Bruton Smith “Expects” a Second NASCAR Cup Weekend at Las Vegas in 2009

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By Mike Mulhern   LAS VEGAS  Bruton Smith says he expects to have a second NASCAR Sprint Cup tour event weekend next season here at his Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but the head of Speedway Motorsports wouldn’t offer many details or explain why he felt so confident.  However, Smith did talk in more detail about […]


Kyle Busch Keeps Wowwing Them in NASCAR, and Bruton Smith Keeps Everyone Guessing

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By Mike Mulhern   LAS VEGAS  Track-owning billionaire Bruton Smith said Friday that he plans to have a second Cup tour date next season at his northside Las Vegas Blvd. track, “probably during the (championship) chase,” but he dodged most questions about the details.  However Smith said he did expect his Atlanta track to host […]


Sprint Nextel Merger Hits the Ditch, Raising Speculation about the Future

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By Mike Mulhern   LAS VEGAS   Remember Nextel?  The cell phone company that signed a 10-year, $70 million a year sponsorship contract with NASCAR four years ago, replacing R. J. Reynolds’ Winston brand, the primary Cup tour marketing agent for 33 years?  Well, things aren’t going so well for the company, Sprint, that, in […]


Joe Gibbs’ Toyota Guys are Atop all three NASCAR tour series, making J. D. Gibbs look brilliant

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Tony Stewart and new teammate Kyle Busch are atop all the NASCAR standings(Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)By Mike Mulhern  LAS VEGAS  The NASCAR season is only a few weeks old, but already there is one clear trend: Joe Gibbs’ Toyota guys are hot.  In fact, if not for Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch would […]


Kurt Busch, the other half of Vegas’ brothers, Just wants a straight-up shot at the pole

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By Mike Mulhern   LAS VEGAS   While kid brother Kyle is getting all the attention, Kurt Busch is quietly making ground himself, and this too is his home track.  “If I were to win Vegas on Sunday, man, I’d come unglued,” Kurt Busch says. “It’s my big race. It’s my hometown. I used to […]


Jimmie Johnson May be Favored In Vegas’ Dodge 400, But Keep an Eye on Kasey Kahne

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By Mike Mulhern   LAS VEGAS  Gee, now, Jimmie Johnson hasn’t won a Cup tour race in how many weeks now?  Well, he’s certainly come to the right place to make something happen. Not only was his win here last year – on that new pavement and rock-hard tire – one of the toughest races […]


Jack Roush says NASCAR’s heavy penalty on Robby Gordon isn’t right

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By Mike Mulhern   LAS VEGAS   The hefty NASCAR penalty on Robby Gordon and his team for carrying an unapproved nose to Daytona for Speedweeks—$100,000 fine, 100-point deduction, dropping him out of the critical top-35, and a six-week suspension for his crew chief – continues to raise the hackles among rival teams around the […]


Jimmie Johnson Opens at the MGM Grand sports book at 4-to-1

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By Mike Mulhern   LAS VEGAS  The MGM Grand sports book, that venerable betting spa, opened its line on NASCAR’s Dodge 400 here Tuesday, and Jimmie Johnson led the pack at 4-to-1.  Now Las Vegas books don’t make much money on NASCAR bettors, and they really don’t get much NASCAR action either.  But the way […]


Building future leaders

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With a focus on agriculture and leadership, a national club with a long history looks to blaze new paths for future generations of students at Hickory Ridge High School I think it’s important to preface this column with a little background about my upbringing. I grew up in rural Orange County, just a few miles […]


Officials discuss possible impact of new healthplex

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CMC-Harrisburg could bring 150 jobs, healthy economic impact to Harrisburg, surrounding area By Jonathan E. [email protected] members of the Harrisburg Town Council got their first in-depth look at plans for a proposed healthplex near the intersection of Interstate 485 and Rocky River Road. After the meeting called by Harrisburg officials specifically to have hospital officials […]