Ewing Bros. team starts fast in series at Bullring

Racetracks often feature parades as part of their opening-night festivities.

The NASCAR All-American Series had one two weeks ago when it opened its season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's Bullring, but this was a high-speed parade put on by Ewing Bros. Racing.

Robert Ewing won the first Super Late Models race of the season, with teammate Jeff Connors, the reigning division champion, on his bumper at the finish.

Ewing Bros. Racing probably would have snagged the top four spots had Dustin Ash, a new addition, not blown an engine after leading the first 53 of 100 laps. A fourth team member, Nick Halen, finished third.

"That was perfect," Ewing said. "Pretty unbelievable, really."

The Ewing team, which uses engines prepared by Keller Automotive, will try to prove its dominance wasn't a fluke when the series returns at 7 p.m. Saturday with a customary 40-lap feature.

Also racing Saturday will be Chargers, Legends Cars, USAC Midgets, Baby Grand Nationals, Thunder Roadsters and Bandoleros.

Baby Grands, two-thirds-scale replicas of stock cars with 120-horsepower motorcycle engines, will race Sunday afternoon with Legends, Thunder Roadsters and Bandoleros.

■ KURT'S WEEK -- Kurt Busch will detour through Las Vegas next week for two special events before heading to the April 18 Sprint Cup race in Fort Worth, Texas.

Busch, the 2004 Cup champion and Las Vegas native, will be at Pole Position Raceway (7350 Prairie Falcon Road) in Summerlin on Tuesday for a night of indoor go-kart racing from 6:30 to 9. He will host a free meet-and-greet session.

At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Busch will be guest of honor at the Mel Larson Night of Champions dinner at the Palms to benefit the Las Vegas chapter of Speedway Children's Charities. Tony Schumacher, a seven-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, will be the keynote speaker.

Tickets can be purchased by calling (702) 632-8242.

■ NHRA KICKOFF -- The NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals will begin April 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A free driver autograph session will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Town Square Las Vegas (6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South).

Among the racers scheduled to participate are Greg Anderson, Jason Line, Jack Beckman, Morgan Lucas, Larry Morgan, Shawn Langdon, Brandon Bernstein, Shawn Langdon, David Grubnic, Melanie Troxel, Bog Bode, Gary Densham, Jeff Arend, Allen Johnson and Johnny Gray.

Visit LVMS.com or call 644-4444 for more information.