Martin Truex Jr is +750 to win 2023 South Point 400 at LVMS

 

Martin Truex Jr. Las Vegas Advance No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: South Point 400 (Round 33 of 36) ● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 15 ● Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway ● Layout: 1.5-mile oval ● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400 miles ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps ● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Martin Truex Jr., and the No. 19 team for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) set the tone for the season right out of the gate by winning the 150-lap feature in the non-points Clash at the Coliseum on Feb. 5 in Los Angeles. Truex won his heat race, then went on to lead the final 25 laps of the feature en route to a victory that gave him and the team much-needed momentum heading into the 2023 season. While the team was knocking on the door over the first 10 points-paying races, the breakthrough win finally came at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway on May 1, and Truex has added two more points-paying victories and four overall this season – June 11 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.   ● Headed to Round of 8: Truex sits second in the reset playoff standings following last weekend’s cutoff race on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. Truex is just five points behind leader William Byron heading into the first of three Round of 8 races Sunday at Las Vegas.   ● Truex has two wins, seven top-five finishes and 14 top-10s and has led a total of 304 laps in 23 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas. Truex’s average Las Vegas finish is a strong 10th. His average finish is second best among active drivers with Joey Logano posting a slightly better 9.9 average.     ● Truex notched his most recent Las Vegas victory in September 2019, when he led 32 laps. It was his second win on the 1.5-mile oval and first at Las Vegas since joining JGR.   ● 34 and Counting: Truex’s win at New Hampshire was the 34th of his Cup Series career, putting him in a tie with 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time win list in NASCAR’s top series.   ● So far this season, Truex has scored three points-paying wins, nine top-five finishes, 15 top-10s and has led an impressive 832 laps through 33 races. To put the laps-led number in perspective, Truex led just 572 during the entire 36-race season in 2022.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD

What are you expecting at Las Vegas this weekend?   “Vegas is a great track that’s wide and you can run all over. We saw a lot of guys run high the last three races there with the bumps. I feel like the car has evolved and we’ve gotten better at being able to get through the bumps and move around. I expect it to be a great race out in Vegas. I love going out there and it’s a great racetrack. The last couple of races there, we were in contention right to the very end with our Bass Pro Shops Camry and were fighting for the lead and eventually the caution came out and the strategy didn’t work out.”   You’ve been able to get through the first two playoff rounds with help from a really strong regular season. What got you through these rounds, and what will it take to get to the Championship 4?   “Stage points and bonus points certainly helped us a ton. I didn’t create the system. We used it to our advantage. That won’t get us through the next one. The next one, you’ve got to be running up front. Two winners of the next three races are probably going to be playoff guys that are still going. Need to turn it up and we need to figure it out quickly. That’s the beauty and that’s the thing that sucks about this deal, you know what I mean? I’m sure there are guys who are upset. They outran us enough to get in, but they didn’t have the bonus points. We have some really good tracks for us this round, so I’m hoping to go out to Vegas and have a good run this weekend and we’ll fight hard the next three races and see where we land with our Bass Pro Shops Camry. Vegas was good for us in the spring and I would expect us to run up front this weekend.”   What is it about Las Vegas and tire strategy, which has been a factor a fair bit in recent memory?   “It’s an interesting place, it’s fast and high-speed and has tire falloff but, for whatever reason, it’s a place that has unique asphalt, and when the tires cool off you can fire off and run one or two fast laps. These days, with these cars, if you can get that clean air and get those two to three car lengths out front of guys that are on better tires behind you, and guys in-between you and the four-tire guys, you have a huge advantage for a few laps. It’s all about what the other guy does. You can be the only guy on two tires and you are a sitting duck, but if you have four to five guys behind you on two tires, you have a bit of a buffer and so it just depends on what goes on around you.”

Denny Hamlin is 10/1 to win 2023 Pennzoil 400 at LVMS

FedEx Racing Express Facts – Las Vegas Motor Speedway

 

Denny Hamlin

#11 FedEx Express Toyota

Joe Gibbs Racing

  

Sunday Race Info

Race: Pennzoil 400

Date/Time: Sunday, March 5 / 3:30 p.m. ET

Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles

Track Length: 1.5 miles

 

Express Notes

Press Kit: Download the 2023 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedex.com/en-us/racing/press-kit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Chris Gabehart and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.

Fontana Recap: Hamlin finished sixth in last Sunday’s race at Auto Club Speedway. After practice and qualifying were canceled because of rain, the No. 11 driver lined up 13th. He scored solid stage points by finishing fifth in stage one and sixth in stage two. Hamlin led three times for 11 laps before ultimately finishing sixth. The result moved him up to ninth in the standings.

