A GOOD BET IN LAS VEGAS COULD BE RACING'S SUCCESS.

Byline: Michelle DeArmond Associated Press 

This has long been known as the entertainment capital of the country, where tourists can find stars like Paul Anka and Gladys Knight performing on any given night.

Now the gambling mecca has a new attraction - motorsports. Some suspect Las Vegas could even emerge as the nation's motorsports capital as the multimillion-dollar Las Vegas Motor Speedway fills its schedule and its grandstands.

The development was most evident in early November, when race fans and drivers converged on Las Vegas for several races, including the season finale of the popular NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

At the same time, the weeklong Specialty Equipment Market Association convention, a showcase for high-performance auto parts, brought some of the most dedicated racing fans in the country to Las Vegas.

Joe Ruttman, a veteran Winston Cup racer who placed third in the Craftsman Truck race, said his crew enjoyed working - and playing - in Las Vegas.

``The thing Las Vegas offers is the high turnover of people,'' he said, referring to the constant flow of tourists. ``It's definitely good for racing.''

Richie Clyne's new speedway attracted 27,000 to the Winston West series race Nov. 2, and nearly double that the next day for the truck race. On Nov. 6, Clyne opened LVMS's new dirt oval for the World of Outlaws sprint car race.

The adjacent Las Vegas Speedway Park, which eventually will be merged with the new facility, was host to several races Nov. 1-3, including vintage sports cars, Legends and short-track sportsman cars. The $25,000 sportsman race attracted 5,500 fans.

Those events came less than two months after the new speedway held its first event, an Indy Racing League race. With more than 67,000 in attendance, it was Nevada's biggest sporting event ever.

The Nov. 3 truck race paid the largest purse ever at more than $700,000, attracting NASCAR Winston Cup regulars Bill Elliott, Ernie Irvan and others. A.J. Foyt and Harry Gant came out of retirement for the race.

The success of the November races bodes well for Clyne's ability to attract the coveted Winston Cup series. The region's mild climate could allow racing and testing during months when much of the country is too cold and wet to allow it.

Ruttman said stock car racing could benefit by expanding to other markets outside of the South where most NASCAR races are held.

``One of the things they've fought for years is that it's a redneck sport.