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Who Will Have the Winning Hand in Las Vegas?

Who Will Have the Winning Hand in Las Vegas?
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR

Contenders for Pennzoil 400 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Week three of the NASCAR season will see the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the first intermediate race of 2022, who will have the lucky dice roll and win big? Vegas has been kind to Ford teams as of late. However, all three manufacturers have great shots at taking home the first 1.5-mile Next Gen race.

Joey Logano

Two-time Las Vegas winner Joey Logano has to be seen as a favorite to get a desert three-peat. The Penske 22 Mustang has won the Pennzoil 400 twice recently, in 2019 and 2020. Outside of the two wins however, Logano also has a top 10 in all but two Las Vegas races dating back to 2014. September’s race here was also the first time in this same span where the 22 failed to lead a lap. After coming oh so close to a California win, Logano will be hungry for the victory in Vegas. This is the best track statistically for the 2018 Cup champion.

Ryan Blaney

While he has not won at Las Vegas, Ryan Blaney has been close numerous times. Throughout his entire career in Las Vegas, Blaney has only finished worse than 11th twice in 11 starts. The 12 was also fifth in both races a year ago, with an average finish of 8.8. Blaney was especially close to winning the Pennzoil 400 in 2020, until a late caution set him back. Among all drivers winless at Las Vegas, Blaney may just be the one with the best odds to leave on top.

Martin Truex Jr.

Another two-time Las Vegas victor, Martin Truex Jr. shouldn’t be counted out this weekend. The winner in 2017 and 2019, Truex only has one finish outside of the top 10 since his first desert triumph. After a strong showing in Auto Club, Truex enters Vegas optimistic that the 19 can remain up front.

“There’s usually not a ton that you can take from Fontana to Vegas because of the difference in the track surface and the banking,” Truex said. “Overall, we were pretty happy with our car to start the race last week and we were moving up through there until I got into the wall. After that, it wasn’t very good, but I was excited about the way we started and the moves I was able to make, so that gives me confidence going into this weekend.”

Over the past 11 trips to Vegas, Truex has only been worse than 11th once; he is one of the most consistent in the desert. Keep an eye out on the 19 to possibly score Toyota’s first Next Gen victory.

Kyle Larson

A year ago, Las Vegas began Kyle Larson’s winning ways that took the 5 all the way to the championship. Larson won last year’s Pennzoil 400 in dominating fashion, leading a whopping 103 laps. After winning at Auto Club, Larson gave possible foreshadowing in victory lane, saying that he hopes the 5 gets on a little streak.

“It’s always fun to win in your home state,” Larson said. “I learned a lot on the track with this new Camaro ZL1 and I’m sure (crew chief) Cliff (Daniels) and the team did as well. But it’s a new car and we’re going to be constantly learning each and every race – and it will be no different this weekend at Vegas. Every lap we turn, we learn.”

Larson also looked back on his maiden victory with Hendrick Motorsports. “That win was really special for us. It was our first win as a team and meant a lot to a lot of people on this team – some visiting victory lane in the Cup Series for the first time. But I also know how much it meant to Rick and Linda (Hendrick) because the paint scheme was similar to what (their late son) Ricky (Hendrick) ran. It’s an honor to drive for them and to drive this car with this scheme that means so much to so many.”

Even in his Ganassi days, Vegas was one of Larson’s stronger venues, with eight top-10s in 11 starts. Larson may be well poised to go for two-straight victories this weekend; the 5 has not lost any pace from 2021.

Brad Keselowski

While he is now with a new team, Brad Keselowski is still the winningest active driver at Las Vegas. The Michigan native has three Nevada victories, the latest coming in 2018. Now with RFK Racing however, Keselowski has yet to have a clean race. While the 6 was ninth in the Daytona 500, that did not come without controversy. In Auto Club, the 6 spun late to finish 27th. The first 1.5-mile race of 2022 will be another opportunity for RFK to show off their offseason growth.

Keselowski has been consistently a threat at Vegas since his last win here. The last six races have seen Keselowski finish seventh or better six times, including two runner-ups. While not necessarily a favorite for the win, Keselowski is more than capable of a solid top 10.  

Denny Hamlin

The most recent Las Vegas winner, Denny Hamlin earned his first desert win in the Playoffs last fall. Aside from the September victory though, Hamlin has been one of the most consistent in recent memory at LVMS. The 11 has three-straight top-fives in Vegas, each coming with at least 47 laps led. After disappointing results in Daytona and Auto Club, the 11 team looks to get into victory lane again.

“We definitely have room for improvement,” Hamlin said. “I felt like our FedEx Camry TRD was good and the pit crew was incredible last weekend, but we need to be better to get over that hump to run in the top five. It seemed like we could get up to around sixth and we kind of stalled out there. Overall, I think there were some positives that we can build on, and as a group, I feel like we learned a lot that will help us moving forward.”

Hamlin’s Vegas top five streak is unmatched by anyone else in the Cup Series. Vegas is an excellent opportunity for the 11 team to break into victory lane. If not a win, expect the 11 to be up front again among those fighting for the top spot.

Coverage of the Pennzoil 400 will be Sunday at 3:30 ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. In the next hurdle for the Next Gen car, can one of these six drivers walk away on a heater?

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credit to Abbie Parr/Getty Images for NASCAR

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