Pennzoil 400 Race Preview and Best Bet (Archive)
The top sportsbooks have released their betting odds for the NASCAR Cup’s next regular-season race.
On Sunday, things likely won’t get chaotic like they were last week in Fontana, California. Read ahead for analysis on who you should invest in for this Sunday’s race.
NASCAR Cup Series: Pennzoil 400
Sunday, March 6, 2022 – 03:30 PM EST at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Last Race Brief
Last week’s chaos manifested itself in a variety of wrecks and crashes that affected several other drivers. One of those drivers was Tyler Reddick. Reddick had been excellent and had the fastest car all day. But Reddick couldn’t avoid crashing so, at the end of the day, Kyle Larson won the race.
Race Info
After a chaos-filled weekend, we move from slippery Fontana in California to Las Vegas for the Pennzoil 400. For this racing event, drivers must complete a total of 267 laps.
As is usually the case, there are three stages for this race.
- Stage 1: Consists in the first 80 laps.
- Stage 2: Requires 80 more laps.
- Stage 3: Encompasses the final 107 laps.
The entry list for this race has been posted. On the entry list, 36 teams/drivers have been named. So, barring any unforeseen events, we know who will participate in this race.
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As for the order in which drivers will start, the starting lineup will be established on Saturday. Saturday morning will be busy with a 10:30 AM (Las Vegas time) call for practice to start.
Afterward, from 11:05 AM – 12:30 PM (local) is the qualifying stretch, upon which the starting lineup gets set.
Track Info
The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a tri-oval with a surface made of asphalt. Each lap is 1.5 miles long. So, in completing 267 laps, drivers will have accumulated 400.5 miles.
Banking at this track is decent on the turns. The turns are banked progressively from 12 to 20 degrees. It is very unusual, though, to see straightaways banked as highly as the ones in Las Vegas. At this track, the straightaways are banked at nine to 12 degrees.
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This situation helps increase the driving speeds because drivers will use it to corral more momentum for their cars.
Drivers To Avoid
Avoid investing in William Byron who, at this track, often finishes well back of where he started and/or outside the top 20. His average finishing position here is 20.00, which is 5.5 spots behind his average starting position.
In Bovada’s (visit our Bovada Review) head-to-head betting, Chase Elliott is represented more often as a candidate to invest in or fade. At this top sportsbook, one can invest in him to finish either behind or ahead of Denny Hamlin and likewise either behind or ahead of Kyle Larson.
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With our NASCAR picks in mind, I, therefore, think it worthwhile to talk about Elliott. Historically, Elliott is very hit-or-miss at this track. He can occasionally do well, but he’ll also suffer terrible performances.
This sort of inconsistency actually typifies what we’ve already seen from Elliott, in general, this season. It’s hard to know whether the good Elliott or the bad Elliott will show up on a given day.
Consequently, I think it’s too risky to invest in this guy right now, so I recommend finding someone who offers a sounder basis for hope.
Driver I Like
In his brief career, it’s been normal for Tyler Reddick to lay a few initial eggs before scoring a strong success. That strong success was seemingly supposed to take place last week. Reddick had the fastest car all day until he cut his tire and crashed in what was a chaotic environment.
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I think that the anticipated strong success will take place this Sunday for Reddick. Historically speaking, Reddick’s initial races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway were awful.
But, unlike Byron, Reddick has produced hope here. In his last race at Las Vegas, he started 13th but finished a highly respectable sixth. After tasting but not finding success last week, a hungrier Reddick will build off of his improved racing at this track to score another success in Las Vegas.
The Pick
Because I like Reddick but not Byron, I recommend investing in Reddick to finish ahead of the latter for your best bets for this race.
Pennzoil 400 Pick: Reddick to Finish Ahead of Byron Matchup (-105) at Bovada
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.