| "What do you know about cars?" a bookmaker was | | | | So are Sam's Town, the Boyd Group-owned host |
| asked recently. | | | | property, the NASCAR Cafe and the Sahara, which |
| "You put gas in them, turn the key and go," he | | | | devotes a large section of its building to NASCAR |
| answered. | | | | memorabilia. |
| That's the way it is with NASCAR. | | | | Cardboard cutouts of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart |
| Like sports fans in general, bet shop bosses love, | | | | and Dale Earnhardt Jr. stare blankly from supermarket |
| hate or ignore auto racing. | | | | displays for everything from beer to nuts. |
| You couldn't pay some bookmakers to go to the | | | | The Downtown Fremont Street Experience is packed |
| track, even with VIP passes thrown in. | | | | with replicas of racing cars, NASCAR t-shirts for sale |
| They love the business it brings, however, especially | | | | and fans wearing jackets touting various drivers. |
| this particular weekend, when NASCAR makes its | | | | RV parks are full. |
| annual Southern Nevada stop. | | | | Lounges are loaded with country-Western acts. |
| Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is the | | | | Rooms at Sam's Town have been sold out for |
| largest annual gathering in the Silver State, with | | | | weeks. |
| upwards of 135,000 racing fans witnessing the UAW | | | | "We're starting to get busy, in the casino too," Toni |
| DaimlerChrysler 400. | | | | Edwards, a Sam's Town sports book supervisor and |
| The Daytona 500 used to be the sport's main | | | | NASCAR junkie, said on Thursday. |
| attraction at betting windows; the Las Vegas race | | | | "We started seeing it this morning." |
| passed it a number of years ago and bookmakers | | | | Festive NASCAR flags, banners and pennants add |
| say it now outdraws the season launcher about 2/1. | | | | flair to the atmosphere. |
| Some books have staff specialists or hire individuals | | | | "We've got them around all the bars," she said. |
| to formulate odds, others get lines offshore or put | | | | Edwards persuaded counterpart Jake Kolleth at the |
| up numbers provided by Las Vegas Sports | | | | Stardust -- a former Sam's Town colleague -- to post |
| Consultants. | | | | matchups on the 400. |
| The car crazies already are out in full force, casing | | | | Kolleth is one of those bet shop dudes who knows |
| stores and comparing prices. | | | | to put gas in a car and twist the key. |
| You can feel it in the air, see it everywhere. | | | | "Jake asked how he could do the matchups when he |
| Newspapers are full of weather reports, bus route | | | | didn't know anything about NASCAR," Edwards |
| maps and ads announcing driver personal | | | | recalled. |
| appearances. | | | | "I told him not to worry, I do, and that I'd list the |
| TV station helicopters update viewers on traffic flow. | | | | names, he could put beside them and I'd tell him if |
| The Orleans, owned by truck driver Brendan | | | | they were right or wrong," she said. |
| Gaughn's father, Michael, is a happening place. | | | | |