Two NASCAR drivers have scored a win this season in the Sprint Cup series to all but guarantee themselves a spot in the Chase. This week the rest of the drivers will let it all ride to score that all important win in Las Vegas in the KOBALT 400.
Last week in Atlanta the drivers got their first chance to race with the new low down force package. Most of the drivers adjusted to it pretty quickly although they also seemed to playing it a little conservative to not make a mistake they wouldn’t be able to recover from. While there are still plenty of races before the 10-race Chase begins, the sooner you get that first trip to Victory Lane the sooner you lower the pressure on yourself and your team during the era of “win and you’re in.” That could mean the drivers will push a little harder this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and take more gambles in “Sin City” as they race around the 1.5-mile track for 400 miles of NASCAR racing.
The drivers just have to be careful not to take too big of a gamble that could result in literally going bust on the track. That kind of mistake could not only remove the chance to win, but could also put MORE pressure on their team as they have to climb out of a hole in the point standings. Las Vegas Motor Speedway already allowed close, side-by-side racing in the past. With the new low down force package that type of racing should increase. That means drivers will need to be ready to react and not get taken out of the race by somebody else’s mistake.
Which drivers have performed well at the track in Vegas in the past? Let’s take a look…
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Las Vegas
Jimmie Johnson – 111.9
Kyle Busch – 103.4
Kevin Harvick – 98.8
Matt Kenseth – 96.7
Greg Biffle – 97.9
Carl Edwards – 96.1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 95.7
Joey Logano – 94.4
Kyle Larson – 89.7
Kasey Kahne – 89.4
(Note: Driver ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (11 total) among active drivers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.)
Jimmie Johnson has won four times at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which is the most wins at the track in NASCAR’s top series. There are seven other active drivers that have won in the Sprint Cup series at the track which includes Matt Kenseth (3 wins), Jeff Burton (2 wins), Carl Edwards (2 wins) and a single win apiece for Kevin Harvick (2015 race winner), Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart (who will still not be racing this weekend) and Kyle Busch.
I am looking forward to seeing which drivers play it safe, which drivers hedge their bets and which drivers gamble it all for the win this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The low down force package should make for some exciting racing side-by-side if the drivers push the limits a little further this week.
The betting window for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers and teams will open at 2:30 PM central time (3:30 PM ET) Sunday, March 6th with the start of the KOBALT 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and I will be watching to see who gets to take a trip to the pay window to collect the jackpot.
By: Buck Stevens
