Patrick flies under radar on second Las Vegas try

Danica Patrick was a big topic of conversation at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last year when she competed in her first NASCAR race at the track and second major race of her stock car career.

The accomplished IndyCar driver packed the media center the day before the race and was mobbed anytime she quick-stepped from her race car transporter to her garage stall.

The excitement over Patrick's nascent stock car career has quieted as her racing has improved. The novelty has lessened while her ability has grown.

Patrick is no longer a rookie in the Nationwide Series and brings much more experience into today's Sam's Town 300 qualifying session at 9:05 a.m., followed by the race at noon on the 1.5-mile oval.

The 28-year-old from Phoenix placed 14th in the Feb. 20 opener at Daytona International Speedway and 17th last week at Phoenix International Raceway. Last year Patrick crashed in the Daytona event and finished 35th and did not compete in the spring race in Phoenix.

"It's nice to go out on a track and not feel like a roadblock," Patrick said of returning to tracks for a second time. "(Last year) I was looking in my mirror for the first 10 laps at a track I hadn't been to, trying to stay out of the way ... then the next 10 trying to figure (the track) out."

Patrick has improved dramatically in the past year despite making only 15 Nationwide starts. She started 37th in the Sam's Town race last year and finished 36th after a crash ended her day in the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

Patrick was 14th fastest during Friday's first practice session at the speedway and 20th best in the afternoon.

Carl Edwards was the fastest in practice with a lap of 179.104 mph in the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

Second fastest overall was Mark Martin at 178.542 mph in the No. 32 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports. Martin is tied with Jeff Burton for most Nationwide victories at the track with three.

■ SCHMIDT RECRUITING -- Henderson's Sam Schmidt attends big races at the speedway, but he was on a special mission Friday.

Schmidt, who won the 1999 IndyCar race at the speedway, announced this week he will field at least one car in the IndyCar series for part-time Las Vegas resident Alex Tagliani to complement the four cars he runs in the Firestone Indy Lights development series.

Schmidt was cruising the NASCAR garage area looking for a driver to join his team for the inaugural Izod IndyCar World Championship at the speedway on Oct. 16, when a nonregular series driver can earn $5 million by winning.

"I'm going to talk to Casey Mears, Robby Gordon and AJ Allmendinger," Schmidt said. "I'll take any of them."

Schmidt said the driver with the best chance to grab the $5 million bonus would be Sam Hornish Jr., a former IndyCar champion. But Schmidt expects Hornish to attempt it with Penske Racing, with whom Hornish is under contract to race in NASCAR.

■ WRENCH KNOCKS OUT BELT -- One of the most popular and unique awards for winning a Cup race was the boxing-style championship belt given to the Cup winner annually in Las Vegas.

That nine-year tradition was knocked out by new event sponsor Kobalt Tools. The winner of Sunday's race will get an 80-pound trophy that includes a 30-inch, polished aluminum alloy wrench.

■ OUTLAWS -- Steve Kinser won Thursday's World of Outlaws race at the speedway's dirt track after finishing 11th the night before when Joey Saldana won the feature.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.