Saw this on the Las Vegas Sun.....

Entrepreneur wants to bring specialized motorcycle racing to Las Vegas - Monday, July 18, 2011 | 11:24 a.m. - Las Vegas Sun

The fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled sport of motorcycle speedway is on track to roar in to Las Vegas this fall.

Sin City Speedway, a half-acre dirt track south of McCarran International Airport, is currently under construction and come October it is expected to host what its owner calls "the original extreme sport."

The motorcycle equivalent of Formula One racing, speedway involves five riders on the track racing at speeds of up to 70 mph. The modified bikes have no brakes, only one gear and run on methanol. Riders stop by either closing the throttle or sliding the bike down on the track.

"You kind of just pitch the bike sideways around a dirt oval track," Sin City Speedway founder and professional racer Nate Perkins said. "It's a very exciting, highly entertaining, fast-paced sport."

The sport is hugely popular in Europe, Perkins said, and it developed a big following in California in the 1980s. He said races would draw up to 5,000 people.

A resident of Orange County, Calif., Perkins is working with Las Vegas racing icon Gene Woods to bring top pros from around the world to compete.

The speedway, which would be next to the Sports Center of Las Vegas, 121 East Sunset Road, is still awaiting final approval from the Clark County Planning Commission and, although the bikes generate a lot of noise, Perkins is confident the airport will provide enough cover that it won't be an issue.

"You've got 747 jets flying 200 yards away, so I don't think noise is going to be an problem," he said.

The races would be held every Saturday from Oct. 22 until the end of November, with a second series starting in March. Perkins expects admission to run $15 for a night of about 20 races, with discounted tickets for children.

"It's something for all ages," Perkins said. "I think it's going to give Las Vegas something to do on Saturday nights. You can only go see the Blue Man Group so many times."

The track is expected employ about 20 people as announcers, scorekeepers and track officials, he said.

Eventually, Perkins said he'd like to grow a community around speedway in Las Vegas and open up the track for practice sessions during the week so beginners can learn the sport.

"We're definitely looking to make this a home for speedway," he said.

Thats sweet

Interesting, but i would rather see some Flat Track racing where the Vegas community could get involved.

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+1

Speedway is cool and all, but it is very much a niche sport. Flat-track would be awesome to watch/try.

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I agree about it being a niche sport. I really don't see it catching on though. I hope I'm wrong. It would be nice to see the city get excited about motorcycles. It may lead to bigger and better.