During tough times, Shelby GT35 just what the doctor ordered
Nevada may be experiencing the worst economic downturn in the history of the state but that didn't stop more than 150,000 fans from seeing four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson collect his fourth victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Tom Donoghue photography)
During the worst economic downturn in the history of Nevada, Las Vegas Motor Speedway delivered on what might be considered a perfect Crisis Management class on the weekend of Feb. 26-28 capped by Jimmie Johnson's win Sunday in the Shelby American GT350 NASCAR Sprint Cup.
While Johnson overtook teammate Jeff Gordon to capture his fourth victory at the 1.5-mile Diamond in the Desert, Las Vegas cashed in on a $150 million cha ching of its own with a crowd of about 150,000 fans on a glorious Sunday afternoon. It was the ninth consecutive sellout of a NASCAR Cup event.
Ironically, Johnson’s triumph came just as Nev. Gov. Jim Gibbons and state lawmakers were frantically attempting to balance a horrendous budget in Carson City. If ever there was a classic example of trying to right-side a disastrous imbalance, it had to be in the form of a popular motor sports gathering of NASCAR stars which came running to Southern Nevada just in time.
