NASCAR Sunday: Harvick set to defend Pennzoil 400 from the pole
PENNZOIL 400
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 3:30 p.m.
The third week of the NASCAR Monster Series takes us to Las Vegas where through the years favorites have prevailed over longshots.
So even though changes introduced this year again make it anyone’s guess who gets the checkered flag and the winning belt expect it to be one of the more well-known drivers rather than a relatively unknown.
What has drivers concerned this week are ducts up front that transfer air to the side of the car away from the front tires to create a large, more beneficial aerodynamic wake for cars behind the leader. According to most of the drivers interviewed this week that should lead to tighter groups, as it was in Atlanta last week. The Vegas track, also an intermediate track, is even flatter than the one in Atlanta as well.
Last year’s Pennzoil 400 winner Kevin Harvick, the pole-sitter and one of the favorites Sunday at 5-1, will look to repeat. Brad Keselowski (the Atlanta winner last week and 8-1 this week) did just that in 2015 and 2016 and Jimmie Johnson (30-1) had a three-peat in 2005, 2006, 2007.
Harvick was dominant in 2018. He won both stage 1 and stage 2 and led for 214 of the 267 laps. That’s not to be expected Sunday.
Ford has produced three of the last five winners and 10 winners since the race began in 1998. So keep that in mind as well.
After brief consultations with my two “experts’’ (Mike “Left Turn’’ Sweeney and Scott “Tobacco Road’’ Baker), here are our top choices for the race:
Kyle Busch (5-1): “TR” touted Busch all week as his guy and “LT’’ made No. 18 his selection as well, so who am I to argue. Busch was the runner-up in Daytona and finished sixth in Atlanta so he’s off to a good start to the season. He’s also won in Vegas before and has finished in the top 10 four times.
Martin Truex Jr. (12-1): The pride of New Jersey won this race in 2017 and finished fourth in 2018, so he’s enjoyed more success in Vegas than most people from Jersey. He likes the track and the rules and the flat, intermediate track could play into his style. At this price he’s worth a long look.
Kyle Larson (7-1): If not for a penalty for speeding on a pit lane Larson could have won last week in Atlanta. Most, especially “LT’’ think he would have. He’ll try for redemption this week at a track where he finished second in 2017 and third in 2018. His Chevrolet team has six drivers in the first 12 positions Sunday, something that should not be overlooked.
Joey Logano (8-1): You don’t want to leave Ford out because of the history of success at this track and Logano has had success here as well. He finished seventh last year and was fourth in 2017 and second in 2016.
Good luck. And gentlemen (and ladies) start your betting.