BUSCH: Las Vegas Motor Speedway: NASCAR Weekend set for 2001

LAS VEGAS - Nevada's largest annual sports weekend will return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway March 1-4, 2001, it was announced by speedway officials on Thursday.

The NASCAR Winston Cup Series will make its fourth visit to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 4, 2001. The Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series event will precede the NASCAR Winston Cup event on Saturday, March 3. The Pennzoil World of Outlaws also will return for three nights of action at the speedway's half-mile dirt oval March 1, 2 and 3.

"Each year the NASCAR Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has grown, improved and become more popular," said Chris Powell, LVMS executive vice president and general manager. "It's the biggest sports weekend west of the Rocky Mountains in terms of fan attendance. In 2000, we made major strides in improving traffic, and we expect to continue making improvements in all areas for the 2001 event."

Times for all events will be announced at a later date. The NASCAR Winston Cup event is scheduled to be televised for the first time on FOX Sports. The F/X cable network will carry the Sam's Town 300, and TNN will broadcast two nights of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws events.

Jeff Burton won the past two NASCAR Winston Cup events at LVMS, and in 2000, Burton swept both the CarsDirect.com 400 and the Sam's Town 300. Mark Martin, Burton's teammate at Roush Racing, captured the inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup event at LVMS in 1998.

"Without a doubt, this is one of, if not my favorite, race tracks," Burton said following his victory this past March. "It's always a highlight of the season to come to Las Vegas. I think every driver on the circuit loves the track and loves the town."

Other Sam's Town 300 winners include Mark Martin (1999), Jimmy Spencer (1998) and Jeff Green (1997).