Viewer's Guide: Vegas

ATLANTA -- Greg Biffle has yet to finish a Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. However, if momentum counts for anything, viewers can expect him to be a force there this weekend.

	Vegas vacation Greg Biffle's NASCAR record at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Year Series Finish 2004 Cup 43 2004 Busch 10 2002 Busch 9 2001 Busch 2 1999 Truck 1 1998 Truck 5

Biffle, the most recent Nextel Cup Series winner after his victory at Fontana two weeks ago, failed to qualify for the 2003 race at LVMS and he suffered an engine failure there last season.

However, this season is shaping up to be a breakout year for Biffle. He's visited Victory Lane twice in the past three Nextel Cup Series races dating back to last season and he enters this weekend's action fifth in the series standings.

Still, Biffle remains cautiously optimistic about Sin City.

"We tested out in Vegas earlier this year and decided to go with this car. It's similar to the car we won with in California but then Vegas is a little different type of track."

Biffle says any questions he may have about the car could be answered in the opening practice.

"I'm interested to see how this car reacts in traffic but if we can get it handling well there, I think we'll be alright."

Crew chief Doug Richert is a bit more optimistic.

"The new body we put on it is along the same lines as the one we raced at California and we feel pretty good about that performance," Richert said.

No matter what, the head wrench said the team is already starting to think about the big picture.

"The win in California is good for momentum but we're going to every race this year looking to win and stay consistent in the points race."

Among the features FOX has planned for its pre-race show on Sunday:
• A feature on Michael Waltrip running the Las Vegas Marathon
• Chris Myers takes 10 laps with Matt Kenseth
• A look at the most famous racing brothers from Las Vegas -- Kurt and Kyle Busch
• Ryan Newman pays a visit to the Hoover Dam

Last weekend's Busch Series race in Mexico drew decent numbers for FOX. The Telcel Motorola 200 garnered a 3.4 overnight rating and a 7 share. The numbers tie this season's Busch Series opener at Daytona. By comparison, the Nextel Cup race at Fontana two weeks ago drew a 7.9 rating and a 16 share.

A rating point represents 1,096,000 homes. A share is the percentage of the households watching television at any given time.

Jason Leffler, Travis Kvapil, Reed Sorenson and Brian Pattie are among the guests scheduled for Trackside this week from Las Vegas (10 p.m. ET) on SPEED. Sorenson sits fifth in the Busch Series standings.

SPEED has signed veteran motor sports broadcaster Bob Jenkins to co-anchor the network's weekend racing news program, SPEED News. Jenkins, who covered auto racing for more than 30 years for ABC and ESPN, holds the distinction of being the only announcer to anchor coverage of all three major events held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- the Indy 500, the Brickyard 400 and the U.S. Grand Prix.

In this week's "Ask The Producer," Charles Hayes Jr. of parts unknown joins several users in wondering why FOX has not shown pit stop times yet this season.

NASCAR on FOX producer Neil Goldberg said the crew has been trying some different things.

'NASCAR on FOX' producer Neil Goldberg

"We have been experimenting with trying to show more pit stop action to the fans during caution flag stops," he said. "In doing so, we have tried several different configurations which were not set up for multiple pit clocks.

"We realize the importance of these times and intend to get them back into the show on a more consistent basis," Goldberg said. "We will also be stepping up our analysis and graphic of the race off pit road, showing who has gained and who has lost positions.

"Thanks for your observation. While we try to avoid such circumstances, every once and a while we have to take a small step back to take a big leap forward."

Each week, we'll choose one fan's question to ask a NASCAR on FOX producer. Does something on the broadcast leave you shaking your head? Have you always wondered how or why the TV crew does something? Use the link to the right to e-mail your question and you just might read the answer right here.

Tim Altier -- also from parts unknown -- suggests an easy way for FOX to show more racing action in this week's version of "The Rant."

EMAIL Send Mark your take for "The Rant" or your question for "Ask The Producer"

"I'm unsure why FOX feels the need to show those extravagant back-from-commercial montages showing the drivers and the famous sites near the racetrack after the race has already been in progress for hours. While these clips are a little over-the-top to begin with, I don't mind seeing one or two of them before the race starts as part of the pre-race hype.

"However, if the race is on Lap 200 of 250, I would like to watch the action as soon as FOX is back from commercial. I know showing these montages is not contractual or sponsor-related since they do not promote any products, so I don't know why they air them continuously."

I agree, but let's both take a look at when they use these montages. I seem to think that they're being used mostly during caution periods. I could be wrong about this, so let's all watch this weekend.

Now to this weekend's schedule:

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

• 1.5-mile oval
• 12-degree banking in turns
• 9-degree banking on frontstretch
• 3-degree banking on backstretch
• Length of frontstretch: 2,275 feet
• Length of backstretch: 1,572 feet

TV schedule (All times ET)

• NASCAR Live: 5 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• Bud Pole Qualifying: 6 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• Trackside: 10 p.m. Fri, SPEED
• Final Practice: 6 p.m. Sat., FX (tape delayed)
• NASCAR Live: 7:30 p.m. Sat., SPEED
• NASCAR This Morning: 11 a.m. Sun., SPEED
• Race: 2 p.m. Sun., FOX

Kenseth nips Kahne for another Vegas win Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

One year ago, Matt Kenseth came up with a dominating performance at Las Vegas, winning his second consecutive race and moving atop the Nextel Cup Series standings.

The most recent checkered flag went to Biffle, who took the lead early at Fontana, fell a lap down and came all the way back to win the Auto Club 500.

Keep an eye on Sterling Marlin. Marlin has quietly gotten off to a solid start. He has two top-15 finishes in two starts and sits ninth in the points heading to Vegas, where he visited Victory Lane in 2002.

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

• 1.5-mile oval
• 12-degree banking in turns
• 9-degree banking on frontstretch
• 3-degree banking on backstretch
• Length of frontstretch: 2,275 feet
• Length of backstretch: 1,572 feet

TV schedule (All times ET)

• Busch Pole Qualifying: 8 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• Race: 3:30 p.m. Sat., FX

Harvick holds on to win the 2004 Sam's Town 300 Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

One year ago, Kevin Harvick held off a furious charge from Kasey Kahne to snag his 12th career NBS victory.

The most recent checkered flag went to Martin Truex Jr. The defending series champ won Sunday's Telcel Motorola 200 by more than six seconds.

Keep an eye on Mark Martin. Martin won at Fontana two weeks ago for his 46th career NBS victory. What's more, he won the 1999 Sam's Town 300 and he has the best average LVMS Busch Series finish (third) of any driver in Saturday's field.

Mark Spoor is an interactive producer for NASCAR.COM. The Domino's Viewer's Guide runs each Thursday during race weeks.