Fast Track Facts: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

credit: NASCAR Media
Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts just one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race each year, but there’s plenty more racing taking place throughout the year at the facility, which is home to multiple tracks. Learn more about LVMS in this week’s Fast Facts.
  • The origins of Las Vegas Motor Speedway date back to 1972 with the opening of the Las Vegas Speedrome: a road course and drag strip. In 1985, a new owner added a 3/8-mile short track “bull ring” and renamed the facility Las Vegas Speedway Park. The current 1.5-mile speedway opened in September 1996, and two years later it was purchased by Speedway Motorsports Inc. and renamed Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • The first major race on the 1.5-mile track was an Indy Racing League event in Sept.  1996 won by Richie Hearn. The first top-tier NASCAR race at LVMS was a Craftsman (now Camping World) Truck Series race in Nov. 1996, which was won by Jack Sprague. The first Busch (now Xfinity) Series race, won by Jeff Green, happened a few months later in March 1997, and the first Winston (now Monster Energy NASCAR) Cup Series race was held in March 1998 and won by Mark Martin.
  • The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in March, in conjunction with the Cup Series/Xfinity Series weekend, and The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts two NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events each year in addition to weekly racing.
  • In 2006, the 1.5-mile speedway was reconfigured to feature progressive banking and facilities were updated to include the Neon Garage fan zone, a new media center and a 1/4-mile asphalt oval.
  • There are a total of eight tracks at LVMS: in addition to the speedway, short track “bull ring,” dirt track and drag strip, there are three road courses, two of which can be configured in other ways, and an off-road course which can also be reconfigured.
  • Kurt Busch holds the Cup Series qualifying record at LVMS (28.498 seconds/ 196.378 mph in March 2016), and Brad Keselowski holds the record for the fastest Cup Series race (2 hours, 35 minutes, 24 seconds in March 2014). Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with four wins at the track, while Kasey Kahne leads drivers with three pole positions.
  • Get more information on LVMS and a complete schedule for the season at www.lvms.com


Fast Track Facts: Las Vegas Motor Speedway Fast Track Facts: Las Vegas Motor Speedway Reviewed by Paula on Tuesday, March 07, 2017 Rating: 5