GETTING TOO OLD FOR THIS, BUT I LOVE IT

It’s about midnight in Las Vegas, and I’m sitting in a media room at the Thomas & Mack Center. I just finished writing a couple stories about the National Finals Rodeo, which is the biggest and richest rodeo in the world. (See lvrj.com/rodeo.)

The 10-night rodeo ends Saturday, and I’m too tired to come up with anything witty regarding on motor sports.

I spent an hour at Las Vegas Motor Speedway around lunchtime today and was able to interview Sprint Cup drivers Mark Martin and Carl Edwards, who were joined by Brian Vickers and David Stremme for a two-day Goodyear tire test.

You can find an accompanying story I wrote for the Las Vegas Review-Journal at lvrj.com.

The following are additional comments from Edwards and Martin:

Edwards: “I forgot how fast these cars are. It’s fun to me in the car again. We would be fine if we didn’t (test), but it’s nice to have the opportunity.”

Martin, who now is driving the No. 5 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports: “The switch to a new team has certainly rejuvenated my career.
“
It’s such an honor to be wanted by this team, and to be welcomed to a new team is very flattering to me. Now the pressure is really on, and I will have to work hard to keep up with the other guys.

"It’s unbelievable to be able to work with (crew chief) Alan (Gustaffson) and (team owner Rick) Hendrick. The depth and knowledge of that group is unbelievable, and I am looking forward to the 2009 season. I'm a lucky dude.

“I think that any experience you can get will be a premium factor in 2009. Drivers with experience can bring a little more to the team, test session or no test session. It’s about the time you've spent on the track.”

Stremme, who is the new driver for Penske Racing in the No. 12 Dodge: “I can’t put a value on what we hope to accomplish here.

We’re here testing tires for Goodyear first and foremost, but the more time I get in these cars the better. They didn’t have to try very hard to get me to come and do this test. I love coming out here and more for the track than the rest of it.”

DESERT RACING

NBC Sports will air the 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 at 10 a.m. Sunday.

It will celebrate the overall motorcycle victory of the No. 1x Honda team of Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif./Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif., as well as the overall car and truck win by Roger Norman, Reno/Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., in the No. 8 Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy Truck.

Additional unreleased footage of the race is available at www.thebajaunlimited.com. ...

SCORE will begin its 36th year with the 15th annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge on Jan. 22-25 in Laughlin.