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Sunday, July 8 New speedway a source of Kansas pride Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- For a change, people on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area, aren't feeling inferior to their neighbors on the larger and more populous Missouri side of town. The gleaming new Kansas Speedway is the first major sports venue to open in these parts in 25 years, and the only one ever in Kansas' Wyandotte County. The economic impact of the new facility could be dramatic in what has historically been the most underdeveloped part of a six-county region. Kansas Gov. Bill Graves, left, was instrumental in building the Kansas Speedway. "Pride is probably the operative word," said Kansas Gov. Bill Graves. Kansas City's major league franchises, football's Chiefs and baseball's Royals, have always played on the Missouri side of town. Kemper Arena, site of the 1988 NCAA Final Four as well as the annual Big 12 tournament, also sits on Missouri soil. But the speedway began drawing national attention to the Sunflower State on Sunday with the nationally televised Ameristar Casino Indy 200. And no crowd in Arrowhead Stadium or Kemper Arena ever approached the nearly 150,000 the Speedway drew this weekend in just one 24-hour period. "Kansans love to support the Chiefs, love to support the Royals," Graves said. "But those venues have always been on the Missouri side. For us to have the venue on our side of the state line is pretty meaningful for Kansas. And from a national perspective, when the Winston Cup and Busch Series race is here in September ... you know the attention that's given to those events. "We get to be in the spotlight for once, and it's exciting." Familiar faces Mort Walker, creator of the Beetle Bailey comic strip, was the starter for the Ameristar Casino Indy 200. Johnny Rutherford, a three-time Indy 500 winner, drove the Oldsmobile pace car. Welcome relief A thin cloud cover and a gentle westerly breeze cooled down the oppressive heat a few welcome degrees. "It felt like God had turned on the air conditioner out there," said Sam Hornish Jr., who finished second in the Ameristar Casino Indy 200 to Eddie Cheever Jr. "It was nice." Nevertheless, the hot track was a factor for tires. "Today was a lot like racing in a skillet, giving the Firehawks their most challenging workout this season," said Al Speyer, Bridgestone/Firestone director. "The left-side tires were the same construction and compound as used in this year's Indy 500, while the right-side tires featured the hardest compound we currently have in our IRL tire inventory." Rock Chalk Jayhawk It turned out not to be a happy homecoming for Rick Galles, the former Kansas football player. While he and his family and a host of old friends looked on, neither of the cars he owns finished the race. Back in town Jim Harbaugh, who quarterbacked Indianapolis to a big upset victory in 1995 that knocked the Chiefs out of the playoffs, had a happy time in his return to town. He's a partner in the car driven by Sam Hornish Jr., which finished second. No sympathy at all Eddie Cheever Jr. did not pretend to feel sorry for polesitter Scott Sharp after Sharp spun out and had to leave the Ameristar Casino Indy 200. The drivers have quarreled in recent weeks over their driving habits. "Anybody who's capable of spinning out off the pole like he did at the first lap at Indy obviously doesn't have his act together," said Cheever. He added that he does not like being "within a country mile of Scott Sharp on the track." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

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