Clint Bowyer finally gets Top-10 for SHR

Clint Bowyer threatened to finish in the top 10 in his first two attempts with Stewart-Haas Racing. At Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he finally carried through and finished 10th in the Kobalt 400.

As accomplishments go, this might not seem like a lot, but this was the first time in his last 30 attempts on similarly-configured, 1.5-mile tracks that he finished in the top 10. He came close at Atlanta Motor Speedway last week with an 11th, and fantasy players will want to pay close attention to him. Bowyer was the highest-finishing SHR driver at Vegas after all three of his teammates experienced trouble.

Kasey Kahne holds onto 9th in points

Kasey Kahne's 12th-place finish in the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway allowed him to maintain his position ninth in the standings.

Kahne and Chase Elliott have been the class of the field for Hendrick Motorsports in the first two races. At Vegas, the driver of the No. 5 finished one position behind teammate Jimmie Johnson and that makes him a more consistent value overall. Johnson continues to be outside the top 16 and is not currently in playoff contention.

Battery issue ruins Kurt Busch's day

Kurt Busch had a battery fail with about 70 laps remaining in the Kobalt 400. He was forced into the pits for repairs, lost four laps in the process, and ended his day 30th.

Having a win in the bank is a huge benefit for Busch because days like this do not drop him out of playoff contention. They are difficult on fantasy owners, however.

Cut tire sends Harvick home early from Vegas

Kevin Harvick cut a right front tire on lap 70 of the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and made heavy contact with the wall.

Harvick was running sixth at the time and on his way to placing in the top 10 at the end of segment one, which was only 10 laps away. He would have been the only driver in the field to have earned points in the first five segments with NASCAR’s new rule. Instead, he retired with only one point and a 38th-place finish. Harvick dropped to eighth in the standings, but he can credit his previous strong segment runs and 39 points for staying inside the top 16.

MENCS Race Preview: Kobalt 400 at LVMS

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Kobalt 400
The Place: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, March 12
The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 3:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 80),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 160), Final Stage (Ends on lap 267)

MENCS News & Notes:

Grand Theft Auto: Keselowski Steals Win At Atlanta, Goes For Second Straight Victory At Las Vegas

Brad Keselowski took advantage of Kevin Harvick’s late speeding penalty by passing Kyle Larson with six laps left to win last Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The victory extends Keselowski’s streak of seasons with at least one win to seven. The No. 2 Ford driver ranks third in the points standings (six markers behind Harvick) as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Kobalt 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX).

Keselowski is the defending race winner in Sin City. He took the checkered flag there last year in a highly competitive contest in which five different drivers led 24 or more laps – Keselowski, first-place, 24 laps led; Joey Logano, second, 74; Jimmie Johnson, third, 76; Kyle Busch, fourth, 38; Kurt Busch ninth, 31.

Keselowski has won two of the last three races at Las Vegas. In eight starts there, he claims two victories, three top fives and 10 top 10s.

The Kids Are Alright: NASCAR Youth Movement In Full Force Through First Two Races
The "young guns" in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series have proved they can battle with the veterans for wins through the first two races, even though they haven’t been able to close the deal yet.

Chase Elliott, 21, led the DAYTONA 500 with three laps remaining, while Kyle Larson, 24, ran the point in The Great American Race with one lap left before he was passed by race-winner Kurt Busch.

Last week at Atlanta was similar, with Larson leading with six laps to go before he was passed by race-winner Brad Keselowski.

Through the first two races, five drivers in the top-10 in the points standings are 26 or younger: 4. Chase Elliott (21 years old, 8 points behind Kevin Harvick, 14th at Daytona with 39 laps led, fifth at Atlanta), 5. Joey Logano (26 years old, -10, sixth at Daytona with 16 laps led, sixth at Atlanta) 6. Kyle Larson (24 years old, -11, 12th at Daytona with 16 laps led, second at Atlanta with seven laps led), 8. Ryan Blaney (23 years old, -27, second at Daytona with two laps led, 18th at Atlanta), 10. Trevor Bayne (26 years old, -32, 10th at Daytona, 12th at Atlanta).

Ford Strong Out Of The Gate

Ford has come out in full force to start the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. The first two winners of the season drive Fords – Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski. Also, four of the top five drivers in the points standings through the first two races wheel Fords – 1. Kevin Harvick; 2. Kurt Busch; 3. Brad Keselowski; 5. Joey Logano.

Kyle Busch (Toyota) is the only non-Ford driver who has won a stage so far. He took Stage 1 in the DAYTONA 500.

Kevin Harvick, whose Stewart-Haas Racing team switched to Ford in the offseason, has won the other three stages.

