Las Vegas: NASCAR comes roaring back to town with events March 5-9

NASCAR returns to Las Vegas in early March for five action-packed days on and off the track.

The pre-race excitement starts at 6 p.m. March 5, with the so-called “hauler parade” along the Vegas Strip. Big rigs carrying the race cars will head north along Las Vegas Boulevard as they make their way to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Fans can watch their favorite drivers practice on the 1 1/2-mile oval March 6 and 7. Grandstand admission will be free on March 6.

March 8 begins with qualifying laps at 9:35 a.m. The Nationwide Series Boyd Gaming 300, formerly known as the Sam’s Town 300, will get the green flag at 1:15 p.m.

At noon March 9, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400 gets underway. Drivers will do 267 laps in their race for the checkered flag.

Weekend ticket packages, which include various Speedway events March 7-9, start at $99.

Away from the track, Boyd Gaming, sponsors of Saturday’s race, has planned several themed events. They include public appearances Friday evening by drivers Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne.

Edwards will greet fans at 7:30 p.m. at the Orleans Hotel & Casino. Kahne will be at the Fremont Hotel & Casino at 8 p.m.

At 7:30 p.m. March 7, Las Vegas native Kyle Busch will speak at an event at the Stratosphere. Busch will talk about his racing career at the presentation “Behind the Driver.” A limited number of free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis that day at the hotel box office.