Vegas Baby! For the third race of the season the NASCAR activity turns its attention to Sin City and the high-octane racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This track also hosted the aero package test a few weeks ago in January so that the teams could get a feel for what the package does to the cars. This race is being considered the first true test of the package since Daytona was a restrictor plate race, Atlanta was a tire ware track, and now this track is a fairly level test of the package.

Typically at this track, single-file racing takes hold but that was before the reduced horsepower and the tapered spacer came into existence which may force more pack racing like there was in the test in January. You should still be able to have a few cars break away from the rest though which could help with the racking up of the dominator points. The track is a 1.5-mile Tri-Oval layout with progressive banking in the turns that goes from 12 degrees in the bottom groove up to 20 degrees up by the wall.

Track position is a key factor here as four of the last five winners have started P4 or better and three of them started second while the fifth winner started P18 in 2015. There are also only four drivers in the field this week with a +5 or better PD mark in the last four or more races here. Getting the laps led and fastest laps in to the lineups is imperative this week as there are 267 laps on Sunday giving plenty of bonus points on both sites. In terms of cautions at Las Vegas, last year there were 12 in the September race, the first time a race had been run at the track that late in the year, and that was the second-most ever in a race. Of the 22 races run at Vegas, only four have seen double-digit cautions and seven of those 22 have had exactly six cautions in them.

Track Data

Drivers to Watch this Week

Last Five Races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

  Avg.RunAvg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Brad Keselowski57.4643.423555
Kevin Harvick5101217.2-7.222333
Martin Truex Jr56.85.64.22.614455
Joey Logano54.45.65.4-103555
Kyle Larson58.610.29.8-1.203444
Ryan Blaney510.810.48.42.402445
Kyle Busch412.38.38.83.502333
Ryan Newman519.21310.68.601245
Denny Hamlin51313.415.8-2.801224
Austin Dillon517.216.814.82.401134
Jimmie Johnson513.413.617.8-4.401133
Chase Elliott49.51227.8-18.301111
Paul Menard5171613400245
Aric Almirola519.419.2163.400233
  Avg.RunAvg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Daniel Suarez31620.318-200112
Clint Bowyer518.817.818.8000112
Erik Jones3614.321-1500122
Kurt Busch47.312.823.8-16.500111
Chris Buescher426.525.319.86.700022
Ricky Stenhouse Jr519.421.223.6-4.200022
Alex Bowman318.722.726-7.300002
Michael McDowell525.427.428.6-3.200001
Ross Chastain233.530.524.5900001
Landon Cassill433.332.3276.300001
Corey LaJoie23333.527.55.500001
  Avg.RunAvg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Ty Dillon328.327.326.3200000
Matt DiBenedetto430.828.325.8500000
David Ragan525.227.826.6-1.400000
BJ McLeod13835281000000
Bubba Wallace228.52829.5-100000
Reed Sorenson238.535.5317.500000
Joey Gase1373532500000
William Byron2192632-1300000
Parker Kligerman0000000000
Ryan Preece0000000000
Daniel Hemric0000000000
Cody Ware0000000000
Matt Tifft0000000000

 