"But it was good from a Ford perspective, when you see two or three or four cars in the top five or six, you know how strong the Toyotas have been and the Chevys have been," Roger Penske said following the Atlanta race. "This gives us at least a chance to say we're on par with these guys. Now with a couple of wins I'd have to say we might be an inch or two ahead."

Harvick Heads Point Standings After Leading Most Laps In Each Of The First Two Races

Kevin Harvick must be a fan of NASCAR’s race enhancements – particularly the stages. Despite finishing 22nd at Daytona and ninth at Atlanta, he leads the point standings (four points ahead of second-place Kurt Busch) due to his dominance in the two races. Harvick has won three stages and led the most laps in each of the first two races, with 50 circuits led at Daytona and 292 at Atlanta.

As a result of his three stage wins, the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing driver boasts three playoff points.

Don’t be surprised to see Harvick enjoy the stages even more as the year goes on. Since 2014, he has led 6,157 laps – 2,861 go-arounds more than the next closest driver (Brad Keselowski, 3,296). Joey Logano has led the third-most laps (3,143) over that time span. He’s followed by Jimmie Johnson (2,613) and Kyle Busch (2,586).

Larson Looking For First Victory Of 2017

Once Kyle Larson figures out how to close races, the wins look like they’ll start to pile up for the 24-year-old Californian.

Larson has come up just short of winning in each of his last three races. In last year’s season-finale at Homestead, the No. 42 Chevrolet driver led until Jimmie Johnson blew past him on the final restart to win the race. In the first two races this season, he was passed for the lead by Kurt Busch on the final lap at Daytona and Brad Keselowski with six laps remaining at Atlanta.

In his last five races, Larson has finished third (Phoenix), second (Homestead), 12th (Daytona) and second (Atlanta) for an average showing of 4.75 – second to Joey Logano (4.25).

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.

Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival To Serve As Grand Marshal – Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty – the leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival – will serve as grand marshal for Sunday’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"Headed out after my shows at the Wynn to NASCAR. Rock and Roll and fast cars... ain't nothin' better," Fogerty said.

Home Sweet Home – It’s homecoming weekend for Kyle (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) and Kurt (No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) Busch when they race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The brothers got their start in racing at the Bullring, located right next door to the big track. Kyle has one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at LVMS (2009), while Kurt is still looking to land in Victory Lane at Las Vegas.

NXS Race Preview: Boyd Gaming 300 at LVMS

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Boyd Gaming 300
The Place: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, March 11
The Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 3:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)
NXS News & Notes:

Back On Top: JR Motorsport’s Elliott Sadler Is New Points Leader
Just two races into the 2017 season, Elliott Sadler has launched himself into the standings lead by three points over Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate and JR Motorsports teammate William Byron as the NASCAR XFINITY Series heads to Las Vegas for the Boyd Gaming 300 on Saturday, March 11 at 4 p.m. ET (FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Sadler led the XFINITY points standings following 14 races last season; which should make it no surprise the veteran from Virginia is back on top. Sadler dominated the season-opener at Daytona two weeks ago, leading 40 laps and winning the first two stages, but was caught in a late-race incident that relegated him to a 24th-place finish. Under the new enhanced format, Sadler was able to gather valuable points during the first two stages; plus, he accumulated two playoff points.  This past weekend at Atlanta, Sadler drove from a 22nd starting position to finish fifth, garnering enough points to take the series lead.

Sadler’s points lead isn’t astronomical, so he will have his work cut out for him this weekend at Las Vegas if he wants hold off second-place William Byron (-3), third-place Ryan Reed (-4) and fourth-place Brendan Gaughan (-8) from the standings lead.  Sadler has made 10 series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, posting two top fives, four top 10s and an average finish of 11.9. He finished eighth at LVMS last season.

Sadler’s early 2017 success is a direct result of his performance on track. Currently, Sadler leads or is near the top of several season-to-date loop data categories following the first two races of the season – Average Running Position (6.401, second-best); Driver Rating (102.5, third-best); Laps In The Top 15 (260, third-best) and Laps Led (40, third-best) – in each of the listed loop categories Sadler is the highest ranked NXS championship contender.

Veterans Vs. Young Guns: Average Age Keeps Trending Towards The Youngsters

If you were to look at the ages of the drivers in the top 10 in points following Atlanta, you would see it is a mixed bag of veterans and young guns. The current average age of the drivers in the top 10 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings following Atlanta is 27.3 - with six of the 10 drivers at or under the age of 25.

