Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #6 Ford EcoBoost Ford, does a burnout after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 10, 2012
Photo – Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
As the old saying goes, “To be the best, you have to beat the best,” so NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will have their work cut out for them as a number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars have entered Saturday’s Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars will have to outrun the likes of defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and hometown hero Kyle Busch if they hope to take home the lion’s share of the Sam’s Town 300 purse.
Topping the list of Nationwide Series contenders is Austin Dillon, grandson of famed NASCAR team owner Richard Childress. Dillon knows the way to LVMS’s victory lane, having won the 2010 Smith’s 350 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race here.
Local fans of course will be cheering for another Las Vegas favorite son, Brendan Gaughan. Gaughan also has won in Las Vegas, taking the 2003 Smith’s 350 here.
The race also will sport an international flavor, featuring Juan Carlos Blum of Guadalajara, Mexico, Nelson Piquet Jr. of Brazil and newcomer Dexter Stacey of Quebec.
NASCAR Weekend at LVMS begins on Thursday with a free-to-the-public NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice session. Racing at the superspeedway begins on Friday with Stratosphere Pole Day. The NASCAR Nationwide Series takes center stage on Saturday with the annual Sam’s Town 300 at 1:15 p.m. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 400 is scheduled to start at noon on Sunday.
Tickets for NASCAR Weekend are on sale at www.lvms.com or by calling (800) 644-4444. Neon Garage passes, Lucky 7 preferred parking and driver introduction passes also are available.
