Pennsylvania couple shows up in Las Vegas not knowing about F1

Imagine making your way into Las Vegas from across the country for a three-day stay at a Strip resort not realizing that your arrival was right in the middle of the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix.

“I had no idea what F1 was,” said Nikki Wheeler of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while riding the tram between Bellagio and Park MGM Saturday night. “I was like, ‘What’s an F1? Did they say FB?’ I know it’s the little cars, right?”

By little, she meant low-to-the-ground — and not only are they low to the ground, but they’re open-cockpit, single-seat cars with supercharged rear-mounted engines that can propel them up to 233 mph.

She and husband Larry decided to drive to Las Vegas in a rental car, spend Friday through Tuesday in the city, then fly back Tuesday night. They had no idea what kinds of Strip disruptions were in store for them when they arrived.

They checked in with Masi, their Morkie — a crossbreed dog blending a Yorkshire terrier and a Maltese — into New York-New York and decided to explore on foot Saturday night as race fans made their way to the Strip race course. Masi rode in a clear backpack carrier Larry shouldered and would take occasional breaks to walk around and get pets and admiration from race fans who saw her on her leash.

It was the Wheelers’ first trip to Las Vegas and Masi’s first road trip.

“Everybody is so friendly and it’s amazing how everyone is wearing gear for their favorite race teams,” said Nikki, clutching her Pittsburgh Steelers jacket.

She said she won $100 in free casino play and $200 in food credits through her MGM app and spontaneously decided to make the cross-country drive.

The drive took just over a day and a half, but the couple had car trouble that delayed them a few hours.

“I think the rental company gave us a lemon,” she said. “We got a flat tire and had to go a couple of hours out of our way.”

Larry said he hoped to see some of the race through his hotel room window. But when he checked in, he realized their room faced New York-New York’s roller coaster and not the Strip.

“Maybe we’ll watch it on TV,” he said. “Our TV is about as big as the tram door.”

The couple has a cousin who lives in Las Vegas they plan to visit and then sightseeing on Segways is in their plan.

“He told us everything is going to be a little more expensive with the race,” Nikki said.

The $200 credit won’t go too far, she said, with steaks costing $150 at some restaurants.

“So far, it’s been a good trip but this race turned out to be a pretty big surprise.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.