Rank

	Driver	Age
1	Elliott Sadler	41
2	William Byron #	19
3	Ryan Reed	23
4	Brendan Gaughan	41
5	Matt Tifft #	20
6	Dakoda Armstrong	25
7	Brennan Poole	25
8	Michael Annett	30
9	Daniel Hemric #	26
10	Harrison Rhodes	23
	Average	27.3

27 years ago, seven of the top 10 in NXS points following Atlanta weren’t even born yet. It was 1990, and boy have times changed since then. The biggest movie that year was Home Alone, most popular TV show was CHEERS, and Portland, Oregon, native Chuck Bown at the age of 36 years old was the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

The average age inside the top 10 in points has gradually moved more to the younger age drivers over the years. Especially in comparison to 1990, when the average age of the drivers inside the top 10 in final standings was 37.0, with the youngest driver Bobby Labonte at 26 years old.

Fast forward to the present, and the NASCAR XFINITY Series has definitely set itself up as the series "where names are made" with the youth movement making a mark. Of the current top 10 in the driver standings Elliott Sadler and Brendan Gaughan are the elder statesmen at 41 years of age. The other eight drivers are not older than 30; with William Byron, the youngest competitor, at the age of 19.

Over the last 15 seasons the average age of the drivers inside the top 10 in points at the end of the season has trended towards the younger end of the spectrum by on average seven years (2002, 33.0 and 2016, 26.6). the average age hasn’t been above 30 since 2009.

Age Stats:

All-time youngest NASCAR XFINITY Series race winner: Joey Logano (Kentucky, 2008) - 18 years, 0 months, 21 days.

All-time youngest NASCAR XFINITY Series Las Vegas Motor Speedway winner: Austin Dillon (2015) - 24 years, 10 months, 8 days.

Playoff Outlook: Following Race No. 2 - Atlanta

Just because we have only had two NASCAR XFINITY Series races this season doesn’t mean we can’t already start looking at the post-season and who, as of right now, would be included in the playoffs. Of the 12 drivers currently eligible for the 2017 playoffs, only four of them competed in last season’s playoffs – Ryan Reed, Elliott Sadler, Brendan Gaughan and Brennan Poole. Eight different organizations are currently represented by the drivers that are eligible for 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs following the race at Atlanta.

Below is a quick look at the top five seeded drivers if the playoffs were to start this weekend:

1.    Ryan Reed – No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang – Currently holds #1 seed due his win at Daytona. The Bakersfield, California native has five playoff points (series-most) and has an average finish of 9.5 in his first two 2017 starts. Reed, at the age of 23, will be making his fourth series start at Las Vegas this weekend. In his previous three starts at LVMS, he posted an average finish of 14.3 (sixth-best among championship contenders).

2.    Elliott Sadler – No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – Sadler currently holds the points lead, but would be seeded second in the playoffs due to his lack of wins. The Emporia, Virginia, native has been strong this season, winning the first two stages at Daytona (collecting two playoff points) and posting a top-five finish last weekend at Atlanta.  Sadler has made 10 series starts at Las Vegas, posting four top 10s and an average finish of 11.9.

3.    William Byron – No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – Currently the hottest rookie in the 2017 Sunoco Rookie class, Byron has posted back-to-back top-10 finishes to start the season. While this weekend will be the Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s NASCAR XFINITY Series track debut at Las Vegas, Byron did make a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at LVMS last season where he finished fifth.  

4.    Brendan Gaughan – No. 62 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro – Veteran RCR driver Brandan Gaughan has kicked 2017 off with two strong starts, posting a top five and an average finish of 9.0. Returning to Las Vegas this weekend, his hometown, Gaughan will be making his seventh career start at LVMS.  The 41-year old, in his six previous starts at Las Vegas, has amassed one top five and four top 10s. His average finish at the 1.5-mile speedway is a 9.5 (third-best among championship contenders).

5.    Matt Tifft – No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry – Tifft is one of three Sunoco Rookies this season currently eligible for the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver from Hinckley, Ohio, has posted an average finish of 11.5 in his first two 2017 starts. The 20-year old will be making his NASCAR XFINITY Series career track debut this weekend at Las Vegas.

One For One: Busch Making Most Of His Starts In 2017

The lion’s share of Joe Gibbs Racing’s NASCAR XFINITY Series success can be attributed to the winning ways of Kyle Busch. With a series-leading 87 wins, including last weekend’s race at Atlanta, his career winning percentage is now an astounding 26.4% (series-best). Busch is scheduled to run just 10 races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2017 and he plans to win them all.

