The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series heads west to Sin City this Sunday for the 2018 Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube. The race is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 4th at 3:30 p.m. EST. The showdown also can be viewed on FOX for your Sunday afternoon entertainment.
Last year, Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski captured the pole for the 20th Annual Kobalt 400 in Las Vegas. 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Series champion Martin Truex Jr. led 150 of the 267 laps turned. As a result, he took the checkered flag out in front for his first win of the season.
Heading into this clash in the desert, last week’s race winner Kevin Harvick is a slight favorite to win the event at +500. Defending champion Martin Truex Jr. isn’t far behind. Bookmakers have the classy veteran at +550 to claim another victory in the 2018 Pennzoil 400. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is the all-time wins leader at this venue. Las Vegas has the steady competitor at +1400 to win his fifth contest at the 1.5-mile paved tri-oval.
Kevin Harvick is the race’s favorite for a reason. The savvy driver absolutely dominated last week’s race in Atlanta. That track was also a 1.5-mile tri-oval. Plus, Harvick has steered his hotrod to victory here before. The Stweart/Haas Racing standout finished first in 2014 but got caught up in a wreck and found himself in 38th in last season’s event.
Martin Truex Jr. has to be considered a favorite every time he rolls out onto 1.5-mile tracks. In 2017, the Furniture Row speedster won nine times at 1.5-mile venues. He also finished in the top-five last week at Atlanta. Let’s not forget, he won the first two stages on his way to his first triumph of the year here in 2017.
Next in line is the 2015 NASCAR Monster Energy Series champion, Kyle Busch. Oddsmakers have the aggressive racer at +600 to take down the Pennzoil 400 this weekend. Busch also is no stranger to victory lane here. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished out in front in 2009. Last year, Busch started ninth but struggled to move up through the field throughout the day. He finished off the Kobalt 400 in 22nd.
Behind Kyle Busch is Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson at +600. Larson has proved that he can muster plenty of enough speed to get the job done. The youngster led in points for some time last season and recorded four wins before he melted down in the playoffs. Larson also started fifth and finished second in last year’s race in Las Vegas. I fully expect him to show plenty of speed once again for the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday.
Lastly, Brad Keselowski enters the Pennzoil 400 as a +650 favorite to win. The odds look good to me considering he won this battle back in 2014 and again in 2016. The feisty competitor managed to start from the front last time he was here but finished out the race in fifth. Keselowski also ended last weekend’s Folds of Honor Quick Trip 500 in second place. The +650 sound like a good bang for your buck in my humble opinion.
Odds to win the 2018 Pennzoil 400 from Las Vegas Speedway:
Kevin Harvick +500
Martin Truex Jr. +550
Kyle Busch +600
Kyle Larson +650
Brad Keselowski +650
Chase Elliott +1000
Jimmie Johnson +1400
Denny Hamlin +1400
Joey Logano +1400
Ryan Blaney +2000
Clint Bowyer +2200
Kurt Busch +2200
Aric Almirola +3300
Erik Jones +3300
Daniel Suarez +6600
Ryan Newman +8000
Paul Menard +8000
Jamie McMurray +10000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +10000
William Byron +10000
Kasey Kahne +10000
Austin Dillon +10000
Alex Bowman +10000
Darrell Wallace Jr. +20000
Trevor Bayne +20000
AJ Allmendinger +30000
Ty Dillon +30000
Chris Buescher +30000
Come on over to BetDSI Sportsbook to find out the latest odds on your favorite driver for the 2018 Pennzoil 400.
