Q&A: LVMS GM/VP Patrick Lindsey discusses NASCAR weekend

Patrick Lindsey, hired in March as Las Vegas Motor Speedway general manager and vice president, is looking forward to hosting his first South Point 400 NASCAR race.

Lindsey, who served for almost a decade as executive director of the Shriners Children’s Open PGA Tour event, is excited about joining a sport that thrives off the sights and sounds, as opposed to the quiet nature of professional golf events.

Here’s what has Lindsey most excited about his new role with the speedway as NASCAR weekend approaches Friday. Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

RJ: What have you learned since joining Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March?

Lindsey: It’s been really great because of how passionate the fans are here for motor sports. I’ve told a lot of people I’m really excited about being a part of this sport because we get to make noise. In golf, I never got to make any noise.

RJ: You have vast experience in the community as far as the sports industry goes. So where do you see that playing a role in what you’re doing at the speedway?

Lindsey: I think it helped me get up to speed with what we do here a little bit faster, because I already had a base understanding of sporting events, events as a whole, how the city works and who some of the key players are. If someone had come in from out of town or maybe did not have the sports background that I had, maybe it would have taken a little bit longer to find your voice. In the event world, though, to me an event is an event. There are key components that make events successful or not, and it doesn’t matter so much about the actual sport itself.

RJ: The South Point 400 will be the first NASCAR race at the speedway since you joined. What are you most looking forward to?

Lindsey: We have a free fan fest Friday, and the fan zone is going to be open Friday through Sunday. We’ve got some great activities in there. I’m really excited to see it all come together. I’m excited to see the passion of the fans as they start coming through and having a good time. I can’t wait to see our campers come in. There’s so many different components to a NASCAR Cup weekend in the South Point 400. I hope I’m going to be able to get to spend the appropriate amount of time at all the different things.

RJ: NASCAR races have been at the speedway for decades. But over that time, Las Vegas has been a sports town with additional events, such as the Formula One race and the Super Bowl. How do you see your role in keeping NASCAR races and the speedway top of mind?

Lindsey: I think NASCAR is getting back to being the strongest that it has ever been. We’re going to be (the first race of the Round of 8). To have a playoff race in Las Vegas helps cement the city as the sports capital of the world that we are becoming.

RJ: Are there any other events you’re looking to bring to the speedway?

Lindsey: Probably too soon to answer that question. I will say that we’re always looking for new activities. Our track is so busy all the time. We’ve hosted 150,000 fans for a NASCAR race, and we’ve hosted 180,000 people a night for EDC. There are no limits to what we can do.

RJ: There have been rumors that Las Vegas might join the rotation for the NASCAR Championship race. Have you had conversations regarding that?

Lindsey: No conversations on that front yet. Our Charlotte headquarters will be having those conversations if and when they become available. And probably no further comment on that.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.