Busch will be back in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry this weekend at his hometown track - Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Busch has made 12 starts at Las Vegas, posting one win (2016), four top fives and an average finish of 16.8. He has finished runner-up or better in his last three starts at LVMS.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.:

Nevada Natives – Three drivers entered this weekend have their home state recorded as Nevada – Kyle Busch (Las Vegas), Brendan Gaughan (Las Vegas) and Spencer Gallagher (Las Vegas). …

Possibility Of New Vegas Winner Is High – Only four former NXS Las Vegas winners are entered this weekend - Kyle Busch (2016), Austin Dillon (2015), Brad Keselowski (2014) and Jeff Green (1997) – just 10% of the field; giving the other 90% a chance to become a new winner at LVMS. …

Wins From The Pole – The last two NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have been won from the pole. A total of 198 races in NASCAR XFINITY Series history have been won from the pole. Since the inception of the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 1982, seven tracks have hosted three or more consecutive races won from the pole, led by New Hampshire; where the last fives races have been won from the first starting position. If a driver wins this weekend at LVMS from the pole, the track will become the eighth different track with three consecutive races won from the pole. The other seven tracks are Auto Club (2008-2010); Hickory (all three in 1983); Kentucky (2008-2010); Martinsville (1982-1983); New Hampshire (2012-2016); Phoenix (2012-2013) and Rougemont (1986-1987). …

NXS Milestones – Elliott Sadler will be making his 332nd start this weekend at Las Vegas which will tie him with Todd Bodine for the 15th on the series all-time starts list. … David Starr will attempt to make his 100th NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend at Las Vegas. If qualifies for the event, he will be the 130th different driver in series history to make 100 or more starts. … Darrell Wallace Jr. will attempt to make his 75th career NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend at Las Vegas.

Double Duty – Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson and Aric Almirola are all scheduled to compete in both the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR XFINITY Series events this weekend at Las Vegas.

Fantasy Sleepers And Value Picks – Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Kobalt 400)

In 13 starts at LVMS, Kasey Kahne has three
Top-5's and seven Top-10's. 

Sleepers:

Kasey Kahne: Through two races this season, Kasey Kahne looks like a top #FantasyNASCAR pick. With finishes of seventh at Daytona and fourth at Atlanta after starting 26th or higher both races, consider starting Kahne until proved otherwise. He ranks third in fantasy points averaged per race. Another appealing consideration about picking Kahne? In 13 starts at Las Vegas, Kahne posted three top fives and seven top 10s. He’s won three Coors Light Poles and has finished outside the top-20 only twice and both were due to accidents.

Ryan Blaney: Ryan Blaney has the characteristics of a driv er who could be on the verge of breaking out. He finished second at Daytona and scored a top 20 at Atlanta. He has a stout average place differential of +15.0. He ranks fifth in fantasy points averaged per race and his sleeper status has everything to do with him being able to get to the front after starting in the back. In two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas, Blaney has finishes of sixth (2016) and 19th (2015). He had place differentials of +8.0 or better in both.

Erik Jones: Those who watched the QuikTrip Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta should like what they saw out of Erik Jones. There is still risk with Jones as he has a boom or bust appeal to him but at Atlanta, Jones started 23rd and finished 14th, though was battling a top 10 spot most of the race. At Jones’ current salary, he could be worth a solid gamble as a middle starter. Jones offers high upside in positive place differential – especially if he qualifies 23rd or higher like he has in his first two 2017 starts.

Austin Dillon: After two races, Austin Dillon has been a letdown in almost every #FantasyNASCAR category. One phrase to keep in mind? #TrustTheProcess. AD could get into a high groove this weekend at Las Vegas. Since 2005, Dillon sits 12th among active drivers in driver rating at Vegas and has run 43.9% of his laps in the top 15 there. In four starts at Las Vegas, Dillon has four top 25s, including a fifth-place finish in 2016. He’s led two laps at Vegas and owns an average finish of 15.2.

Value Plays:

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: A solid value play to consider at Las Vegas is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He crashed at Daytona and finished 13th at Atlanta. Last season at Vegas, Stenhouse scored his best finish there in four career starts after placing 12th. It gets better as he’s run 41.1% of his laps in the top 15 and owns an average mid-race running position of 19.5. Stenhouse Jr. runs in the top 25 here. Depending on where he qualifies, he’ll make his way up to the front. His price for potential production is there.

Ty Dillon: Ty Dillon became the top fantasy value play we expected him to be last week at Atlanta. He started the race 26th and finished 15th. His +11 place differential is something we can expect from him going forward as he has a knack for getting up front after starting in the rear. He currently sits 24th in fantasy points averaged per race and his price remains quite good for someone of his caliber. He’s never raced at LVMS in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, however, has four finishes of 11th or better in the XFINITY Series at Vegas.

Michael McDowell: Shhh. People might begin to notice, but Michael McDowell has been a consistent value play over his two 2017 starts. He’s had positive place differential in both races of +7.0 and owns an average finish of 22.0. McDowell currently sits 20th in fantasy points averaged per race and for his price, he is a good risk/reward #FantasyNASCAR pick. In his last two starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, McDowell has two top 30s and has averaged positive place differential in both.

