In twelve races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, only three times has someone won whose name didn't start with the letters J or M. The manufacturer battle has Ford ahead of Chevy, six wins to four. Dodge has one and Toyota has one. The annual spring race in Vegas has been won once from each of the first three starting spots, by three different drivers. Both Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon have won from starting positions that were the same as their car number. Gordon from 24th in 2001 and Kenseth from 17th in 2003. Jimmie Johnson won three times in a row, 2005, 2006, and 2007. The first race (1998) at LVMS had just two cautions (tied with the fewest ever at the track in 2000), and the most recent race (2009) had the most cautions, with 14. Derrike Cope has started five times at Vegas. His best finish is 29th. Ernie Irvan finished sixth at LVMS in 1999.
Wayne Newton probably won't be performing at the race track this weekend, though maybe Bruton could reconsider and have the singer work off some of his debt that way. In 11 starts, Dale Jarrett racked up two poles, one top five, and three top tens, but he never won. His best finish was second in 2001. Brothers Mike Wallace and Kenny Wallace have the same best finish results at Vegas, 24th; Mike in 2005, and Kenny in 2007. For a cool $500 you can avoid the traffic and take a ten-minute chopper ride to the landing pad outside of turn two. OR you can spend the 20 minutes to drive in and still have money to buy your race tickets, feed the family at the track, buy T-shirts and hats and key chains and travel mugs, fill up both family cars with a full tank, and pay for your weekend hotel room. There will be a couple of charity poker tournaments this week. Martin Truex's tourney at the Monte Carlo is free to watch, but Dale, Jr's at the Stratosphere will cost you $20. Kite flying in the RV park at LVMS is strictly prohibited because of often low-flying aircraft. Rule 17 on the rules and regulations of the RV park is the best of all: "You are permitted to ride bicycles at LVMS. Please do not ride bicycles on the superspeedway." I'm struck by the sheer politeness of the request, but also amused by the idea of drunken infield campers racing bicycles on the race track because like every caution on any product you buy, you know something had to have triggered that particular mandate. | 
