Las Vegas Weekly

February 27, 2010 · 6:26 AM

Photos: Day 1 of NASCAR at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

By Robin Leach

Day 1 of NASCAR at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Feb. 26, 2010.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

It was the first time that Danica Patrick was on the Las Vegas track in advance of today’s Sam’s Town 300 race. Kurt Busch made it absolutely clear that he wants to take brother Kyle’s win from last year. Both brothers who are our hometown heroes will once again duke it out at speeds approaching 200 mph tomorrow.

Kurt won the pole position late yesterday just edging out Jeff Gordon, who drove at 188.646 mph. Kurt made a lap at 28.614 seconds for an all-time track record of 188.719 mph.

Contributing photographers Tom Donoghue and Erik Kabik were everywhere yesterday for our incredible photo galleries. They’ll be out there again today and tomorrow, and we’ll endeavor to post today’s winner of the Sam’s Town 300 race after the first racer crosses the finish line.

You’ll spot Denny Hamlin, Max Papis and Jimmie Johnson at his press conference in Tom’s photos. He also captured a very rare shot of “exactly what Danica sees” when she climbs into her cockpit before she snaps on the steering wheel.

We will be out at NASCAR tomorrow early for the pre-show with Imperial Palace headliners Human Nature performing for the 130,000-plus fans and when The Mirage headliner Terry Fator sings the national anthem. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian will tell the drivers to start their engines in advance of the flag dropping.

The four-day schedule of NASCAR events was posted on Thursday.

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 at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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