David Ragan: If you picked David Ragan at Atlanta last week, you were in for a tremendous value pick. He started the race 34th and finished 23rd. For his current price across most leagues, Ragan should be considered a strong value play for his positive plac e differential opportunity each week. Through two races, Ragan owns an average finish of 24.0 and a place differential of +3.0. In 10 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Ragan owns a place differential of +3.3.

Statistical Advance: Analyzing the KOBALT 400

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada going into the KOBALT 400 on March 12.

LAS VEGAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Ryan Blaney (No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Fusion)

·        One top 10

·        Average finish of 12.500, sixth-best

·        Average Running Position of 15.935, 11th-best

·        Driver Rating of 83.0, 11th-best

·        12 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.010, 13th-fastest

·        263 Laps in the Top 15 (49.3), 12th-most

·        50 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry)

·        One win, five top fives, six top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 11.000, third-best

·        Average Running Position of 9.602, second-best

·        Driver Rating of 103.4, second-best

·        135 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.995, fourth-fastest

·        2366 Laps in the Top 15 (80.0), second-most

·        426 Quality Passes, second-most

Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS)

·        One top five, one top 10

·        Average finish of 15.500, 10th-best

·        Average Running Position of 16.657, 13th-best

·        Driver Rating of 82.2, 12th-best

·        5 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.412, eighth-fastest

·        469 Laps in the Top 15 (43.9), 13th-most

·        78 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Four top fives, ten top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.250, fourth-best

·        Average Running Position of 12.773, fifth-best

·        Driver Rating of 94.1, sixth-best

·        128 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.835, sixth-fastest

·        2371 Laps in the Top 15 (73.5), fifth-most

·        422 Quality Passes, third-most

Chase Elliott (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Average finish of 38.000, 13th-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.203, sixth-best

·        Driver Rating of 82.2, 13th-best

·        6 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 172.530, series-fastest

·        218 Laps in the Top 15 (81.6), series-most

·        51 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion)

·        One win, four top fives, seven top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.250, fifth-best

·        Average Running Position of 10.419, third-best

·        Driver Rating of 99.6, third-best

·        189 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.916, fifth-fastest

·        2397 Laps in the Top 15 (74.3), fourth-most

·        403 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Four wins, six top fives, nine top 10s

·        Average finish of 10.917, second-best

·        Average Running Position of 9.543, series-best

·        Driver Rating of 113.4, series-best

·        414 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 172.366, second-fastest

·        2443 Laps in the Top 15 (75.8), third-most

·        434 Quality Passes, series-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Three top fives, seven top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 14.417, ninth-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.326, seventh-best

·        Driver Rating of 89.1, seventh-best

·        115 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.401, ninth-fastest

·        2205 Laps in the Top 15 (68.4), eighth-most

·        380 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry)

·        Three wins, six top fives, nine top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 14.333, eighth-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.801, eighth-best

·        Driver Rating of 96.9, fourth-best

·        219 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 172.157, third-fastest

·        2222 Laps in the Top 15 (68.9), seventh-most

·        380 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s

·        Average finish of 16.750, 12th-best

·        Average Running Position of 16.069, 12th-best

·        Driver Rating of 86.6, eighth-best

·        98 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.064, 11th-fastest

·        1211 Laps in the Top 15 (56.2), 11th-most

·        218 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        Two top fives, four top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 10.750, series-best

·        Average Running Position of 11.647, fourth-best

·        Driver Rating of 94.8, fifth-best

·        97 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.507, seventh-fastest

·        1508 Laps in the Top 15 (70.0), sixth-most

·        255 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS)

·        Four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 15.583, 11th-best

·        Average Running Position of 15.000, 10th-best

·        Driver Rating of 83.2, 10th-best

·        49 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.043, 12th-fastest

·        2128 Laps in the Top 15 (66.0), ninth-most

·        397 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Martin Truex Jr (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camry)

·        One top five, three top 10s

·        Average finish of 14.273, seventh-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.985, ninth-best

·        Driver Rating of 85.7, ninth-best

·        27 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 171.223, 10th-fastest

·        1797 Laps in the Top 15 (60.8), 10th-most

·        357 Quality Passes, eighth-most

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2017 Top 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Kevin Harvick	16	0	1	4	7	0	13.4	99.6
2	Kurt Busch	15	2	0	1	4	3	21.2	81.9
3	Brad Keselowski	8	0	2	3	4	0	16.8	86.6
4	Chase Elliott	1	0	0	0	0	1	38	82.2
5	Joey Logano	8	1	0	2	4	0	10.8	94.8
6	Kyle Larson	3	0	0	0	1	0	20.3	77.4
7	Martin Truex Jr	11	0	0	1	3	0	14.3	85.7
8	Ryan Blaney	2	0	0	0	1	0	12.5	83.0
9	Kasey Kahne	13	3	0	3	7	2	13.5	89.1
10	Trevor Bayne	6	0	0	0	1	0	19.5	65.1
11	AJ Allmendinger	7	0	0	0	1	0	21.7	67.1
12	Jamie McMurray	14	0	0	1	4	0	17.3	74.2
13	Aric Almirola	8	0	0	0	0	3	29.8	55.1
14	Clint Bowyer	11	0	0	1	3	0	18.5	71.0
15	Paul Menard	10	0	0	1	3	1	16.5	75.0
16	Matt Kenseth	17	1	3	6	9	2	12.9	96.9