Driver#Laps LedLL/RaceFast LapsFL/RaceT15 RateAvg. RatingLC
Brad Keselowski519739.40155310.93114.81340
Kevin Harvick537174.2017635.20.75112.21340
Martin Truex Jr525551.0017134.20.96120.41063
Joey Logano519539.009619.20.97112.4253
Kyle Larson5244.8050100.898.61073
Ryan Blaney510.203060.75951339
Kyle Busch44912.254711.750.86100.8984
Ryan Newman5142.801530.73841339
Denny Hamlin5112.20142.80.6884.21323
Austin Dillon520.4071.40.4678.71336
Jimmie Johnson514028.0011122.20.6392.9681
Chase Elliott400.002870.8189.8428
Paul Menard500.001020.4575.71162
Aric Almirola500.0061.20.3872.91335
Daniel Suarez300.00310.1163.6288
Driver#Laps LedLL/RaceFast LapsFL/RaceT15 RateAvg. RatingLC
Clint Bowyer500.0020.40.4168.11069
Erik Jones300.001550.8288.61311
Kurt Busch4328.00225.50.6883.81016
Chris Buescher400.0051.250.0654.8885
Ricky Stenhouse Jr500.0030.60.266.91308
Alex Bowman300.001550.3761.1564
Michael McDowell5132.6081.60.0549.21061
Ross Chastain200.00000.0240.5533
Landon Cassill400.0010.25039.81335
Corey LaJoie200.00000.0137.81334
Ty Dillon320.67000.0147.5749
Matt DiBenedetto400.0020.50.01461340
David Ragan500.00510.0345.8802
Driver#Laps LedLL/RaceFast LapsFL/RaceT15 RateAvg. RatingLC
BJ McLeod100.0000033.3268
Bubba Wallace200.0000048.2258
Reed Sorenson200.0000032.51340
Joey Gase100.0000026.51306
William Byron200.0052.50.0654.3473
Parker Kligerman000.0000000
Ryan Preece000.0000000
Daniel Hemric000.0000000
Cody Ware000.0000000
Matt Tifft000.0000000

 

Top-15 Drivers Over Last 10 Races at Las Vegas

  Avg.RunAvg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.Fin.Diff.W5101520
Brad Keselowski109.610.310.8-1.235777
Kevin Harvick1013.711.116.6-2.923567
Martin Truex Jr1011.17.68.62.5146810
Jimmie Johnson1011.510.512-0.513578
Joey Logano106.49.38.8-2.404789
Ryan Newman1014.913.512.52.403579
Kyle Busch910.410.414-3.603466
Kyle Larson61011.811.3-1.303445
Ryan Blaney510.810.48.42.402445
Paul Menard1019.314.611.47.9015810
Denny Hamlin1015.91515.20.701359
Austin Dillon716.717.115.90.801135
Chase Elliott49.51227.8-18.301111
Clint Bowyer1014.516.917.3-2.800345
Aric Almirola921.922.820.9100234

 

  LapsLaps LedFastestFastest LapsTop 15Avg.
Driver#Led/ RaceLaps/ RaceRateRating
Brad Keselowski1026326.3021221.2074%101.4
Kevin Harvick1040040.0024824.8074%104.5
Martin Truex Jr1025825.8018518.5088%107.5
Jimmie Johnson1029329.3026726.7073%103.2
Joey Logano1023923.9013213.2082%101.4
Ryan Newman10141.40212.1068%84.2
Kyle Busch912914.3310211.3377%98.9
Kyle Larson6244.00579.5070%94.9
Ryan Blaney510.20306.0075%95
Paul Menard1090.90444.4057%83
Denny Hamlin10151.50191.9054%81.1
Austin Dillon720.2981.1442%77.5
Chase Elliott400.00287.0081%89.8
Clint Bowyer1070.7090.9049%73.4
Aric Almirola900.0080.8931%65.7

 

Top-15 Drivers At Similar Tracks (Chicago, Kansas, Kentucky, Las Vegas)

  Avg.RunningAvg.Position TopTopTopTopLapsFastestTop-15Avg.
Driver#StartPositionFinishDiff.W5101520LedLapsRateRating
Martin Truex Jr208.67.86.12.571314182098369485%114.7
Brad Keselowski207.29.28.6-1.45916181870250286%106.3
Kevin Harvick206.97.911.1-4.24915161796260085%115.5
Kyle Busch197.36.26.90.421016181885847192%114.8
Denny Hamlin2012.813.212.30.5171114174210272%89.5
Chase Elliott1511.112.217.3-6.21668916513977%95.1
Kyle Larson2014.312.413.60.70913131515428675%95
Joey Logano207.88.99.7-1.90817171737721184%101.3
Ryan Blaney1611.410.311.7-0.30610121417818878%97
Ryan Newman2015.915.816.4-0.50451114195051%78.7
Kurt Busch199.912.414.6-4.7038111514810873%88
Jimmie Johnson2016.414.316.6-0.2025131426122765%87.4
Erik Jones1111.213.816.6-5.40167725974%86.3
Clint Bowyer2018.916.718.20.7013812243751%73.1
Austin Dillon2015.217.518.1-2.9012715224843%75.9

