NASCAR fun revs up Friday in Las Vegas
A day at the races took some uproarious and unexpected turns Friday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
It started with NASCAR star Tony Stewart's description of Elvis -- think the seam-busting years -- trying to squeeze through the passenger window on his car before they took a lap down the Strip.
To appreciate the visual, keep in mind: Doors don't exist in NASCAR.
This odd predicament happened on Wednesday, in the valet area at MGM Grand, where Stewart was doing his impression of a taxi driver in a street-legal version of his race car.
There was no way, said Stewart, they could "build a bigger opening," so it was, umm, now or never for Elvis.
He made it, but it was such a tight squeeze, said Stewart, that "I kept waiting for buttons to pop off and fly around" like shrapnel.
That wasn't all Stewart revealed during his appearance at a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce-sponsored luncheon at the track.
Yes, he confessed, he is superstitious. "Not a big fan of green," he said, "and definitely not a fan of the number 13."
A few years ago when his NASCAR license arrived, the numbers added up to 13. Stewart sent it back.
Someone asked whether he had added any recent speeding tickets to his driving record.
Matter of fact, he had, said Stewart, adding that he has singlehandedly -- or leadfootedly -- "paved" most of the roads in southern Indiana.
During a tour of the bustling Neon Garage area, I walked into an outdoor wedding.
It was Steve and Cathy Pace of Orem, Utah, renewing their marriage vows a month after their 20th wedding anniversary, which was Feb. 2.
Why at a NASCAR race?
"We've been coming here twice a year (including the truck races) ever since so there's no better place," said the groom.
Her ring finger features adornments representing the two loves of her life: a diamond ring from her husband and the number 99, painted on one half of her fingernail, for NASCAR driver Carl Edwards. And painted on the other half of the fingernail: a miniature black-and-white checkered flag.
With that we headed for the parking lot, figuring we had maxed out our quota of fun for one day.
And who should climb on our shuttle bus and sit across from me on the aisle?
There was Michael Jackson impersonator Corey Melton, one of the biggest stars of the Stratosphere's tribute show
The weirdest thing happened to him, he said, when he went to the DMV. He ran into the pop icon's father, Joe Jackson.
SIGHTINGS
Five-time NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson and NFL Hall of Fame inductee Emmitt Smith, in different groups at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Thursday. ... At Tao Asian Bistro (Venetian) on Thursday: NASCAR drivers Elliott Sadler and Kevin Harvick and their wives, joining Tapout's Skyskrape for dinner. Later they were joined by NASCAR senior vice president Jill Gregory and the Jabbawockeez. Also in the club: fellow driver Denny Hamlin. ... Richard Harrison, affectionately known as "The Old Man" on "Pawn Stars," serenaded by the group Mosaic for his 70th birthday Friday at Gold and Silver Pawn. He was presented a cake featuring a replica of his trademark hat. ... Miss America first runner-up Alyse Eady of Arkansas, performing with fellow ventriloquist Terry Fator during his show Friday at The Mirage. She's performing with him again tonight.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Brigham Young University kicked one of its star basketball players off the team for violating a school rule that prohibits extramarital sex. On the bright side, I think he'll do just fine in the NBA." -- Conan O'Brien
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
