NASCAR Drivers Hoping for the Winning Hand in Las Vegas

Start of 2022 NASCAR Pennzoil 400 03-06-22
Start of 2022 NASCAR Pennzoil 400 03-06-22 (Photo credit: YouTube)

The NASCAR Cup Series teams and drivers will be trying to put together the winning hand in the Pennzoil 400.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is not an easy track to master. In fact, only eight active drivers have won a Cup Series race on the track.

Brad Keselowski3 Wins2018, 2016, 2014
Joey Logano3 Wins2022, 2020, 2019
Kevin Harvick2 Wins2018, 2015
Martin Truex Jr2 Wins2019, 2017
Alex Bowman1 Win2022
Denny Hamlin1 Win2021
Kyle Larson1 Win2021
Kyle Busch1 Win2009

Getting the balance between speed and handling right at Las Vegas Motor Speedway can be like trying to draw and ace of spades to complete a Royal Flush. Caution periods often number in the double digits because of incidents on the track.

Here is the data that the drivers and teams will be dealing with this week.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Data
Track Size: 1.5-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 20 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 20 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,275 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,572 feet

Pennzoil 400 Data
Season Race #: 3 of 36 (03-05-23)
Race Length: 267 laps (400.5 miles)
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps
Stage 2 Length: 85 laps
Final Stage Length: 102 laps

Last year Ross Chastain and Alex Bowman looked to be the cars to beat through most of the race. However, late in the race Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. were battling for the win. The 12th caution of the race became the wild card that Alex Bowman needed to get a win with a gamble in the pits.

We will have to tune in to find out if the winner is a driver that starts the race with the winning hand. Or will it be a driver that builds a winning hand during the race. Of course, it could be another wild card that finds the right card at the end.

The cards will be dealt starting at 2:30 p.m. central time (3:30 p.m. eastern time) Sunday, March 5th in the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

By: Buck Stevens

Buck Stevens