Final Las Vegas Driver Ratings: 2017 Kobalt 400

Ryan Blaney looked strong during happy hour with the best 10-consecutive lap average.

Micah Roberts' Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Driver Ratings
Kobalt 400
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday, March 12, 2017 - 3:46 pm ET
RATED DRIVER     ODDS                         PRAC 1       QUAL   PRAC 2     PRAC 3
 1. Brad Keselowski (6/1)          2nd         2nd      21st        5th
Two-time winner (2014, 2016); second-best 10-consecutive lap avg during final practice.
 2. Chase Elliott (7/1)                9th         12th      1st         2nd
Best 10-consecutive lap average in practice 2; runner-up at Michigan '16 using same package.
 3. Kevin Harvick (5/1)               8th         19th       9th       15th
2015 winner, seventh last season; led race-high 292 laps last week; using fall Texas chassis.
 4. Matt Kenseth (12/1)             5th          4th       20th       4th
Three-time winner, the last in 2013; second-best 10-consecutive lap average in practice 2.
 5. Martin Truex Jr. (8/1)            1st          2nd      18th       1st
2015 runner-up and 9.6 avg finish in past six; finished eighth last week at Atlanta.
 6. Kyle Larson (12/1)                4th         5th        2nd        6th 
Last two races using new low-down force package: won at Michigan, runner-up at Atlanta.
 7. Kyle Busch (7/1)                 14th         9th        4th       16th
2009 winner and fourth in two of past three starts on his hometown track; 13.5 avg in 12 starts.
 8. Kasey Kahne (30/1)              6th         7th        5th        7th 
Two-time runner-up, but more importantly showed lots of speed last week and Saturday's practices.
 9. Jimmie Johnson (7/1)            3rd        16th      16th       13th
Four-time winner, the last in 2010; sixth or better in four of past five; sluggish 19th at Atlanta.
10. Ryan Blaney (80/1)              7th          3rd        6th        8th
Strong sixth-place last year; best 10-consecutive lap average in final practice. Great long shot bet!
11. Joey Logano (7/1)               18th         6th       24th      14th
2016 runner-up with track-best 10.7 avg finish in eight starts; sixth last week at Atlanta.
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15/1)      21st       18th       17th       3rd 
Three-time runner-up; eighth or better in last four. Got car dialed well in final practice.

Note: Last week's results at sister-track Atlanta is a good handicapping reference not only because it's a high-banked 1.5-mile layout, but because it was the first 2017 race using the new low downforce package that was introduced at Kentucky and Michigan last season.

Opening odds courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

Micah Roberts, a former Las Vegas sports book director, has been setting auto racing odds in Las Vegas since 1994.