Las Vegas Racetrack Is in Line for a Face-Lift

Just as ever-more opulent hotel-casinos keep altering the Strip’s landscape here, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is set for sweeping change.

After the checkered flag falls over today’s UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race, construction will begin to renovate the 1.5-mile track on the north end of the city.

The $25-million project will raise the banking in the corners of the D-shaped speedway, create a more fan-friendly garage area and move the front grandstands closer to pit road. Even the media will get new digs.

The changes will mean “more side-by-side racing” and provide a glimpse into the garage “that never has been available to the average race fan,” said Chris Powell, general manager of the 10-year-old track.

But it remains to be seen whether any of this alters the record of the Roush Racing Fords, whose drivers have won five of eight Cup races held here. They arrived this week with another head of steam after dominating the Auto Club 500 at the California Speedway two weeks ago.

Matt Kenseth won the Fontana race after teammate Greg Biffle, who led most of the laps, suffered an engine failure late in the race. Biffle then ran the fastest qualifying lap here Friday to win the pole for today’s race, and Kenseth -- who qualified ninth -- won the Las Vegas race in 2003 and again in 2004.

Last year, Jimmie Johnson won here in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, and he is off to a fast start in 2006.

The El Cajon driver won the season-opening Daytona 500 and was second at Fontana, giving him the early lead in the Nextel Cup points standings. He qualified third for today’s race behind Biffle and Tony Stewart.

Johnson is still driving without crew chief Chad Knaus, who was suspended for four races after NASCAR found Johnson’s car had an illegal rear-window setup that improved the car’s aerodynamics during Daytona 500 qualifying.

“It’s been a difficult month that he’s [Knaus] been at home and dealing with it,” Johnson said. “He’s done a lot of reflecting and learning and we’re looking forward to having him back.”

Other drivers expected to be in the hunt today are Ryan Newman, who won the pole last year in his Penske Racing South Dodge, and Kasey Kahne, whose Evernham Motorsports Dodge has been fast all weekend.

Then there are Kurt and Kyle Busch, who grew up in Las Vegas and would love to win before the home crowd. Kurt, 27, left Roush for Penske last year and now drives the No. 2 Dodge. Kyle, 20, who also drives a Hendrick Chevy, was second behind Johnson in last year’s race.

“It’s a big race for me and my little brother,” Kurt Busch said. “I watched this track get built from the ground up. There’s the adrenaline around Vegas for me.”

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway, owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc., now has a seating capacity of 141,000 after adding the 17,000-seat Richard Petty Terrace this year. Today’s race is sold out, track officials said.

The changes include raising the speedway’s corner banking to 20 degrees from the current 12 degrees. By comparison, the corner banking at the California Speedway is 14 degrees.

There has been growing talk about also overhauling the 9-year-old Fontana track. Immediately after the Auto Club 500 ended this year, critics argued that Biffle’s dominant showing pointed up how the track’s layout stifles passing, makes for boring, strung-out racing and should be changed.

California Speedway President Gillian Zucker added to the debate, saying after the race that changes to the track’s banking and other steps might be considered. The track is owned by International Speedway Corp., which also owns the high-banked Daytona International Speedway and several other facilities.

“I apologize for making it boring,’ Biffle quipped Friday. “It’s not boring from where I’m sitting.” His teammate, Mark Martin, said of California Speedway last week, “I don’t know what the flap was all about, but I think it’s silly and ridiculous.”

He added: “NASCAR’s goal is to have all the cars with the same speed. Nothing wrong with that track.”

Then again, Martin and Biffle drive for Roush Racing.