NASCAR heads to Kansas City this weekend; no, not that one
No, not THAT Kansas City
This weekend's NASCAR racing is at Kansas Speedway and is located in the "other" Kansas City — the one in Kansas (pop.: About 150,000). It's located across the Missouri River from its bigger neighbor, the Kansas City in Missouri (pop.: About 500,000). Missouri's Kansas City was incorporated in 1850, 22 years before the Kansas version.
Clint Bowyer was the only racing Kansan; surely you've heard of Rick Mears!
You might think "racing" when you think Kansas, but several accomplished racers were born in Kansas: Clint Bowyer, Denise McCluggage, Rick Mears (and brother Roger), Jim Roper, Johnny Rutherford, Rodger Ward and Jeff Wood. Mears was raised in Bakersfield and Rutherford in Fort Worth after leaving Kansas at a young age.
NASCAR at Darlington: Erik Jones king for a day; Chase Elliott spins, Kevin Harvick fumes
NASCAR Championship Odds: Chase Elliott favored, Joey Logano undersold; avoid Kyle Busch
NASCAR's only track with a Hollywood Casino next door
The track's original owner was the Daytona Beach-based International Speedway Corp., which has since moved under the NASCAR umbrella. The speedway opened in 2001 and 11 years later a Hollywood Hotel and Casino was opened just outside the track. It overlooks Turn 2.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR Hollywood Casino 400 at the "other" Kansas City, in Kansas
