Jason Keller (No. 22 Miller High Life Ford) is slated to make the 325th start of his NASCAR Busch Series career in the Sams Town 300. In doing so, Keller will move past Dale Jarrett into sole possession of third place on the all-time list of most NASCAR Busch Series starts. Tommy Houston leads the pack with 417 races in the series to his credit, while Elton Sawyer is second with 392 starts. Both are retired. Keller made his first NASCAR Busch Series start April 27, 1991 at Lanier Raceway in Georgia, where he qualified eighth and finished 29th in the 30-car field due to an accident. Keller collected a whopping $575 for his efforts in that first race. Nearly 13 years later, with more than $8 million as the divisions all-time leading money winner, Keller is one of the series established stars. Keller can tie Houston atop the list of all-time starts in the 26th race of the 2006 season, and pass him in the 27th.
Ron Hornaday (No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet) has seven consecutive top-10 finishes at Las Vegas, and an average finish of sixth, in NASCARs top three divisions NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In his two NASCAR Busch Series races at the track, Hornaday was eighth in 2000 and ninth last year. Hornadays best finish at the track is a second in a 1998 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event.
Las Vegas Motor Speedways inaugural NASCAR Busch Series race was the first for the division West of the Mississippi River. This season, seven of the series 34 races will be held West of the Mississippi, plus one at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.
Fast Facts
What: Sams Town 300 (Race No. 3 of 34 in the NASCAR Busch Series).
Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nev.
When: 1 p.m. PT, 4 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 6.
Track layout: 1.5-mile, banked, paved oval.
Race length: 300 miles/200 laps.
Posted awards: $1,438,367.
TV: FX, 3:30 p.m. (ET).
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2003 winner: Joe Nemechek.
2003 polesitter: Stanton Barrett.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): FridayPractice, 9-11:15 a.m.; Qualifying, 1:30 p.m.; Final Practice, after conclusion of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(3-2-2004)