 

DraftKings Scoring in Last Five Pennzoil 400s

Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgDK Seas. Avg.
Kyle Larson49.548-6.503426.548.7530.3051.75
Joey Logano49.7550.7580.5048.2556.550.2557.1545.75
Kevin Harvick132.5-1246.75138-1.7560.2560.7043.44
Kyle Busch66.51375 6139.7553.8842.75
Erik Jones43.522   32.7532.7541.75
Brad Keselowski4789.7571.546.7577.2568.3866.4541.44
Denny Hamlin32.547.518.55547.2540.0040.1540.75
Kurt Busch-22243.25 15.5-10.009.6940.44
Ty Dillon2726.5   26.7526.7539.67
Jimmie Johnson38.558.2586.50-2.2560.548.3848.3036.62
Chase Elliott-1555.5-16  20.258.1736.12
Ryan Newman47.5314053.542.539.2542.9035.25
Ross Chastain19    19.0019.0033.67
Clint Bowyer19.5373522428.2523.5033.56
Parker Kligerman    -4 -4.0032.83
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgDK Seas. Avg.
Ryan Blaney41.2535.55137 38.3841.1932.5
Aric Almirola53.54637.5249.7522.4032.12
Austin Dillon3417.541.5291625.7527.6031.56
Ricky Stenhouse Jr2373618-3.515.0016.1031.25
Alex Bowman36.5  -15636.509.1730.44
Martin Truex Jr53115.532.5052.7529.0084.2556.5530.25
Ryan Preece       29.83
Chris Buescher44.52317.00  33.7528.1729.17
Corey LaJoie 0   0.000.0028.67
BJ McLeod       28
David Ragan23.51811.0013620.7514.3026.83
Matt DiBenedetto322317.00  27.5024.0026.08
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgDK Seas. Avg.
Paul Menard4020.530.50457030.2541.2026.06
Daniel Suarez10.516   13.2513.2525.5
Michael McDowell-8.2534.516.0016-713.1310.2525.17
Joey Gase17    17.0017.0025
Landon Cassill 17.51516 17.5016.1723.75
William Byron7.5    7.507.5021.08
Daniel Hemric       20.42
Bubba Wallace28    28.0028.0017.17
Matt Tifft       17
Cody Ware       13.5
Reed Sorenson 19  1619.0017.500

FanDuel Scoring in Last Five Pennzoil 400s

Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgFD Seas. Avg.
Joey Logano64.765.274.158.466.664.9565.8052.35
Denny Hamlin51.566.244.7069.763.358.8559.0850.93
Kurt Busch8.330.857.80 39.919.5534.2050.28
Ty Dillon46.948.4   47.6547.6550.17
Kyle Larson65.768.224.7058.247.666.9552.8849.85
Erik Jones60.249.2   54.7054.7049.40
Kyle Busch73.239.277 66.456.2063.9549.10
Kevin Harvick91.60.360.392.4 45.9561.1548.13
Ricky Stenhouse Jr5032.157.7039.429.941.0541.8247.93
Jimmie Johnson56.661.176.30 64.658.8564.6547.73
Brad Keselowski62.769.673.663.675.566.1569.0047.33
Ryan Newman63.652.758.768.162.258.1561.0646.53
Clint Bowyer4659.252.24634.652.6047.6045.63
Chase Elliott11.369.212.9  40.2531.1345.20
Parker Kligerman    21 21.0044.93
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgFD Seas. Avg.
Ross Chastain40.2    40.2040.2044.57
Alex Bowman53.5   29.453.5041.4544.05
Austin Dillon56.141.162.95045.748.6051.1643.28
Chris Buescher5945.641.10  52.3048.5743.17
Aric Almirola67.161.735.135.933.964.4046.7443.15
Ryan Preece       42.60
Ryan Blaney60.858.765.754.1 59.7559.8341.55
David Ragan44.439.934.704132.342.1538.4641.33
Corey LaJoie 1.1   1.101.1041.27
Martin Truex Jr64.385.256.27052.774.7565.6840.23
Matt DiBenedetto50.44437.80  47.2044.0740.20
BJ McLeod       39.83
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgFD Seas. Avg.
Paul Menard60.246.252.761.774.353.2059.0239.43
Daniel Suarez37.343.2   40.2540.2538.95
William Byron35.3    35.3035.3038.63
Michael McDowell4.153.939.1038.4 29.0033.8836.90
Landon Cassill 40.439.1035.6 40.4038.3735.87
Daniel Hemric       34.63
Bubba Wallace48.9    48.9048.9033.70
Reed Sorenson 39.2  36.239.2037.7032.68
Matt Tifft       32.10
Cody Ware       27.37
Joey Gase36.8    36.8036.8027.20