* – Based on last 12 races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2005 – 2016).

2017 Stage Winners / Drivers with Playoff Points

Track	Stage 1 Winner	Stage 2 Winner	Race Winner		Playoff Points Following Race #2
Daytona	Kyle Busch	Kevin Harvick	Kurt Busch		Drivers	Playoff Points
Atlanta	Kevin Harvick	Kevin Harvick	Brad Keselowski		Kurt Busch	5
Las Vegas					Brad Keselowski	5
Phoenix					Kevin Harvick	3
Auto Club					Kyle Busch	1
Martinsville
Texas
Bristol
Richmond
Talladega

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

History

·        The construction to build the superspeedway known today as Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) began in 1995. Speedway Motorsports Inc. acquired the property in 1998.

·        The first NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race won by Ken Schrader on Nov. 2, 1996.

·        The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was held on March 1, 1998, won by Mark Martin.

·        In 2006, the track was reconfigured to include progressive banking.

Starts

·        There have been 19 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

·        143 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas; 108 in more than one. 

·        Jeff Gordon leads the series in starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with 18. Matt Kenseth leads all active drivers with 17 starts.

·        Stanton Barrett (1999), Kyle Busch (2004), Timmy Hill (2012), Jon Wood and Aric Almirola (2007) made their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

·        Joey Logano leads the series among active drivers in average starting position at LVMS with an 8.250.

Poles

·        Dale Jarrett won the inaugural pole at LVMS with a speed of 168.224 mph (32.773 secs.).

·        12 drivers have MENCS poles at LVMS, led by Kasey Kahne with three (2004, 2007 and 2012). 

·        Kyle Busch is the only driver to win consecutive poles at LVMS from (2008-‘09).

·        Youngest LVMS pole winner: Kyle Busch (3/2/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 0 days). 

·        Oldest LVMS pole winner: Dale Jarrett (3/4/2001 – 44 years, 3 months, 6 days). 

Wins

·        11 different Monster Energy drivers have won at LVMS, led by Jimmie Johnson with four (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010). 

·        Five drivers have multiple Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Las Vegas: Jimmie Johnson (four), Matt Kenseth (three), Brad Keselowski, Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards (each have two).

·        Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Las Vegas with seven, followed by Hendrick Motorsports with five, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing (two each), Chip Ganassi Racing (one). 

·        Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch became the first and only driver to win from the pole, in 2009.

·        Only three of the 19 LVMS races (15.8%) have been won from the front row: Kyle Busch, 2009 (pole); Carl Edwards, 2008 (second-place); Brad Keselowski, 2014 (second-place).

·        Five of the 19 races (26.3%) have been won from a top-five starting position at Las Vegas.

·        Nine of the 19 (47.4%) races have been won from a top-10 starting position at Las Vegas.

·        Four of the 19 races (21.1%) at Las Vegas have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004.

·        Youngest LVMS winner: Kyle Busch (03/01/2009 – 23 years, 9 months, 27 days). 

·        Oldest LVMS winner: Sterling Marlin (03/03/2002 – 44 years, 7 months, 32 days). 

·        Three drivers have won consecutive races at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton (1999, 2000); Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004) and Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to win three consecutive races (2005, 2006 and 2007).

·        Eight of the 11 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won at Las Vegas participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Mark Martin (1998; inaugural event) is the only driver to win at Las Vegas in his first appearance. 

·        Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series (active drivers) with the most starts at Las Vegas without visiting Victory Lane with 17 races. 

·        No driver has won the first three races of the season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The five drivers that have won the first two events of the series season are: Matt Kenseth (2009), Jeff Gordon (1997), David Pearson (1976), Bob Welborn (1959) and Marvin Panch (1957).  

·        Four reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Las Vegas the following season: Matt Kenseth (2004), Tony Stewart (2012), Kevin Harvick (2015) and Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2010) - Johnson is the only driver to do it multiple times.

·        Three drivers have won at Las Vegas and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship in the same season: Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010). 

·        Four manufacturers have visited Victory Lane in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at LVMS, led by Ford (Nine), Chevrolet (seven), Toyota (two) and Dodge (one). 

