Schmidt Is Looking to Heat Up Vegas Race

Holding a race in the Nevada desert’s midday sun can’t be enjoyable for drivers or spectators, but that is what television wants, so the Indy Racing League will present the Vegas.com 500 today at 11:30 a.m. at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race will be shown live on ESPN2.

Hometown favorite Sam Schmidt, who is called Elvis because he sports Elvis Presley-like sideburns, will start on the pole with a qualifying speed of 209.465 mph set Saturday in an Aurora-powered G Force. It is Schmidt’s first pole, although he will tell you that it’s his second.

Schmidt, 35, recorded the same speed as Greg Ray during qualifying at Pikes Peak, but Ray earned the pole and its $10,000 prize because he did it first.

“I asked PPG where my PPG Pole Award was three weeks ago in Colorado, but they told me I couldn’t have one,” Schmidt said. “This time it’s mine, and I’m not letting go of it.”

Ray, the series points leader and winner of three of the last four IRL races, will start on the second row in the 312-mile, 500-kilometer race around Las Vegas’ 1.5-mile tri-oval.

Mark Dismore, like Schmidt looking for his first win, will start alongside the pole-sitter. Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Brack, also the defending IRL champion, will be on the inside of Ray.

Schmidt was a surprise second-place finisher here last year to Arie Luyendyk, who retired--except for the Indy 500--shortly after winning the season finale. Schmidt was rewarded by getting Luyendyk’s seat on Fred Treadway’s team.

“It was pretty huge for me and the crew to get the pole, especially when I only live a few minutes down the road in Henderson,” Schmidt said. “Of course, I’ve got a great big list of friends who will be there to watch me.”

Firestone engineers said track temperatures were 125 degrees with an air temperature of 91 during qualifying. Hotter weather is expected today.

IRL officials said they hoped to have the Las Vegas race next year in the spring to escape the heat. They tried a night race two years ago, but found the casinos too much competition. While a 5 p.m. start would have been more enjoyable today, it would not sell on TV, which wanted the early start for early afternoon showing in the East.