Friday, January 07, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

JEFF WOLF: Another racing season set to put pedal to metal

A monthlong offseason in the racing world ends next week, and it won't be long after that when Southern Nevada racing fans will be treated to at least two major testing sessions.

The first major race of the season is next weekend's SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge for desert rats who have been rebuilding since November's Baja 1000.

In racing, the offseason is more like a brief timeout.

The first major testing session of the year starts Tuesday on the other side of the country when NASCAR's three major series -- Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Trucks -- begin two weeks of testing at Daytona International Speedway. Also in Florida, the Indy Racing League will run Jan. 19 to 22 on Homestead-Miami Speedway's oval and road courses.

But no facility will be as busy as Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the preseason as most of the top professional teams prepare for their seasons.

The top teams in NASCAR and NHRA will pound the speedway's tracks from Jan. 21 through Feb. 6.

Drag racers kick it off Jan. 21 to 23 and several are likely to return for a Feb. 4-6 session to prepare for the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series season opener Feb. 10 through 13 in Pomona, Calif., before returning to Las Vegas for the April 14-17 event.

The January gathering of drag racers should include the debut of Ron Capps in the new "Brut" funny car for Don Schumacher Racing and Robert Hight replacing Gary Densham as driver for John Force Racing.

The NASCAR testing in Las Vegas will be a little different this year. Cup teams will test that Monday and Tuesday before handing the oval over to the Busch Series teams for Wednesday and Thursday sessions.

It is rumored that the Champ Car World Series will hold its "spring training" in Las Vegas in mid-February.

While the NASCAR and tentative Champ Car test sessions will offer free admission, cost for the major NHRA session is $20 a day for adults and free for children 6 and younger. A ticket for NHRA testing includes pit access.

• CUP 'RINGSIDE' PASSES -- The speedway is offering an option for diehard fans attending the March 13 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. For $75, you can buy a pass that will allow you to stand on the track near the stage during all pre-race activities, including driver introductions.

You still need an admission ticket, but the perk might be worth trying. It's a concept that has been well-received for Cup races at Daytona. Speedway officials note that tickets for the March 11-13 weekend remain on sale.

• GAUGHAN UPDATE -- It's still a possibility that Las Vegan Brendan Gaughan will return to driving in the Cup series, but he seems to be enjoying his stint as "interim general manager" of his family's Orleans Racing team.

"That's what they're calling me, but it's more a joke than anything," Gaughan said Thursday from the team's shop next to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

He will drive at least 16 of the 25 races in the NASCAR Truck Series, while Steve Park returns to compete full time in the Orleans' No. 62 Dodge.

Each of those 16 races for Gaughan are companion races to events with Cup races, should a ride in the major stock car series develop.

The team this week made a strong commitment to contending for the series championship for either Park or Gaughan by hiring Billy Wilburn away from Penske Racing, the team Gaughan drove for last year in the Cup series.

Gaughan has made two other substantial additions to the team. Dick Cobb, one of the area's best all-time stock car drivers and car builders, is working full time in the team's suspension shop, and noted motorsports journalist Mike Snow has been added to manage media relations.

The most important ingredient, however, is Wilburn, who spent the past 14 seasons with Penske, including a stint as crew chief for Rusty Wallace.

"It's not often someone of Wilburn's caliber becomes available," Gaughan said. "To be able to have him come to our race team is a real plus, and it will only make our team stronger than it's ever been."

Park's truck already has been in Detroit for wind-tunnel testing and Gaughan's truck heads to the Dodge facility on Sunday before both trucks go to Daytona for testing Jan. 15 and 16.

Jeff Wolf's motorsports column is published Friday. He can be reached at 383-0247 or jwolf@reviewjournal.com.