·        Only four car numbers have produced two or more Las Vegas MENCS wins:

Car Number – Drivers – (Years)

o   No. 48  – Jimmie Johnson (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010)

o   No. 99 – Jeff Burton (1999, 2000) Carl Edwards (2008, 2011)

o   No. 17 –  Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004)

o   No. 2 – Brad Keselowski (2014, 2016)  

Additional Finishing Positions

·        Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series in runner-up finishes at Las Vegas with three; followed by Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart with two each. 

·        Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-five finishes at Las Vegas with six each. 

·        Dale Earnhardt Jr and Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes with 10 each. 

·        Joey Logano leads the series in average finish at LVMS with a 10.750.   

Female Competitors

·        Danica Patrick and Shawna Robinson are the only two female drivers to compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Driver	Season	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Driver Rating
Danica Patrick	2016	18	21	54.9
Danica Patrick	2015	21	27	60.4
Danica Patrick	2014	22	21	58.0
Danica Patrick	2013	37	33	40.5
Shawna Robinson	2002	36	42	N/A

·        Danica Patrick has an average finish of 28.8 at LVMS.

Track / Specific Event

·        There has been one resulting with a NASCAR Overtime finish at Las Vegas: 2006 (Scheduled Laps: 267; Actual Laps: 270).

·        Qualifying has only been cancelled once at LVMS - 2013.

·        The closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the March 12, 2006 race won by Jimmie Johnson over Matt Kenseth by a MOV of 0.045 second. Below is a look at the MOVs at LVMS over the last 10 races:

Date	Margin of Victory
3/6/2016	0.675
3/8/2015	1.64
3/9/2014	1.53
3/10/2013	0.594
3/11/2012	0.461
3/6/2011	1.246
2/28/2010	1.874
3/1/2009	0.411
3/2/2008	0.504
3/11/2007	2.795
Average MOV	1.173

NASCAR in Nevada

·        There have been a total of 60 NASCAR national series races among two tracks in the state of Nevada.

Track Name	City	Total Races	Monster Energy	XFINITY	Camping World
Las Vegas Motor Speedway	Las Vegas	59	19	20	20
Las Vegas Park Speedway	Las Vegas	1	1	0	0
Totals		60	20	20	20

·        The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Nevada was at Las Vegas Park Speedway on October 16, 1955. Las Vegas Park Speedway was a 1-mile dirt track and the event was 200 laps. Norm Nelson won the race in a Chrysler. 

·        25 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Nevada. 

·        13 drivers from the state of Nevada have made at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start.

Drivers	Starts
Kurt Busch	577
Kyle Busch	427
Eddie Skinner	56
Brendan Gaughan	51
T.J. Bell	11
Doc Faustina	10
Bob Ruppert	3
Brownie Brown	2
Gus Newman	2
Britton Jones	1
Herb Hill	1
Romie Alderman	1
Wayne Jacks	1

·        Three drivers with their home state recorded as Nevada have won a NASCAR national series race.

Drivers	National Series Wins
Kyle Busch	170
Kurt Busch	38
Brendan Gaughan	10

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Milestones
Drivers	Has	Needs	Milestones
Clint Bowyer	399	1	400th MENCS start; Ties Denny Hamlin for 58th on all-time MENCS starts list
Jimmie Johnson	80	3	Tie Cale Yarborough for sixth on MENCS all-time wins list
Kyle Busch	38	1	Tie Tim Flock for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Matt Kenseth	38	1	Tie Tim Flock for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kevin Harvick	35	2	Tie Bobby Isaac for 21st on MENCS all-time wins list
Kurt Busch	29	3	Tie Dale Jarrett for 24th on all-time MENCS wins list
Denny Hamlin	29	3	Tie Dale Jarrett for 24th on all-time MENCS wins list
Ryan Newman	51	3	To tie Bill Elliott for eighth on the all-time MENCS poles list
Jimmie Johnson	35	1	Tie Rusty Wallace and Rex White for 17th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kasey Kahne	27	1	Break the tie with Terry Labonte to become solely 25th on all-time MENCS poles list
Denny Hamlin	24	1	Break the tie with Alan Kulwicki to become solely 28th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kevin Harvick	48	1	Break the tie with Lee Petty and become solely 10th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Jimmie Johnson	46	2	Tie Lee Petty and Kevin Harvick for 10th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Kyle Busch	36	1	Tie Bobby Isaac and Ned Jarrett for 17th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Matt Kenseth	29	1	Tie Ricky Rudd for 25th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Matt Kenseth	172	3	Tie Bill Elliott for 19th on all-time MENCS top-five finishes list
Dale Earnhardt Jr	148	2	To become the 23rd driver to post 150th MENCS top-five finishes
Jimmie Johnson	330	2	Tie Lee Petty for 12th on the MENCS all-time top-10 finishes list
Matt Kenseth	310	1	Tie Buddy Baker for 16th on the MENCS all-time top-10 finishes list
Kurt Busch	8,862	138	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps
Brad Keselowski	4,855	145	To become 39th MENCS driver all-time to lead 5,000 or more laps
Ryan Newman	4,705	295	To become 39th MENCS driver all-time to lead 5,000 or more laps
Track Specific Milestones
Drivers	Has	Needs	Milestones
Matt Kenseth	3	1	Tie Jimmie Johnson for the series-most wins at LVMS
Brad Keselowski	2	1	Tie Matt Kenseth for the second-most wins at LVMS in the series
Kurt Busch	2	1	Tie Kasey Kahne for the series-most poles at LVMS
Kyle Busch	2	1	Tie Kasey Kahne for the series-most poles at LVMS
Jimmie Johnson	576	24	To become first driver to lead over 600 laps at LVMS in their MENCS career
Matt Kenseth	526	74	To become first driver to lead over 600 laps at LVMS in their MENCS career

