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Sports
Sep. 19, 2008
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JEFF WOLF: Deiro visionary behind LVMS

JEFF WOLF
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Southern Nevada race fans should know about Robert Deiro. Without him, there might not be a Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Those around for the groundbreaking in 1995 credit Richie Clyne with initial financial backing from the late Ralph Engelstad for creating the speedway, which opened with an IndyCar race on Sept. 15, 1996.

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    • Bruton Smith and Speedway Motorsports Inc. then took the facility to a higher level with major improvements made since buying it in late 1998.

    Clyne was cited for his "vision" to build the $200 million speedway complex when he was inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame four years ago.

    That "vision" actually was Deiro's. Clyne's passion was and remains antique and classic cars, not racing.

    "(Deiro) was the one who got me interested in the speedway," Clyne said in a telephone interview this week.

    Deiro -- pronounced DAY-row -- is the unsung hero whose decades of experience in racing and business led Clyne to the well, and then Engelstad primed the pump with the funding.

    Deiro, 71, had a passion for racing that dates to the late 1950s. He was an amateur sports-car racer for about 30 years.

    His drive and background provided the cornerstone for the speedway, which has become host to Nevada's biggest sports events.

    Deiro called me a few months ago to share his history. I was skeptical, but became a believer after he shared records and newspaper articles that back his claim.

    Why didn't Deiro speak out before?

    "I've been getting treatments for Stage IV prostate cancer, and I just wanted to get the record straight," he told me in our first conversation.

    The longtime Las Vegas resident deserves it, too.

    The only benefit he's received -- other than seeing the seed he planted grow into one of the country's major motor sports facilities -- was being allowed to test his sports cars at the speedway at no charge. He also said he was supposed to get 10 percent of gross profits, but that hasn't happened.

    "It's not the only deal I made without a contract that I could kick myself for," said the founder of Robert Deiro & Associates, an auction and liquidation company now run by his son.

    In the mid-1980s, Deiro began seeing firsthand how the Las Vegas Speedrome was falling into disrepair under Alex Rodriguez Jr., who leased it from the City of Las Vegas long before the property became an unincorporated part of Clark County.

    Deiro began looking for land to build a racing facility.

    After a few years of encountering countless bureaucratic roadblocks, he began to focus on acquiring the Speedrome, which was located on what now is LVMS property. He alerted the city to the poor condition of its dragstrip, oval track and road course, and got its attention when he learned it was not carrying adequate liability insurance.

    The city decided to put the facility up for sale in early 1989. Deiro said he had financial backing from casino pioneer Jackie Gaughan to buy it, but Gaughan pulled out within a few days of the deadline over liability concerns.

    Three days before the deadline to submit a purchase proposal to the city, Deiro ran into Clyne at an auction and asked if he was interested in becoming involved. Clyne liked the idea and pitched it to Engelstad, who agreed to fund it for $1.07 million.

    Deiro remained with Clyne and his group as a consultant for what became Las Vegas Raceway Park. Today's Bullring short track is located on the same spot as the Speedrome's oval.

    When you think of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, think of Robert Deiro.

    Speedway president Chris Powell had not heard of Deiro until I shared his story.

    The speedway should name its road course in honor of Deiro because had he never raced on the one at the Speedrome there might not be a Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    To Deiro, that would have greater, lasting value than the percentage of the gross he said he was promised.

    For him, it's about adding to his legacy for his children and grandchildren.

    (For more about Deiro, go to Wolf's motor sports blog at lvrj.com/blogs/heavypedal.)

    Jeff Wolf's motor sports column is published Friday. He can be reached at 383-0247 or jwolf@reviewjournal.com.



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    Mike wrote on September 28, 2008 08:50 AM: Hey Jeff, I thought it would be great idea to build a NASCAR track in Las Vegas ever since I moved here in 1979. That was several years before this Deiro character claims he got the idea. Does this mean I belong in the Hall Of Fame too? And who do I see to get my 10 percent of the profits?


    jeff wolf wrote on September 22, 2008 05:00 PM: A note from the writer of this column:

    1. I know Chris. He's a very good driver. Has nothing to do with history of LVMS. I did the research and have documents to back it up.
    2.All credit to Richie and Ralph but also to Deiro for getting the fire lit.
    3. The past week was 12th anniversary of first major LVMS race. We had plenty of advance truck coverage.
    4. I explained why he didn't speak out before.
    Not sure why people are reluctant to give Deiro some credit ... Richie did.

    Please call me if you have questions or added comments...383-0247.
    Take care and thanks for reading LVRJ.com.

    JEFF.


    jeff wolf wrote on September 22, 2008 04:58 PM: A note from the writer of this column:

    1. I knew Chris. He's a good driver. Has nothing to do with history of LVMS. I did the research and have documents to back it up.
    2.All credit to Richie and Ralph but also to Deiro for getting the fire lit.
    3. The past week was 12th anniversary of first major LVMS race. We had plenty of advance truck coverage.
    4. I explained why he didn't speak out before.
    Not sure why people are reluctant to give Deiro some credit ... Richie did.

    Please call me if you have questions or added comments...383-0247.
    Take care and thanks for reading LVRJ.com.

    JEFF.


    jeff wolf wrote on September 22, 2008 04:57 PM: A note from the writer of this column:

    1. I knew Chris. He's a good driver. Hasn't nothing to do with history of LVMS. I did the research and have documents to back it up.
    2.All credit to Richie and Ralph but also to Deiro for getting the first lit.
    3. The past week was 12th anniversary of first major LVMS race. We had plenty of advance truck coverage.
    4. I explained why he didn't speak out before.
    Not sure why people are reluctant to give Deiro some credit ... Richie did.

    Please call me if you have questions or added comments...383-0247.
    Take care and thanks for reading LVRJ.com.

    JEFF.


    richard wrote on September 19, 2008 09:32 PM: wow in this day and age of the internet one would hope a REAL journalist would check his facts before writing an article!for someone whos job includes covering the racing at LVMS im surprised youre not aware that for several years theres been a team called CLYNE MOTORSPORTS owned by Richie Clyne with his son Chris racing in nascar late models and several other classes of cars at the bullring.or perhaps like this article proves you just prefer to ignore the facts and write about whatever hearsay suits your agenda!Like an earlier post stated,on a nascar weekend with a large contingent of race fans in town this is what you chose to write about??


    Mike wrote on September 19, 2008 05:34 PM: Hey, Steve: there are plenty of guys who have come and gone in this town who have had grand plans and did nothing with. This guy may have had a plan, but Richie and Ralph and Mr. Bennett made it happen. They're the ones who belong in the Hall of Fame, not this guy.


    Teddy wrote on September 19, 2008 05:29 PM: There's a NASCAR truck race in town this weekend and THIS is what you choose to write about??? Amazing.


    cashmack wrote on September 19, 2008 02:53 PM: this is the biggest crock of bull!!if this is the real story why didnt he come foward with all this proof back then??Richie Clyne & Ralph Englestad took that run down track that nobody wanted and built it into the finest race facility themselves!!perhaps he had first crack at the track deal and the papers to prove that but like a lot of deals if you dont have the cash your just a pretender.Quite like those classic car auctions business Deiro used to have,something like Mr Clyne continues to have great success with.Sad to hear that hes taken ill but its obvious Mr. Deiro confuses the term "vision" with hallucination!


    Steve Zelma wrote on September 19, 2008 10:28 AM: Finally, the truth has come out! He should be in the Sports Hall of Fame too.