NASCAR
Stratta’s Six: Who Can Cash in with a Las Vegas Jackpot?
Six weeks of grueling Playoff battles on and off-track have whittled 2025’s contenders down to the elite eight. The initial postseason grid has been cut in half heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The South Point 400 has quickly built up a reputation as a very pressure-packed race. One driver hopes to turn the desert diamond into a victory oasis. Whoever wins this pivotal round has two weeks of preparation for the Phoenix finale. This exact scenario has led five teams to hoist the Bill France Cup at season’s end, including last year. Here are a few drivers who hope to have the winning hand in Las Vegas and throw care to the wind over the coming two weeks.
Kyle Larson
Different horses are made for different courses, and perhaps nobody better suits Las Vegas Motor Speedway than Kyle Larson. Winning here most recently in March 2024, that marked driver 5’s third Silver State victory. Dating back to 2017, Larson’s only seen three Las Vegas finishes worse than 10th. After leading 61 laps here this spring only to finish ninth, Larson eyes a redemptive run.
“We have a great history at (Las Vegas) but you can never expect to have a good result any time you go to a race,” Larson said. “But I do feel like we’ve learned some things on our mile-and-a-half program. So I am excited to get there and see if we can match what we had at Kansas if not be a little better.”
Larson is the oddsmakers’ favorite for this weekend’s race, chasing his second fall win here in three years. Should Larson take the checkers on Sunday, he would tie Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano for winningest man at Las Vegas. Intermediate speed was the 5 team’s strength to start this season—they hope to recapture winning magic.
Kyle Larson’s No. 5 HendrickCars.Com Chevrolet on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Joey Logano
Speaking of Joey Logano, the four-time Vegas winner most recently came in clutch here 12 months ago. Stretching his final tank of fuel longer than his competitors that day eked out a season-defining victory for the 22. This win eventually propelled him to the 2024 championship, a feat he also pulled off in 2022. Logano reflected on the winning emotions felt in Sin City last season.
“Just pure excitement because the goal when you start the season is to win the championship and it takes a lot of stepping stones to get to that place,” Logano said. “One of the largest ones is just getting to the Championship 4. That’s the one closest to the championship, so getting to the Championship 4 is so hard to do. So when we won that race, you automatically know, ‘Gosh, we’re in it. We’ve got a chance.’”
As dangerous as Logano can be in the Round of 8, he does start out in the basement. The Penske 22 is already 19 points in the hole below the cut line, almost in a must-win scenario out of the gate. Despite his Texas win in May, Logano’s intermediate pace this year has left room for improvement. Should the door open itself for a daring alternate strategy call though, the ever-gambling 22 crew may go all in again.
Joey Logano’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Denny Hamlin
If anyone has adapted nicely to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in recent years it’s Denny Hamlin. The 2021 South Point 400 winner, March was only his third race outside of the top-10 here since 2020. The man with five trophies in his case this season, Hamlin eyes Vegas vindication after losing out in Kansas. Two weeks ago saw the No. 11 team flex their muscles with unmatched and elite intermediate performance not seen elsewhere in 2025. Hamlin led 159 laps and swept both stages only to come home in a painful second.
Still chasing his coveted 60th win milestone, the high dollar driver hopes to take another Vegas check to the pay window. If any hint of Hamlin’s Kansas pace returns, he’s a surefire top-five threat if not a runaway winner. Luck will have to play into Hamlin’s hands, however, if he is to leave Las Vegas on top.
Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
William Byron
Leading almost all drivers in Next Gen average finish at Las Vegas (6.3) is William Byron. The Hendrick 24 was triumphant here most recently in spring 2023, and remains perfect in top-10s ever since. The Roval was one position shy of a third-straight Playoff top-10 for Byron, who hopes to get back on track in Las Vegas.
“The next round is the one we’ve put our focus on,” Byron said. “It’s what determines if you race for a championship. Everyone especially is going to put a lot of focus on this weekend’s race (at Las Vegas). It’s the easiest way to lock yourself in. Talladega is a bit of a crapshoot, and honestly, Martinsville hasn’t been our strongest in the fall. This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for though. Hopefully we’re one of the four racing for a championship in Phoenix.”
The Round of 8 has been feast or famine for Byron in recent seasons, with recent fall Las Vegas finishes of seventh and fourth. Laps led has been an area this team’s lacked since winning Iowa in August, however. Byron must show front-running performance and execution if he is to truly contend for this year’s Cup.
William Byron’s No. 24 All-Pro Auto Reconditioning Chevrolet on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Ryan Blaney
Surprisingly winless across 18 career Sin City starts is Ryan Blaney, who eyes a breakthrough win. Blaney’s no stranger to finding Vegas success aside from victory lane, however. The 12 owns six top-fives and 10 top-10s here. Starting out the Round of 8 ranked second in points, Blaney foresees a banner day ahead out west.
“After we won New Hampshire people asked me if anything changed,” Blaney said. “I think the only thing that changed is we looked at Vegas a little bit earlier than what we normally would have. I feel like the last two Vegas events haven’t been good from practice and then the race ended poorly as well. But I feel like our cars have been pretty good there. I thought we learned a lot in Kansas. Even though I thought the best I was gonna run was seventh behind a handful of those guys. I thought we learned a little bit moving forward and hopefully we can put a good weekend together there. I look forward to getting to it.”
If Kansas was a bit of a Las Vegas preview, the Penske 12 ended that day in a dismal 24th. This came after a late pit road speeding penalty relegated him back in the pack. Despite being reset to second in standings, Blaney has no room for any error over the next three weeks. Only six points currently protect the 12 from elimination. Blaney hopes to grow that gap after Las Vegas if not win his way into Phoenix.
Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Christopher Bell
The last two fall Las Vegas races have gone very similarly for Christopher Bell—start on pole only to come home a painful second. These mark Bell’s best results in Sin City, with over 200 laps led in this span. Bell is perhaps best poised of all drivers winless in Sin City to hit a jackpot, with incredible Toyota intermediate speed in his favor.
Bell was a contender in the closing laps at Kansas two weeks ago, before fading late to third. The No. 20 Toyota equaled this result at the Roval. This continued a very impressive stretch of five-straight Playoff top-10s for the 20. Bell was none too happy to be out-maneuvered here by Logano last season. He may be seeing red en route to victory lane on Sunday.
Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Any of the elite eight putting all factors together on Sunday will be rewarded one of 2025’s most cherished wins. Two weeks of preparation for the championship finale is worth its weight in gold. This golden nugget prize lies ahead and for the taking from the eight best drivers and teams left standing. The high rolling gauntlet goes green Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Following the South Point 400, one title hopeful may be elevated to the Bill France Cup’s doorstep.
Written by Peter Stratta
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