DRIVERS OUTSIDE THE TOP 30 IN POINTS

30th	David Ragan	27 Pts
Pts. Pos.	Drivers	Points	Pts. Back from 30th Position
31	Daniel Suarez	25	-2
32	Jimmie Johnson	24	-3
33	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	20	-7
34	Corey LaJoie	16	-11
35	Chris Buescher	15	-12
36	Jeffrey Earnhardt	15	-12
37	Reed Sorenson	6	-21
38	D J Kennington	1	-26
39	Derrike Cope	1	-26
40	Gray Gaulding	1	-26
41	Cody Ware	1	-26

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Las Vegas Winners List Since 1998:

Date	Winners	Crew Chiefs
3/6/2016	Brad Keselowski	Paul Wolfe
3/8/2015	Kevin Harvick	Rodney Childers
3/9/2014	Brad Keselowski	Paul Wolfe
3/10/2013	Matt Kenseth	Jason Ratcliff
3/11/2012	Tony Stewart	Steve Addington
3/6/2011	Carl Edwards	Bob Osborne
2/28/2010	Jimmie Johnson	Chad Knaus
3/1/2009	Kyle Busch	Steve Addington
3/2/2008	Carl Edwards	Bob Osborne
3/11/2007	Jimmie Johnson	Chad Knaus
3/12/2006	Jimmie Johnson	Darian Grubb
3/13/2005	Jimmie Johnson	Chad Knaus
3/7/2004	Matt Kenseth	Robbie Reiser
3/2/2003	Matt Kenseth	Robbie Reiser
3/3/2002	Sterling Marlin	Lee McCall
3/4/2001	Jeff Gordon	Robbie Loomis
3/5/2000	Jeff Burton	Frank Stoddard Jr
3/7/1999	Jeff Burton	Frank Stoddard Jr
3/1/1998	Mark Martin	Jimmy Fennig

2017 Playoff Grid Outlook
Pos.	Drivers	Points	Wins	Playoff Points
1	Kurt Busch	86	1	5
2	Brad Keselowski	84	1	5
3	Kevin Harvick	90	0	3
4	Chase Elliott	82	0	0
5	Joey Logano	80	0	0
6	Kyle Larson	79	0	0
7	Martin Truex Jr.	67	0	0
8	Ryan Blaney	63	0	0
9	Kasey Kahne	63	0	0
10	Trevor Bayne	58	0	0
11	AJ Allmendinger	50	0	0
12	Jamie McMurray	49	0	0
13	Aric Almirola	47	0	0
14	Clint Bowyer	46	0	0
15	Paul Menard	44	0	0
16	Matt Kenseth	41	0	0
Outside Looking In
17	Cole Whitt	38	0	0
18	Matt Dibenedetto	37	0	0
19	Denny Hamlin	37	0	0
20	Ryan Newman	37	0	0
21	Landon Cassill	36	0	0
22	Danica Patrick	36	0	0
23	Austin Dillon	35	0	0
24	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	34	0	0
25	Kyle Busch	32	0	1
26	Ty Dillon	31	0	0
27	Michael McDowell	30	0	0
28	Michael Waltrip	29	0	0
29	Erik Jones	27	0	0
30	David Ragan	27	0	0
	Green = Locked into the Playoffs, provided they attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races and are in the top 30 in points
	Yellow = Have a win, inside the current Playoff Grid's top 16 - Currently in the Playoffs, not locked in
	Orange = No wins, Inside the current Playoff Grid's top 16 - Currently in the Playoffs, not locked in
	Red = Inside the current top 30 in points, outside of the Playoff cutoff