LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith played coy Friday on the possibility of adding a second race date to his showcase in the desert.
Smith badly wants a second race, but reiterated his refusal to make it happen by taking a date from one of his other Speedway Motorsports Inc. properties.
“I think we’ve earned a second race,” Smith repeated several times. “I feel like we have earned that right. Maybe they will feel sorry for us one day and give us another date. You may consider it wishful thinking on my part, but I just want to bring up the fact that that have never given me a date.”
Smith purchased New Hampshire International Speedway last year, and there’s been speculation that he’d move one of that track’s two dates to Vegas. But he dismissed that notion, again insisting that he wants NASCAR to give him a date and not force him to take one from another track.
“At this point, I have not considered it,” Smith said. “There are other places out there that maybe a date could come from. We look at all things. Who knows, a date may fall on us one day. That would be a nice surprise.”
The billionaire businessman isn’t opposed to bartering with NASCAR about another one of his tracks: Smith said he’s willing to trade fall race dates with his Atlanta Motor Speedway and ISC-owner California Speedway.
Both tracks struggle with attendance, and California’s Labor Day weekend race is often plagued by oppressive heat. Smith said he told NASCAR officials he’d swap Atlanta’s October race date for California’s Labor Day race to help both tracks.
“The proposal has been made that we give California the October date in Atlanta and then the Labor Day event comes to Atlanta,” Smith said. “Everybody will love it. It’s the thing to do, and the people I have talked with within the sport, within NASCAR, they all agree that is the thing to do.”
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said officials had no comment on possible scheduling changes for 2009.
Smith also continued his push to move the annual awards ceremony from New York to Las Vegas.
“They have a lot of people who put shows together out here,” he said. “I could picture a production. You don’t have that in New York. There’s been an attempt, but a lousy attempt, in my opinion.”
FORMULA SMILES: Juan Pablo Montoya will entertain several senior NASCAR officials in his native Colombia to showcase Formula Smiles, his charitable foundation.
Montoya and his wife, Connie, will host a contingent from NASCAR, Chip Ganassi Racing and the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Cartegena on March 10-11. The NASCAR Foundation will give a $25,000 donation to Formula Smiles, which provides sporting equipment and teachers to help engage youngsters in recreational athletics.
“Being part of the NASCAR community has enabled us to raise thousands of dollars that have permitted us to continue helping underprivileged kids in my home country,” Montoya said. “This visit gives us the opportunity to show the NASCAR community what we do and educate them on the reality of the situation in our country, and why we need as much support as possible.”
NASCAR is not immediately disclosing which executives are making the trip, but chairman Brian France praised the Montoya’s charitable work.
“Their efforts, like so many driver charities, benefit those less fortunate and in need,” France said. “Formula Smiles is a terrific charity that will help children to excel in both academics and athletics.”
SHOW SOME RAGE: NASCAR has promised to allow its drivers to show more emotion this season, and Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage wants the stars to turn it up a notch.
Gossage has pledged $15,000 to any driver who throws his helmet during competition between now and the April 6 race in Texas.
“I have a huge helmet collection from drivers through the years and it would be great to add to the collection,” Gossage said. “As NASCAR allows the drivers to open up and show their personalities — even their frustrations — I imagine the likelihood of true emotions are more likely to bubble to the top. I’ve seen some helmets thrown during a race and never have they injured anyone or damaged another driver’s car. We’ll see what happens.”
The $15,000 will be paid to the charity of the driver’s choice, and the helmet must be thrown on the race track during competition, Gossage said.
Bruton Smith, owner of TMS, declined Friday to match Gossage’s pledge but said he liked the idea.
“We need drama,” Smith said. “We don’t have enough drama anymore.”
DAMAGED DODGES: Friday’s first practice session was rough for the Dodge camp, which saw six drivers wreck.
Patrick Carpentier wrecked first, followed by Sam Hornish Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, Reed Sorenson and Kasey Kahne. Carpentier and Kahne are teammates, and Montoya and Sorenson are teammates.
Bobby Labonte crashed later in the session.
Only Montoya and Labonte needed backups, and its the first time in Montoya’s short NASCAR career he’s needed to pull out his second car.
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