FireAde pro Larry Morgan ready to cash in at Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS – When most people think of Las Vegas, they think of the numerous opportunities to gamble in the city’s 
behemoth casinos, but FireAde Pro Stock driver Larry Morgan, who will race here this weekend at the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, thinks of something else — or rather someone else.
“I think of Bruton Smith,” Morgan said. Smith is the founder of Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns The Strip at LVMS.
“I wish I had his money to gamble with. How’s that?” Morgan said with a laugh. “When I think of Las Vegas, I think of gambling and I think of guys with money, and that would be Bruton.”
All joking aside, Morgan is appreciative of Smith and the SMI staff because Smith-owned racetracks treat NHRA competitors well.
“It’s phenomenal the way that guy and his team do stuff,” Morgan said. “I’m glad in my time that I was blessed enough to be around the guy. He’s a wonderful guy.”
Morgan has been able to celebrate in Las Vegas, winning here at the second Vegas race in 2009. And one of his two victories of 2015 happened at another Smith track, zMax Dragway in Charlotte. He’d love to add to both those totals this weekend.
“There’s a lot of good racing left this year,” Morgan said. “There’s a lot of round-wins still out there and a couple wins, too. I’d like to get a couple more wins. I’m not afraid to go after them, that’s for sure.”
Morgan is sixth in the Pro Stock points standings with two races remaining in the 2015 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. Points leader Erica Enders is way ahead of the pack, but racers second through seventh are separated by less than 110 points. Morgan is 55 points out of second and seven out of fourth place.
“I’d like to finish in the top five; that would be cool,” Morgan said. “I think we can even move up a little higher if we do well these last couple races. It’s possible we could go to second, too.”
Pro Stock qualifying sessions are scheduled for 12:15 and 3:45 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Eliminations are scheduled to begin at noon, Sunday. All racing action will be shown on ESPN2.
