was behind Gordon on the track when he crashed, agreed with Gordon and said there is no excuse for having gaps in the walls. “There shouldn’t be any gaps anywhere,” Biffle said. “There should be SAFER barriers all the way around the inside and the outside of these racetracks. You can’t say we don’t have the time or money to do it because we’re coming back here next year and going to race again.”(Las Vegas Sun)
UPDATE: Las Vegas Motor Speedway statement concerning Gordon's comments: "We began evaluating that section of the speedway today. As we have done since the SAFER barrier program began, we will work with NASCAR, and we will do whatever it recommends."(3-3-2008)
