Bullring’s safest night is Saturday

Security or medial care won’t be lacking Saturday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when it will honor police officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel with free admission at the Bullring for the NASCAR All-American Series.

All police department, fire department and ambulance company employees with an ID will be admitted free for Emergency Personnel Appreciation Night.

The evening’s racing action will include Outlaw Modified Shootout, Super Late Models, Chargers, Bombers, Legends Cars, Bandoleros and kids’ box-car races.

And for the second straight race night — my favorite — the Kids Dance! Two weeks ago all youngsters were invited in front of the grandstand to dance to “YMCA. My sources say Saturday it could be dancing to “Cotton Eye Joe.”

Personally, I’ll spend my first race night in the Stockyard tailgating for a future column.

I might take advantage of free haircuts on the midway by stylists from Total Image Salon and Chi Products.

Spectator gates open at 5 p.m.; racing at 7 p.m.

For more information, call (702) 644-4444 or visit www.LVMS.com.

Nitro racing back to 1,320?

The NHRA and the sport of drag racing got a big hit Wednesday when president Tom Compton, representatives of key sponsors and several top professional drivers helped to ring the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange.

But Compton made a 320-foot mistake while being interviewed on Fox News. After being asked to explain the Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Car in the background, he said they reach over 300 mph in a quarter-mile.

The cameras must have rattled him because NHRA’s nitro classes haven’t raced more than a quarter-mile for a year. One year ago this weekend after Scott Kalitta died in an qualifying crash for the race at Englishtown, N.J., the NHRA shorted the race distance in Top Fuel and Funny Car by 320 feet to 1,000 feet.

NHRA tributes planned for the late Kalitta

Kalitta, a veteran NHRA racer and former champion, will be remembered during two special ceremonies this weekend at the NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. Kalitta died a year ago at this event as a result of injuries he suffered after a high-speed racing accident.

The two-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion will be remembered today during the first Funny Car qualifying session when Jeff Arend, who is now piloting Kalitta's car, will make the first qualifying run as a single in the left lane in honor of Kalitta. There will be a moment of silence before Sunday’s eliminations begin. ...

Zippy’s head will be in clouds

NASCAR crew chief Greg Zipadelli will have his head in the sky on Saturday when the space shuttle Endeavor takes off to rendezvous with the space station.

Shuttle pilot Douglas Hurley, who helped strap in the seven astronauts who died aboard Columbia in 2003, is married to one of Zipadelli’s cousins and is a big NASCAR fan.

Truck champ loses ride

Reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Benson lost his ride Monday when Red Horse Racing folded his truck team because it couldn't find sponsorship.

He said the team notified him Monday morning that his No. 11 Toyota would not finish the season. Red Horse will continue to field the No. 11 truck for T.J. Bell, who has some funding but is not fully sponsored.