Las Vegas Notes: The FedEx Racing team owns one victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (September 2021). In the most recent trip to the Nevada track, Hamlin started 31st and finished fifth. It was the No. 11 driver’s fourth top-five finish in the past five trips to Las Vegas. Additionally, he has led laps in all five of those races.

Hamlin Statistics

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Races: 22

Wins: 1

Poles: 0

Top-5: 6

Top-10: 11

Laps Led: 359

Avg. Start: 15.1

Avg. Finish: 12.9

 

Hamlin Conversation – Las Vegas

Talk about your outlook going to Las Vegas…

“Las Vegas used to be a track that I really didn’t like. I just didn’t run well there. Since I’ve been paired up with Chris Gabehart, we’ve been really fast there and been in contention a lot. It’s obviously a great town to visit regardless, but I really do enjoy the track now that we’ve had some success. Last year, I felt like we had a car capable of winning in the spring and I made a mistake that cost us. Then, we were able to come back and get a good finish in the fall, so I feel confident about our chances this weekend.”

 

FedEx Express Along for the Ride at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: For Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry TRD will feature LAS on the b-post to recognize the more than 700 team members supporting the Las Vegas market.

 

FedEx Office – Closest to Las Vegas Motor Speedway: 228 S Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89104, 702-431-5076

 

2023 FedEx Racing Team Results
DATE	EVENT	LOCATION	START	FINISH	LAPS	STATUS	LED	PTS	TREND
Feb. 19	Daytona 500	Daytona	18th	17th	212/212	Running	6	19th	▬
Feb. 26	Pala Casino 400	Fontana	13th	6th	200/200	Running	11	9th	▲
Averages/Totals			15.5	11.5	100%		17

 

 

Kyle Larson is 6/1 co-favorite to win at Las Vegas

 Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on why he enjoys racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: "Vegas is a track that I like. It seems to be another one of those intermediate style tracks that suits my driving style because you can run different lanes. It has a lot of character with bumps and grip, so it's been a place that I have enjoyed. I've led some laps, won a race and had a few other close shots. I look forward to going there again this weekend and hopefully getting another NASCAR Cup Series win." 

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on turning the page to Las Vegas: "We learned at Fontana after we had our issue. We made some adjustments to the car and learned quite a bit. Some of it can translate to Vegas (which) is a faster, higher load track. It was nice having a fast car. I obviously hate what happened in Fontana but having all that corrected and building another fast car can hopefully give us another good shot for the weekend."

5 KYLE LARSON   Age: 30 (July 31, 1992)   Hometown: Elk Grove, California   Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina   Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels   Standings: 24th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1   AT THE BEGINNING: The NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March of 2021 marked the first win for Kyle Larson with team owner Rick Hendrick at Hendrick Motorsports. The victory was also the first for No. 5 HendrickCars.com crew chief Cliff Daniels atop the pit box. Larson led 103 of the 267 laps in the race and finished 3.15 seconds ahead of the second-place competitor at the checkered flag. The win sparked the beginning of a career-best 10-win, championship season for the No. 5 team.  BACK FOR SECONDS: Larson returns to the 1.5-mile Las Vegas track looking to build on his past success. He has two wins at Las Vegas – one in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series in 2018 and his Cup Series victory in 2021. In March of 2022, he led 27 laps and finished second to teammate Alex Bowman in the Cup Series race. This Sunday, Larson competes to score his third national series win and second with the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team at this track. LARSON AT LAS VEGAS: The Elk Grove, California, native has made 13 Cup Series starts at the intermediate track. He has the fourth-best average finish – 11.15 – among all drivers with at least four starts at the facility. Along with his win, he has five top-five finishes, nine top-10s and 251 laps led. The 2021 Cup Series champion’s nine top-10 finishes are tied for his third-most at any one track. In four starts with Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has led 225 laps on the West Coast track – the most by any one driver since the start of 2021. It is also one of eight tracks that he has led at least 200 laps on while driving for the 14-time Cup Series champions.  TAKE THE STAGE: Larson has two stage wins at Las Vegas, which is tied for the fourth-most among all drivers. In addition, his 14 top-10 stage results rank as the sixth-most among all drivers. INTERMEDIATE TRACK SUCCESS: The last time Larson raced on a 1.5-mile track, he visited victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway in October of 2022. The 30-year-old driver ranked second in most points earned (261) on this track length in 2022 - just 35 markers behind Ross Chastain. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports ahead of the 2021 season, Larson holds the best marks on 1.5-mile tracks for wins (five), stage wins (13), laps led (1,642) and average finish (7.69). His three runner-up finishes and 13 top-10s are tied for the most in the series in that span of time. (The above statistics do not include Atlanta Motor Speedway in ’22 since that track used the superspeedway drafting package following its reconfiguration.) WESTERN BOUND: With two wins at Auto Club Speedway and a win each at Las Vegas, Phoenix Raceway and Sonoma Raceway, Larson has five victories on the West Coast. That places him fifth among active drivers with left coast victories. Four of those triumphs have come in the last 13 races out West.  HIT THE JACKPOT: This Sunday, Larson will drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas. While watching, hit the jackpot and shop from the convenience of your own home by browsing nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com. Customers can select the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them. Prefer to shop in-person? Hendrick Automotive Group has 95+ dealerships nationwide to choose from.  WE’RE HIRING: Join 10,000+ others nationwide in working at Hendrick Automotive Group. Technicians and other positions are being hired at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Individuals who are interested can apply at HendrickCars.com.

