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 After all the rain last weekend in Southern California the race at the California Speedway was final finished on Monday. A long dragged out weekend where the main topic on the Fox television coverage was name the gofer cam. Tony Stewart said it best "You guys must really be bored" after he was ask what they should call the cam burrowed in the track.
 
 Even though the race took two days to run it was pretty much the same song and dance as Roush flexed his Ford muscle. Carl Edwards won the two day event with my pick teammate Matt Kenseth coming in fifth. Roush Fords had four of his five cars in the top fifteen. If they are two tracks that the Roush like it has to be Michigan and California as he always does well. It nice to see Ford in victory lane in California again but Roush better enjoy this one because changes could be coming.
 
The talk is that California Speedway is looking at doing a major face lift. How major? Well it could become the third track in the Cup series to require restrictor plates. The only two tracks now requiring the horsepower reducing plates are Daytona and Talladega. We are talking high banks of over 30 degrees where California now is banked at only14 degrees. Estimates cost of over 16 million dollars is projected in the make over.
 
The track is owned by the International Speedway Corporation or ISC. ICS is run and operated by the France family. Yes the same family that basically owns everything else in NASCAR. The ICS bought California track and several other tracks from Roger Penske in July of 1999. California has been a tough one for NASCAR officials when it comes to ticket sales. The track doesn't sell out like most tracks.  NASCAR in attempt to widen its fan base had recently put a second date at this west coast track. NASCAR has been racing at the California track since 1997 which started with one race a year. NASCAR went to two dates in 2004 as then took one of two dates from Darlington.  Even though California had a hard time selling out NASCAR felt the need to move the race fromDarlington in attempt to attract more fans.
 

Restrictor plate racing is a great idea for it creates close racing which not only puts fans on the edge seats but put fans in them.  It will also put more focus on the two races at California for plate race are less predictable. I guess we will see what ISC decides in the weeks and mouths to come. As I see it two more restrictor plate races is all good by me.
 
Just north of the California Speedway is Las Vegas the site of this weekend's race. Now there is know problem selling tickets here as Burton Smith and this group have put a track in a great destination spot. What can you say, it is in Las Vegas!
 
Burton Smith is chairman of SMI or Speedway Motorsports Inc. which owns the Vegas track and six others.  SMI not only has a track in a great area but has up the ante. They put over 100 million dollars worth of improvements in 96 at Vegas at track. That is high stakes.  One of things they did with all that money was create an area in the infield called the Neon Garage. The Neon Garage has it own casino with one armed bandits and everything.  The main show in Neon Garage this weekend is the Blue Man Group. How about that! I guess that's is why they say, Only in Vegas.
 
This being the second race at Vegas since the improvements it should be a hum-dinger. Not all that money was sent on the infield. High banks were installed which created faster speeds here at Vegas. It is a lot like Atlanta and Texas now as it is 1.5 mile track where qualifying speed should reach 180 range. Tires were the major issue last year as the high speeds were pulling the tires apart in the corners. Goodyear seems to have a grip on the tire thing as teams tested here at the end of January with little problem. A little less of a gamble now as drivers go into the corner at about 200 mph.
 
With the tire issue some what solved the big question during testing was who was going to be fast as the COT made its first go at Vegas.  That answer was clear Joe Gibbs Toyota's.  Out of those Toyota's one driver topped that list and that was Kyle Busch. Kyle had the top lap times and because of that make the number 18 team the one to watch as we head into this weekend. 
 
 
Boy his name has popped up a lot these days. Why? It simple Kyle leads the points in both the Sprint Cup series and the Craftsman Truck series and is second in the Nationwide series.  I guess that is dominates with no doubts and if that don't get your name mentioned what will.
 
Las Vegas is Kyle and Brother Kurt Busch welcome home party this weekend as they grow up in here. For these two brothers that have been racing all there lives there is no better place to have a party then on a race track in your hometown. The party should be big as Kyle gets the nod as my pick of the week.  Kyle in his number 18 M & M's Joe Gibbs Toyota should be the first one to driver aToyota into victory lane in Sprint Cup point's race. Kyle just looked to good in the last two races and with this being a homecoming a win is just putting the icing on top of the cake.  Hardcore NASCAR fans are going to have to get a grip because the day has finally come where a Toyota wins a Cup race. No worries Ford won last week and Jeff, Jimmy and Dale are still waiting for there first wins in there Chevys. But for now it is Kyle Busch saying, Oh What a Feeling Toyota!  
 
The big rigs will be pulling out of Vegas last Sunday night weather permitting and heading east.  Atlanta, Bristol and Martinsville are next three stops as NASCAR gets the 08 season in full gear. I will be back in the paper the first Saturday in April but that doesn't mean you are left out. Just login and join fun as Mike' Garage is online 24/7 with up dates and best of all your comments on what's up in NASCAR.  It has been a huge success so far and I thank you all for your participation. Here are some that have made there mark. Great-lady, NASCAR-lover, Pizzaman, Jimmy McBobby, Left turn, Floor-it and your truly just to name a few. Add your name to the list and join the fun.
 
Enjoy the race everybody

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