Hornish, Busch teams to test at LVMS

Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr. will return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first time in seven years next week as he takes part in the Busch Series edition of NASCAR Preseason Thunder Las Vegas. He will be joined by 44 other drivers for the test.

Hornish, who finished a then career best third in the 2000 Vegas Indy 300 Indy Racing League event at LVMS, will test on Tuesday, Feb. 6. Teammate Kurt Busch will test the car on Monday, Feb. 5.

“I’m excited to test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway," Hornish said. “Kurt and Ryan (Newman) tested their Nextel Cup cars last week and, as I understand it, the changes made to the track have made it especially fast. I have not turned a lap at LVMS in a stock car, but having an experienced driver like Kurt will certainly help my education."

In addition to Hornish, 24 current full-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers will participate in the two-day test as they prepare for the Sam’s Town 300. Defending series champion Kevin Harvick, defending Sam’s Town 300 champion Kasey Kahne, Las Vegans Kurt and Kyle Busch and all five drivers from the Roush Racing stable are scheduled to test.

Australian Marcos Ambrose, former Formula I driver Juan Pablo Montoya and two-time Sam’s Town 300 winner Jeff Burton also are scheduled to test.

The speedway’s grandstands will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.