| NASCAR fans will find a completely remodeled Las | | | | Wynn Las Vegas has defending champion Jimmie |
| Vegas Motor Speedway when the UAW-Daimler | | | | Johnson as a 5/1 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 favorite, |
| Chrysler 400 is contested this weekend. | | | | followed by Tony Stewart and Auto Club 500 winner |
| "It's a whole different situation (than in past races)," | | | | Matt Kenseth at 6/1, Gordon at 7/1, Kasey Kahne at |
| said Wynn Las Vegas bet shop supervisor and auto | | | | 8/1 and Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick at 10/1. |
| racing specialist Chris Chavez. | | | | "Action hasn't been heavy, but that will come later in |
| The Las Vegas track was completely rebuilt in the | | | | the week," Chavez said. |
| offseason, adding increased 20-degree banking to a | | | | "Early money has been on Kahne." |
| new surface and moving pit road 275 feet closer to | | | | Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the deceased racing legend |
| the grandstands. | | | | who was killed on the final lap at Daytona several |
| "It (raised banking) will make the race much more | | | | years ago, is 12/1. |
| interesting and the cars will go a lot faster," Chavez | | | | "Junior normally doesn't do well at mid-sized tracks |
| said. | | | | and racing without restrictor plates, though it could |
| Also new is a diamond-shaped, four-building structure | | | | be different this year," Chavez said. |
| called the Neon Garage that will serve multiple | | | | "Another interesting thing is Mark Martin is coming out |
| purposes, including hosting entertainment acts | | | | of the box at 10/1 and he's supposed to be |
| throughout Race Weekend and permitting attendees | | | | semi-retired." |
| who purchase passes to look directly into garage | | | | Martin currently leads the Nextel Cup points |
| bays as crewmen tune their vehicles for competition. | | | | competition with a pair of Top 10 finishes in the two |
| In addition to Sunday's 1:40 p.m. (PDT) Nextel Cup | | | | events that already have been run; Harvick is the |
| event, the Busch Series Sam's Town 300 is | | | | leading money winner with $1.7 million-plus. |
| scheduled for noon (PST) Saturday. | | | | Chavez' personal choice is Tony Stewart, who is 0-8 |
| Qualifiers for both are scheduled on Friday. | | | | in his Sin City attempts, but finished second in 2000. |
| "I've had the (Nextel Cup race) odds up since the | | | | Las Vegas is one of just four tracks where Stewart |
| Super Bowl and I'll put up odds on the Sam's Town | | | | never has won. |
| race later in the week," Chavez said. | | | | "That's a toughie (predicting a winner), but I think |
| "I have 49 drivers listed (though only 43 will start). | | | | Tony's going to come back from disappointments |
| "Some big names will be here on Sunday. | | | | here," Chavez said. |
| "(Indy Racing League driver) Sam Hornish will be | | | | Drivers will make 267 laps around the 1 1/2-mile track. |
| giving Las Vegas his first try in seven years. | | | | Another change they'll encounter this weekend is the |
| "I like to wait on the Sam's Town race until I know | | | | use of 13 rather than 17-gallon fuel cells. |
| who's entered. | | | | Last year, the race drew more than 130,000 fans |
| "So many of the Nextel Cup drivers also go in the | | | | and generated $197 million, making it the largest |
| 300 and I hold back on that because I got burned | | | | sporting event in Nevada during 2006. |
| one year. | | | | "Daytona used to be our biggest annual (auto racing) |
| "Jeff Gordon decided at the last minute to race his | | | | write, but Las Vegas passed it some years ago," |
| Busch car, almost won and I didn't have him listed." | | | | Chavez said. |