NASCAR Rolls Into Las Vegas For The 2014 Kobalt 400
By Les Bailey
Mar 2, 2014; Avondale, AZ, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick during the The Profit on CNBC 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Chevrolet’s have dominated both races in the early going at Daytona and Phoenix, but when they take the Green Flag in Sunday’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, expect the Blue Ovals to step up. I’m not saying that the Hendrick’s Horsepower can’t win one on the 1.5 mile D Oval, but this race has always been about the Fords.
Yeah, I know Jimmie Johnson has more wins here that anyone(4), and Tony Stewart won two years ago, but historically, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, and Carl Edwards have some history here as well. They had their success in the Roush Fenway Fords, and oh…Matt Kenseth had a few wins at Las Vegas in the same Roush machines.
I’m hoping, as a fan, that we will have a little better racing than we did last week at Phoenix. If it hadn’t been for a little pressure from Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kevin Harvick would have had the old proverbial walk in the park. I wasn’t impressed with the Gen6 performance in Phoenix, and can only hope the 1.5 mile package is better.
There was some good racing on Sunday, but it was mostly back in the pack where the best action was. The better prepared cars had no trouble getting out front, and no one had a better ride than Kevin Harvick.
The Busch brothers will have a homecoming this week at their home track, and both need a members bounce.(yeah that’s a golf term). Both have failed to crack the top ten in the early going, and are decidedly behind in points in the new season. It’s not time to panic, but they will need some good things to happen soon, or it could be a long season.
Even though Dale Earnhardt Jr is by far and away the hottest driver on the planet right now, I expect to see some improvement from those pesky Penske Fords. Yeah, the 2012 Sprint Cup Champ, Brad Keselowski, and his gun slinging teammate, Joey Logano. Both have run well in 2014, but just haven’t caught a checkered flag yet.
Keselowski is hanging in there just six points out of the lead, and Logano is sixth just 15 back. I would watch out for Carl Edwards on Sunday as has had some nice runs in Sin City, and as the now senior driver at Rousch, needs for something to happen. He is setting back there in ninth place only 25 points back.
If there is a big run from the Bow Ties on Sunday, look to that 48 machine, and the six-time Sprint Cup Champion. He is dangerous every time he tees it up(there goes that golf thing again), and Las Vegas would be a good a place as any for him to secure a spot in the 2014 Chase.
Matt Kenseth won here in 2013 and got his first win in the Joe Gibbs Toyota after moving over from Roush during the off season.
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