Kids to get in free for Pole Day, Xfinity race at LVMS

It was a poet named Marci Ridlon — and not former Cup Series driver Brian Vickers, who also was pretty deep with his thoughts — who once said: “The same wind that blows down your house shakes berries from the bushes.”

I think of this as a variation of the gray cloud, silver lining thing.

It also explains why children 12-under accompanied by a ticketed adult will receive free admission to Stratosphere Pole Day on Friday and the Boyd Gaming 300 Xfinity Series race Saturday — and will be admitted into Sunday’s Kobalt 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for $10.

This is a better deal than cars running a lap down getting to drive around the field during a caution period.

The offer is limited to two kids per paying adult and is available only in the grandstands and terraces. Ticketed adults must bring their offspring to a LVMS ticket office outside the entry gates to pick up kids’ tickets before entering.

The same deal is available for Neon Garage passes. If an adult buys one, junior gets in to watch the crew guys work on the cars for free.

LVMS would say the initiative is meant to help NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports Inc., LVMS’ parent company, attract a new generation of fans.

A skeptical media person would say this is what happens when NASCAR races don’t sell out like they used to. But it’s still a great deal, and one should never look gift horsepower in the mouth.

GOODYEAR: IT WASN’T THE TIRES

When Kyle Busch crashed and took out several front-running cars in the Daytona 500, he said Goodyear was to blame because their tires “just aren’t very good at holding air.”

Well, after examining the tires and video replays, the manufacturer said the 2015 Cup Series champion from Las Vegas was sort of like their tires — full of hot air.

While more diplomatic words were used, Goodyear reps said the flat tire came as a result of the crash but did not cause it.

Apparently the parties met before the race in Atlanta on Sunday, and now everything is cool again.

MUFFLING NASCAR

It had been awhile since mostly retired Michael Waltrip had won the second of his two Daytona 500s, so this is how he got the attention of the media before the latest installment of the Great American Race:

“I think the cars are too loud.”

Somebody in NASCAR headquarters apparently agrees, as muffling the roar of the engines is one of the proposals being considered by a sanctioning body that seems determined to make over the sport.

Remember when Planters sponsored Carl Edwards in the Xfinity Series a few years back?

This idea is much more nuttier.