Monday, August 25, 2008
Looking Forward to Fall at LVMS
Driving to the speedway this morning and seeing all of the school buses and 15 mile per hour speed zones reminded me that fall is right around the corner. The starts of school and football season are staples of the fall, but the upcoming Labor Day weekend also means busy times in the racing world.
The national racing scene is really starting to get interesting. Carl Edwards and our own Las Vegas native Kyle Busch have turned the race for the Sprint Cup title into their own personal bout, it seems. Following the Richmond race in two weeks, the season will get even more interesting as the final 12 drivers who qualify for NASCAR Chase for the Cup are set. Even though it looks like the Kyle and Carl show, a blown engine here or a crash there is all it takes, and anyone could make a move.
The NHRA is getting ready for its final race before the Countdown to the Championship begins. This weekend's U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis will set the field for the NHRA Countdown, and our own Hot Rod Fuller will be among those in Top Fuel trying to put a stop to Tony Schumacher's hold on the division. Speaking of NHRA, we're excited about our sister property, Lowe's Motor Speedway, and its opening of the Z-Max Dragway at Concord in a couple of weeks. It will be the first event for the new facility, which has been receiving rave reviews from racers and fans.
But while the national scene is getting all of the headlines, we're busy here at LVMS as well. The Bullring is down to just two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series events. This Saturday's 33-lap doubleheaders for Late Models and Super Late Models may determine a champion, while many close battles remain in many other divisions. Meanwhile, the Strip will be hosting the annual Labor Day PSCA Nationals.
Everyone at the speedway is busy preparing for the Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race scheduled for Sept. 20. We're expecting a big crowd and have some fun events planned for the fans as well. We're working on the details of a driver autograph session as well as a promotion with local media that will allow four lucky race fans to get closer to the racing and the drivers than ever before. Make sure to keep checking out the LVMS blog for more details.
For now, enjoy the last holiday weekend for a while and come out to the speedway this weekend for stock car racing and drag racing. And, if you're around the house on Saturday morning, tune it to ESPN to watch my Virginia Tech Hokies take on the mighty Pirates of East Carolina.
