Las Vegas Weekly

November 18, 2009 · 9:56 AM

Nominees announced for first NASCAR Stewie Awards in Las Vegas

By Robin Leach

Kyle Busch celebrates his NASCAR victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with champagne.

Photo: John Bisci/Las Vegas Motor Speedway

The top NASCAR drivers will head to Las Vegas right after Thanksgiving for the first-time festivities of Champions Week that have previously always been held on the East Coast. They will even drive in a parade along the Las Vegas Strip, which will be closed for the occasion.

It all kicks off Dec. 2 with a charity fan fest at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The official NASCAR/NMPA Awards with the Top 12 drivers takes place at The Venetian Showroom on Dec. 3. Mid-afternoon, the drivers will rally at the MGM Grand for the 12-mph drive along the Strip. On Dec. 4, the black tie awards dinner will be held at the Wynn.

Another highlight will be the third annual Stewie Awards named for two-time Cup series champion Tony Stewart to be broadcast live on Sirius XM Radio from The Rio. I’ll handle the announcer duties for the two-hour show, and we’re recording all the wrap-around features today. The Stewies, which first debuted in 2007, honor the most memorable moments of the 2009 season. Fans determine the winners by casting votes online at Sirius.com/stewieawards.

Tony and Sirius XM executives announced the 2009 Stewies nominees yesterday. Go to Sirius.com/stewieawards for the complete list of unique categories (it’s the same place where fans cast votes).

NASCAR officials have said that if this Champions Week in Las Vegas is a success, they will move it here as a new annual event on our calendar. It’s the perfect sporting event just before the cowboys invade yet again for the National Finals Rodeo on Dec. 5, also the day our Opportunity Village holds its Great Santa Run and a day before the inaugural Las Vegas Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon.

It’s also the week -- Dec. 1-4 -- of opening galas for the new CityCenter properties, so the Strip is going to be one jam-packed place to start the last month of 2009.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

Share This