Kyle Busch takes NBC for Las Vegas homecoming ride

NBC pit road reporter Kelli Stavast of Las Vegas, right, interviews Las Vegas racer Kyle Busch at Texas Motor Speedway. (Courtesy/NBC)

NBC pit road reporter Kelli Stavast of Las Vegas, right, interviews Las Vegas racer Kyle Busch at Texas Motor Speedway. (Courtesy/NBC)

NASCAR on NBC pit road reporter Kelli Stavast is a Las Vegas resident. (Gerardo Mora/NBC Sports)

Kelli Stavast (Courtesy/NBC)

It was sort of like “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” if one substituted auto racing people from Las Vegas for the comedians and bonbons for the coffee.

NASCAR co-points leader Kyle Busch, who was born in Las Vegas, and “NASCAR on NBC” pit road reporter Kelli Stavast, who moved here seven years ago, spent Wednesday driving around the valley visiting places near and dear to the racer’s heart for a feature that will air during Sunday’s South Point 400 prerace show.

Their last stop was the Ethel M Chocolate Factory in Henderson.

“The cactus garden they have at the chocolate factory is the place his grandma used to enjoy visiting and having a tea or whatever, and Kyle used to go with her when he was 5 years old,” Stavast said. “And now, full circle, he’s inside signing autographs.”

They also stopped by Busch’s boyhood homes and his alma mater, Durango High School, and some of his other favorite haunts growing up. It was quite the joy ride, Stavast said, as the NASCAR champion showed a side of his personality few rarely get to see.

“Kyle was in a place where I’ve never seen him and opened up so much and shared so many good stories,” Stavast said. “The spot was designed for 2½ minutes, but we could easily do a half-hour feature or more. What we will wind up airing on Sunday will be the tip of the iceberg of the amazing content we got.”

Remembering Spencer

Xfinity Series driver Spencer Gallagher will honor fellow Las Vegas racer Spencer Clark with a special paint scheme during Saturday’s DC Solar 300. Clark appeared headed for a big auto racing future when he was killed in a 2006 highway accident. When Gallagher started his career, he chose Clark’s No. 23 to honor his pal.

“I feel like it’s fitting that I am back for my hometown race (after recovering from a shoulder injury) and to run a special tribute on the No. 23 to a close family friend of mine, Spencer Clark,” said Gallagher, who won his first Xfinity race at Talladega Superspeedway in April. “He was a big part of starting my career, and it’s nice to be able to pay respect to him and his family.”

Green, white, checkered

Kevin Harvick is a 5-to-2 betting favorite to win Sunday’s South Point 400 according to the title sponsor race book, followed by fellow points leader Kyle Busch of Las Vegas and reigning series champion Martin Truex Jr. at 7-2. Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski, winner of the past two races heading into the playoffs, are 6-1. Race fans wilting in the 100-degree heat are even money.

Leader in the clubhouse for South Point 400 quote of the weekend: “I have one thing to say about that, too many damn rules! I know it’s more complicated than what we had to deal with but we’ve turned a rather simple sport, a sport about racing, into a sport about rules.” — Darrell Waltrip, on Twitter, about the current state of NASCAR.

Honorable mention for South Point 400 quote of the weekend so far: “He hasn’t been at the shop so I haven’t seen him. (So) I’m still waiting for an (butt)-chewing.” — Noah Gragson, on what team owner Kyle Busch had to say after the last-turn crash that knocked Gragson and teammate Todd Gilliland out of a 1-2 finish in the Truck Series playoff opener at Canadian Motorsport Park.

Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.