Vegas not worried about another 'layered' weekend (cont'd)

"Unfortunately, a few bad apples tried to rot the bushel, but it's business as usual," Goodman wrote in an e-mail response to questions posed by NASCAR.COM. "In the future, we'll evaluate the 'layer' effect."

The Nextel Cup event at revamped Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which sold out last week, is the largest single-day sporting event in the state of Nevada. An estimated 157,000 people attended the race last year. Las Vegas Metro Police will staff the event with 30 officers on Friday and 70 on Saturday and Sunday, with support from the Nevada Highway Patrol.

Chris Powell, the track's general manager, knows his race is the city's first big sports event since the NBA All-Star Game. But he doesn't think it will receive any more scrutiny as a result.

"If this were our first NASCAR Nextel Cup event ever, I would think so. But I don't think so," Powell said. "What happened in that NBA game was, a certain few wanted to cause trouble. NASCAR fans are a different breed. I don't think we're going to have any of those issues. We've never had them in the past, and I have no reason whatsoever to believe we'll have them in the future. I don't think we'll be under a microscope."

Over on the neon landscape that is the Las Vegas Strip, there are all the signs of a big event weekend. Eric Clapton, Prince and Ray Romano are all set to perform. Pete Rose could be seen signing autographs Thursday at a memorabilia store inside the Caesar's Palace Forum Shops. And when the NASCAR haulers roll out of town Sunday evening, plans ramp up for a Champ Car street race and a sold-out bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand.

Just another week in Las Vegas. All-Star weekend? What All-Star weekend?

"The city's image as the great entertainment destination," Goodman wrote, "continues without blemish."