 

Rankings For The Pennzoil 400 (1 = Best, 40 = Worst)

   RaceDK AvgFD AvgDK AvgFD AvgVegasTrack Type
DriverDK$FD $Hist.L2L2L5L5HistoryHistory
Kevin Harvick125001450012.003202.006.0012.005
Kyle Busch11900132005.009105.005.009.002
Brad Keselowski11400140001231.001.004.003
Joey Logano10700130003.00443.002.003.004
Martin Truex Jr10100135002114.003.002.001
Kyle Larson98001280066212.0012.005.008
Ryan Blaney95001200041169.008.001.006
Chase Elliott92001100027.00222430.0031.0025.0014
Clint Bowyer90001050015.00161418.0017.0013.0016
Denny Hamlin880011500108710.009.0010.007
Aric Almirola860010000115519.0018.0016.0018
Erik Jones8400910017141111.0011.0017.0011
Kurt Busch8200960019323128.0029.0019.009
Jimmie Johnson8100870013.00776.004.007.0011
   RaceDK AvgFD AvgDK AvgFD AvgVegasTrack Type
DriverDK$FD $Hist.L2L2L5L5HistoryHistory
Ricky Stenhouse Jr7900780018272224.0020.0018.0019
Daniel Suarez7700800014282426.0022.0014.0017
Austin Dillon760074009201715.0013.0011.0015
Alex Bowman7400720022121229.0021.0027.0021
Ryan Newman720084007.001097.007.008.0010
Daniel Hemric7100700040314032.0040.0040.0040
Paul Menard690075008.0015138.0010.006.0013
Matt DiBenedetto6700630021181917.0019.0021.0027
William Byron6600710032.00302931.0028.0028.0027
Chris Buescher6500600016.001315.0013.0015.0015.0020
Bubba Wallace6300450030171614.0014.0040.0040
   RaceDK AvgFD AvgDK AvgFD AvgVegasTrack Type
DriverDK$FD $Hist.L2L2L5L5HistoryHistory
Ryan Preece6100500040.00314032.0040.0040.0040
Ty Dillon6000550023.00191816.0016.0023.0024
David Ragan5900500024212125.0024.0022.0022
Michael McDowell5700500029293027.0030.0032.0023
Matt Tifft5600400040.00314032.0040.0040.0040
Ross Chastain5500350020.00232620.0023.0020.0026
Parker Kligerman5300350040.00314033.0032.0033.0040
Landon Cassill5200350025.00252323.0025.0031.0025
Corey LaJoie5100300026313232.0033.0024.0029
Joey Gase5000300032262822.0027.0028.0032
Reed Sorenson4900300031.00232721.0026.0028.0030
BJ McLeod4800300028.00314032.0040.0026.0031
Cody Ware4700250040.00314032.0040.0040.0040

Any questions can be asked in the chat or on Twitter at @theselzman. Check out the Track Data Legend to see what all the columns show.