Wednesday, March 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Two-time Daytona 500 winner and current Winston Cup points leader Dale Jarrett undoubtedly will be a fan favorite at Sunday's Las Vegas 300 Busch Grand National race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
He also is the favorite of Imperial Palace oddsmakers, who have made him a 2-to-1 choice to win here.
Other top choices include reigning Winston Cup champion Terry Labonte at 7-2, Bobby Labonte at 4-1, defending Busch champion Randy LaJoie at 9-2, Jimmy Spencer at 5-1 and Michael Waltrip at 5-1.
Other notables include Todd Bodine at 8-1, Greg Sacks at 10-1, Phil Parsons at 12-1, Joe Nemechek at 15-1, Dick Trickle at 30-1 and Hermie Sadler at 40-1. But if you want to place a wager on Buckshot Jones, you'll have to get him as part of the field entry, at 12-1.
The IP also has set up several proposition matchups. These include Jarrett (--125) vs. Terry Labonte (--105), LaJoie (--120) vs. Bobby Labonte (--110), Spencer (--110) vs. Waltrip (--120) and Parsons (--110) vs. Bodine (--120).
Big-time proteges
Winston Cup superstars Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott won't be competing in Sunday's Las Vegas 300, but their race cars will.
Earnhardt, the seven-time Winston Cup champion, and wife Teresa own the ACDelco Chevrolet driven by Busch Series rookie Steve Park of East Northport, N.Y. The ever-popular Elliott fields the New Holland Ford driven by Ron Barfield of Florence, S.C. Local fans may recall that Barfield drove Elliott's NASCAR Craftsman Truck at LVMS last November.
Park has posted a pair of top 10 finishes in four starts for Team Earnhardt, including a third at Richmond, Va. -- the highest finish by a rookie since Johnny Benson won in 1994.
Slim (Jim) hopes
While Winston Cup drivers are expected to dominate the spotlight this weekend, one Busch Series regular who may pose a threat is Jason Keller, driver of the Slim Jim Chevy.
Keller was two turns away from his second career victory two weeks ago when he slid up the track at Richmond, allowing Mark Martin to get past. Keller and Jeff Burton, who Keller had nudged from behind to take the lead starting the white flag lap, then tangled in turn 4, spinning and crossing the finish line backwards to finish fifth and sixth.
The bump-and-run between Keller and Burton touched off some angry exchanges between their respective crews following the race.
"If I get the same opportunity at the end of the race at Las Vegas that I had at Richmond, I'll take the same gamble," said Keller. "But the odds are I won't make the same mistake."
Trickle benefit
Many of the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series drivers entered in the Las Vegas 300 have indicated they will appear Thursday night at Texas Station to sign autographs at a benefit for hospitalized Las Vegas-area racer Chris Trickle.
The "Unplugged Benefit Concert" begins at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. A live auction follows the event at 9:30 p.m. at South Padre, and a silent auction will be held throughout the evening. Many NASCAR teams have donated items.
Dale Jarrett, Randy LaJoie, Dick Trickle, Phil Parsons, Todd Bodine, Jeff Green and Mike McLaughlin are among the drivers who will be appearing. Also on hand will be CART champion Jimmy Vasser of Las Vegas and legendary sportscaster Chris Schenkel.
Those participating in the concert include Lisa Stewart, Branscombe Richmond, Brady Seals, Mark Collie, Vince Neil and Peter Cetera, while television stars John Amos and Jeannie Cooper and Apollo astronaut Pete Conrad also will appear.
Trickle, a regular on the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour, remains hospitalized after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in a Feb. 9 highway incident.
Now appearing
The NASCAR Busch Series Kleenex Chevrolet driven by Tim Fedewa and a race car simulator will be making four Las Vegas-area Vons stores appearances in conjunction with the Las Vegas 300.
The show car and simulator will appear from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday at the Vons at 600 W. Cheyenne Ave. Race fans also can see the car and ride the simulator from 2-5 p.m. at Vons at 4610 W. Sahara Ave.
On Friday, Fedewa will appear from 4-7 p.m. with the car and simulator at Vons at 6854 W. Lone Mountain Road.
The final appearance, which Fedewa will not attend, will be from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Vons on East Windmill Parkway in Henderson.
archive
