by Norm Johnson Send Me E-mail

Another big weekend of speed is headed our way with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Smith's Las Vegas 350 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday evening. This is a really great race with at least 10 former Cup drivers competing for that coveted checkered flag.

Heading that list is of course our very own Brendan Gaughan, who will be driving the South Point Hotel & Casino sponsored #77 Dodge for the first time. His dad, Michael, has taken total ownership of the Hotel / Casino (originally called South Coast), thus the sponsorship. The Orleans is the former sponsor, but is no longer viable. Don't get the idea that Michael Gaughan is not still involved with the old sponsor, because he is. It's just that he now owns 100 percent of South Point.

The list of Cup drivers include Jeremy Mayfield, Johnny Benson (who just won a truck race), Jack Sprague, Ron Hornaday, defending race winner Todd Bodine, Ted Musgrave, Mike Bliss, Bobby Hamilton Jr., and Mike Skinner. Mayfield is keeping his hands busy while he waits for the 2007 Cup season to get underway, when he'll be driving a Toyota in the big show.

Other drivers of interest include Kraig Kinser, the son of World Outlaws legend Steve Kinser, Australian Marcos Ambrose and former Champ Car (that's the group that is coming to downtown Las Vegas next year and racing on the streets) star Michel Jourdain Jr.

This will be the first race on the new surface and its new 20 degree high banks at the corners. A total of 36 trucks will take the green flag and hopefully all 36 will get the checkered. But, unfortunately, the odds of that happening in a Craftsman truck race are extremely rare. I'm putting a couple of bucks on good old #77 to come home with a victory. Call 644-4444 for tickets.

Went to a special VIP party the other evening inside the Social House, the first restaurant from the Las Vegas-based Pure Management Group (PMG) at Treasure Island (TI). Social House is an innovative sushi restaurant with a really cool interior décor, and great food. As you know, I am unable to partake of sushi or anything to do with potential shell fish (I am allergic) but my friends had no problem and reported it was divine. I did have some of their Tamarind short ribs and all I can say is go for them right off the bat.

Social House was designed by the New York firm of AvroKO, and combines an array of color patterns with a modern wood and steel-based design. What is also neat is that it overlooks the lake where the girls of TI do battle each evening. There are tables outside and of course inside, but what with the wonderful weather now - who wants to sit inside? Social House has a great menu and it offers late-night dining Tuesday through Saturday from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. So, the next time you're out to a show or a nightclub and feel hungry afterwards, you now have a place to go and relax and have some great food.

Went to the Grand Opening of Bosendorfer Pianos last night (Thursday) in Summerlin. I had never in my life seen a limited edition piano - the company only produces 200 pianos for distribution in the United States each year. But since it is considered the gold standard of concert pianos favored by emperors, royalty, and artists (the company was founded in 1828), I can well understand the limit. Each Bosendorfer is painstakingly handcrafted in Vienna, the music capital of the world (well at least that's what the publicist said). They are considered the slowest piano builders in the world - drying each piece of wood for up to seven years before the creation process of a signature piano begins. Among the recognizable names that actually own or play on a Bosendorfer piano are Lionel Richie, Tori Amos, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Michael Jackson. We were told that George Harrison, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby also each owned one.

Bosendorfer Pianos of Las Vegas is located at 1215 S. Fort Apache Road. Clients who live outside of Southern Nevada are provided with air and ground transportation to its showroom and accommodations at a Summerlin five-star resort. Call them at (702) 914-4400.

THIS AND THAT QUICKLY: I was really running this week, beginning with last Saturday afternoon when I drove to the Suncoast Hotel / Casino to see my friends' sketches. I am of course speaking of Rich Little who is a wonderful artist. His wife, Marie, assembled all his sketches done over the years and decided to offer them to the public. From what I understand she interviewed a number of agents and galleries and decided on Ra Gallery of Las Vegas to represent him as an artist. Just a few of the fabulous sketches (originals done in charcoal) include Humphrey Bogart, The Four Presidents, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Orson Welles. Of course you can check them out on www.raart.org...

Stephen Sorrentino, another good friend, sent me an e-mail informing me that the Annual Festival of Lights for 2006 will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9th at the Lakes, and as usual it's free to the public. More on this later.

I would like to report that the fabulous Las Vegas Tenors (I refer to them as the Four Tenors) have been asked to do four more Monday evening shows at the Suncoast in November. Bill Fayne, founder of the group, will be performing the last Monday of this current engagement (Oct. 1). The count has been great from the first Monday to last Monday. If you want to hear some wonderful singing, then take that $20 bill you were going to put in a slot machine and see their show either this Monday or on Oct.1. It's a bargain.

Well, gang, that's about it for this week.

I'm outa here!

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