Kurt Busch pays homage to grassroots racer during Las Vegas visit

Kurt Busch yet was capable to observe winning past year’s NASCAR playoff contention astatine Las Vegas Motor Speedway with his hometown fans.

It happened Tuesday astatine the South Point showroom successful beforehand of a mates of 100 people, which is simply a mates of 100 much than watched him assertion his archetypal LVMS triumph successful 22 starts. His breakthrough triumph came successful beforehand of bare grandstands due to the fact that of COVID restrictions.

It wasn’t a existent triumph celebration, arsenic authorities wellness codes precluded Busch from doing a smoky burnout successful beforehand of the Coronado Cafe. If information beryllium known, his beingness was mostly geared to a summons thrust for adjacent month’s NASCAR South Point 400 play astatine LVMS.

But the pit halt afforded the NASCAR champion the accidental to mingle with section contention fans and connection a fewer much thank-yous to those successful his Las Vegas past who were instrumental successful launching a vocation that shows fewer signs of slowing down, though Busch turned 43 this month.

Such arsenic Phil Hayes, a erstwhile way champion astatine aged Craig Road Speedway, which would beryllium a cleanable campaigner for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NBC documentary bid “Lost Speedways” were determination thing near of it.

“When I wrecked 3 races successful a row, my dada sent maine to spell spot the ‘Mad Hatter,’ ” Busch said backstage astatine South Point, alluding to the apical chapeau Hayes wore astir the way earlier Busch started winning races. “He said, ‘Son, wherefore bash you support putting yourself successful presumption to wreck?’ ”

Remember this was 16-year-old Kurt Busch. If you thought helium was obstinate climbing the NASCAR ladder, you should person seen him then, helium said.

“OK, thanks, large advice, sure,” helium said of his sarcastic archetypal absorption to his sit-down with Hayes. “Years later, it’s what’s inactive helping maine now, 22 years into the Cup Series. Phil Hayes, the ‘Mad Hatter.’ Las Vegas. He should beryllium connected the Mt. Rushmore (of Las Vegas racers).”

Hayes, present 75, people was flattered erstwhile helium learned of Busch’s remarks.

“He was young and accelerated — it’s easier to dilatory down a operator than to velocity 1 up,” said the erstwhile sportsman people champ, who besides raced sprint cars and built racing engines — erstwhile helium was younger, Hayes hung astir the Southern California shops of guys who built engines for Indy 500 roadsters.

“That’s wherever my acquisition came from and conscionable ever tried to walk it on,” helium said.

“Kurt was 1 of the guys who listened.”

🤳 @KurtBusch | #SouthPoint400 pic.twitter.com/THzQb1MGKk

— Las Vegas Motor Speedway (@LVMotorSpeedway) August 25, 2021

Around the horn

— As they accidental connected the vigor and TV, bully seats inactive stay for the Sept. 26 South Point 400 NASCAR playoff contention and motortruck and Xfinity Series races connected that Friday and Saturday, and an ARCA Menards Series West contention connected Thursday. For tickets, spell to https://www.lvms.com/tickets/ oregon telephone 1-800-644-4444.

That’s a wrap! Thanks for the amusive nighttime celebrating @KurtBusch!#SouthPoint400 | @southpointlv pic.twitter.com/6AR6FanaCG

— Las Vegas Motor Speedway (@LVMotorSpeedway) August 25, 2021

— Green Valley High’s Molly Sullivan, who spent 14 years arsenic a sports reporter, mostly successful the NBA and NFL successful Philadelphia, has returned location to service successful a assemblage relations capableness for Clark County Commissioner (and erstwhile Bishop Gorman hoops player) Ross Miller.

According to sources, the erstwhile North Carolina and 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier successful the 800-meter freestyle tin inactive get from 1 extremity of the excavation to the different astir quicker than you tin accidental Katie Ledecky.

Humbled to articulation Commissioner @rossjmiller’s unit successful the @clarkcountynv Commission Office with a absorption connected Community Relations. pic.twitter.com/JAbqGl6nAh

— Molly Sullivan (@MollySullivanLV) August 26, 2021

— How acold has UNLV fallen disconnected the league enlargement radar? In a communicative astir the Big 12 trying to enactment applicable pursuing the departure of Texas and Oklahoma, Yahoo mentioned six schools arsenic imaginable replacements. The Rebels weren’t mentioned, of course, but North Dakota State was.

0:01

Max Pacioretty bought Golden Knights teammate’s Alex Pietrangelo’s 8,321-square-foot Summerlin mansion for $6.4 cardinal this month, which, it tin beryllium assumed, is 1 of those trades that works for some sides.

If determination were impermanent quarters for rising prima Nick Suzuki, who was traded to Montreal (along with Tomas Tatar) successful 2018 for Pacioretty, VGK fans mightiness besides beryllium saluting the transaction.

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.