HONEYMOON IN VEGAS: SMITH BUYS SPEEDWAY; WILL HE KEEP IT?

          Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been sold to Speedway
     Motorsports Inc. CEO Bruton Smith for "about" $215M,
     according to Paul Gutierrez of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. 
     Smith "was quoted as saying he spent" $150M for the track
     and $65M for 1.4 million square-feet of warehouse space and
     300 acres of nearby real estate.  Smith "also intimated that
     his acquisition of LVMS could be a short-lived one."  Smith
     told the AP: "We intend to sell these real estate holdings
     in the next 12 months.  This acquisition is a huge strategic
     transaction.  It helps Speedway Motorsports achieve a
     critical mass that will enhance our overall broadcast
     leverage, sponsorship leverage and our operating leverage"
     (L.V. REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/11).  Smith "reportedly outbid"
     NASCAR President Bill France Jr.'s Int'l Speedway Corp., and
     now owns six of the 20 tracks on the NASCAR Winston Cup
     circuit (Rea McLeroy, RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 12/11).