Ryan Preece is 75/1 to win 2023 Pennzoil 400 at LVMS

 

RYAN PREECE Las Vegas Motor Speedway Advance  No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

Event:  Las Vegas 400 (Round 3 of 36)  Time / Date:  3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 5  Location:  Las Vegas Motor Speedway  Layout:  1.5-mile oval  Laps / Miles:  267 laps / 400.5 miles  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 80 laps / Final Stage: 107 laps  TV / Radio:  FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece will make his seventh NASCAR Cup Series start Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and his first with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). In his previous six outings on the 1.5-mile desert oval, he posted a best finish of 15th in the March 2021 race.     ● Preece has made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas and tallied a best finish of sixth after starting 34th in September 2018 for Joe Gibbs Racing. He’s had one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at the track, and it came last season for David Gilliland Racing. He started fifth and finished fourth, leading three laps.     ● Preece was a victim of circumstances last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, getting caught up in a nine-car accident on a lap-88 restart. To that point, he had worked with the No. 41 team on adjustments that would enhance the racecar’s performance in clean air. He was credited with a 33rd-place finish.    ● Preece opened the 2023 points-paying season with a strong showing in the 65th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Preece and the No. 41 Ford Mustang qualified 20th and had the best 10-consecutive-lap average in final practice. On race day, he finished second in Stage 1 and was running up front for a majority of Stage 2 until being involved in a multicar incident in turn two on lap 183. Preece was unable to return to the race and finished 36th.     ● Returning to the SHR No. 41 Ford Mustang in 2023 is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation led by team co-owner Gene Haas. HaasTooling.com was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What’s your mindset heading into this weekend’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?  “We’ve got to get to Las Vegas this weekend and be on offense. We’re in a big hole right now and we’ve got to start digging ourselves out of it. Last weekend’s finish in Fontana was a really bad ending for our team. We got caught up in something that shouldn’t have even happened. We didn't get the chance to really see how our car would have been in clean air after we worked for a majority of stage one to get things right. That’s a bummer all around and this team is really focused on turning things around in Vegas.”    What happened during that multicar accident that put you out of the race at Fontana?  “It was kind of stupid, to be honest with you on a professional level – we all wreck on a restart. I don’t know what happened, but just a victim of circumstances. It sucks. I was racing around Aric (Almirola, SHR teammate), and we were just trying to be smart and get to the end of the race. Something like that, you’re not expecting everyone to wreck coming to the restart line. It’s unfortunate. That adjustment could have gotten us a lot better, and we could have kept on making little gains. That was our goal, not to beat ourselves and just be there in the last 50 or 60 (laps). That’s why we stayed out that run, to see what our car would do in clean air and if we needed to work on it, which we did, and I felt like we just kept on making it better and better. It was really a bad ending for the No. 41.”    Your last Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was in 2021, and now you’ll make your first start at the track in the Next Gen car. What’s the racing like at Las Vegas and what do you expect this weekend? “Las Vegas is a place that I typically like and look forward to going to. This is our first time with the Next Gen car for myself and Chad but I feel confident about it. Leading up to this weekend, I feel pretty excited just about the direction we’re heading in and hopefully bringing some speed and having a good day. Speed hasn’t been in an issue for us this season. The speed is there, we’ve just got to get a good finish for our No. 41 Ford Mustang team and I think Las Vegas can be the place for that.”