DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — Las Vegas is Brendan Gaughan Country.
But his fans will have to adjust to his new look this week when Gaughan and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series roll into Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Saturday’s Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350.
In years past, this was a busy week for Gaughan as he staged an open house at his family’s race shop located on the LVMS grounds.
No longer.
For the first time, Gaughan won’t be driving a family-owned truck (or car, for that matter) at his home track. South Point Racing isn’t fielding a team in 2008 and Gaughan is driving Circle Bar Racing’s No. 10 International MAXX Force Diesel Ford.
“It will have a little bit different feel but it’s Las Vegas and it’s still my home. It’s still where my family lives so everybody will be at the race,” said Gaughan, who won the truck race in 2003 and a NASCAR Camping World Series West event two years earlier. So far, 2008 isn’t the season Gaughan envisioned. He’s 14th in the points standings with a best finish of third at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Not that he’s putting any pressure on his team but Gaughan naturally wants to improve; and improve this week.“I want to perform at every race every year but if there’s one that (the team) can spend that little bit of extra time massaging the truck and doing little things, this is the one to do it,” he said.
“I really want to win this one.”
