Joey Logano

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NASCAR at Las Vegas 2021: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Mar 6, 2021
Brad Keselowski (2) and Chris Buescher (17) battle for position during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Brad Keselowski (2) and Chris Buescher (17) battle for position during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

NASCAR begins its first West Coast swing of the 2021 Cup Series campaign Sunday.

The Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be the first competition held outside the state of Florida this season.

The first three races produced a trio of long-shot winners in Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell and William Byron. With three of the 16 playoff positions already locked up, the pressure is on some of the top drivers to regain control at the front of the pack and avoid any postseason bubble stress at the end of the season.

Some of the most established drivers on the circuit have won at the 1.5-mile track. Kurt Busch captured the previous race in Nevada, and Joey Logano has two wins in the past four Las Vegas races.

                  

Pennzoil 400 Schedule

Date: Sunday, March 7

Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET 

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app

              

Odds

Kevin Harvick: +600 (bet $100 to win $600)

Martin Truex Jr.: +600

Brad Keselowski: +800

Joey Logano: +800

Chase Elliott: +900

Denny Hamlin: +900

Kyle Larson: +1000

Ryan Blaney: +1300

Kyle Busch: +1300

Kurt Busch: +1800

William Byron: +1800

via DraftKings Sportsbook.

              

Starting Lineup

            

Preview

Although there have been three unexpected winners on the Cup Series circuit, the established names are still at the top of the points standings.

Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, who went back-and-forth with victories in 2020, top the points standings through three races.

Harvick ended up with the pole position for Sunday's race based off the formula NASCAR is using, with no qualifying sessions taking place at most tracks.

The No. 4 car driver will start alongside Byron, with Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. occupying the second row. Hamlin will start on the third row next to McDowell.

Starting position could turn out to be key at Las Vegas since six of the past eight first-place finishers at the track began the race inside the top 10.

Ford has been the dominant manufacturer at the track lately, with Team Penske's Logano and Brad Keselowski leading the charge with five wins since 2014.

Keselowski could be the top driver to watch Sunday. The No. 2 car driver owns three victories at Las Vegas and starts five positions ahead of his Penske teammate.

Truex broke up Ford's dominance with victories in March 2017 and September 2019, and he could cash in on his co-favorite status if a Ford does not reach Victory Lane.

The Joe Gibbs Racing competitor has improved his finishing position in each of the three races and is coming off a third-place mark at the season's first 1.5-mile race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Truex was in the mix for the lead with Byron and Kyle Larson, but he missed out on second after Tyler Reddick shot up the field to take silver.

If another long shot were to take over the race, Chris Buescher could be the man for the job. He led a bulk of the early laps at Homestead and has a pair of top-20 finishes from the past two races.

Buescher drives a Roush Fenway Racing Ford, so he may have the right setup under the hood to make a run at the top.

If another unexpected winner were to come out of Las Vegas, it would cut the list of available playoff spots to 12 and squeeze out some of the more inconsistent top drivers.

Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman and Ryan Blaney are among the more notable names beneath the top 15 in points. If they do not win, they need to put in more consistent runs to start making moves up the points standings.

                    

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Bubba Wallace Tweets About 'Bum End' to Daytona 500 After Michael Jordan Comment

Feb 15, 2021
Bubba Wallace (23) races during the second of two qualifying NASCAR auto races for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Bubba Wallace (23) races during the second of two qualifying NASCAR auto races for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Bubba Wallace expressed his disappointment on Twitter after finishing 17th in Sunday's Daytona 500:

Wallace led one lap during the race and was running near the front of the pack before getting caught up on the final-lap wreck started by Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Michael McDowell earned the win under a caution flag.

It was still enough for Wallace to earn 32 points from the race, putting him in eighth place in the early Cup Series standings.

There are high expectations for him this year after debuting for 23XI Racing team, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin. Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, put more pressure on him during a conversation on Fox Sports prior to the race.

"We don't sign checks for losers," Jordan joked.

The team will look for an improved showing next Sunday at the O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Daytona 500 2021 Results: Top Finishers and Reaction from Great American Race

Feb 15, 2021
Michael McDowell runs during a NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying session Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Michael McDowell runs during a NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying session Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Michael McDowell prevailed as the finish of the 2021 Daytona 500 was overshadowed by a wreck that involved race leader Joey Logano.  

Because the caution flag waved, NASCAR officials had to review the video to check if McDowell was in first place and thus the race winner.

               

Daytona 500 Results

1. Michael McDowell

2. Austin Dillon

3. Chase Elliott

4. Denny Hamlin

5. Kevin Harvick

6. Ryan Preece

7. Ross Chastain

8. Jamie McMurray

9. Corey LaJoie

10. Kyle Larson

Full leaderboard available at NASCAR.com

           

Logano had the finish line in his sights when he got bumped by Brad Keselowski. The fiery crash looked far worse than it proved to be as all the drivers involved exited their cars.

Logano and Keselowski are teammates, but Logano probably isn't feeling a ton of unity at the moment.

That opened the door for McDowell's improbable triumph. He led only one lap on the night and made it count. This is the first win of his NASCAR Cup Series career, and it means he'll collect one of the coveted 16 playoff spots.

On what proved to be such an unusual day, he was an appropriate victor.

Denny Hamlin dominated much of the race, winning the first and second stages. He maintained the lead into the final stage until the cars all headed to pit road with just under 30 laps remaining.

As they exited pit road, the Ford cars formed a convoy as Hamlin and his fellow Toyota drivers became separated. That left Hamlin vulnerable and powerless to stop the line of Fords led by Logano. A small pack of Chevrolets pushed Hamlin further back, and he was running by himself on the inside.

The three-time Daytona 500 champion was unable to recover.

Hamlin's stage wins at least ensure he doesn't come away totally empty-handed in an event that got off to an inauspicious start.

Fans didn't have to wait long to see "The Big One." On the 14th lap, Kyle Busch bumped the rear of Christopher Bell, who made contact with Aric Almirola. Almirola took out Alex Bowman before hitting the wall, and a 16-car wreck was underway.

That left track officials with a massive cleanup effort to get the action back underway. Then Mother Nature intervened. Lightning and inclement weather forced the race to be delayed. Motorsports.com's Jim Utter noted the red flag extended for more than five-and-a-half hours.

For the teams involved in the massive crash, that set up a race against the clock to get cars back up to the standard required to re-enter the race. Tyler Reddick's No. 8 car was in rough shape as he warmed the engine back up.

As they awaited the signal to return to their vehicles, drivers had to get creative to pass the time.

https://twitter.com/MarissaBriscoe_/status/1361124669336731649

Jimmie Johnson reflected on one positive from his retirement:

There were some initial problems in terms of getting the track fully dry. Once the green flag waved, the action largely went without any issues right up until the last lap.

The NSACAR Cup Series stays in Daytona for the upcoming week. The O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 At Daytona will run Sunday on the road course, and it will have a high bar to clear to match the chaos from the 2021 Daytona 500.

Daytona 500 2021 Results: Michael McDowell Wins After Avoiding Final-Lap Crash

Feb 15, 2021
Michael McDowell runs during a NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying session Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Michael McDowell runs during a NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying session Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Michael McDowell won the first Daytona 500 of his career and prevented history in the process.

It appeared as if Denny Hamlin was going to become the first NASCAR driver in the sport's history to win the Daytona 500 three years in a row when he won the first two stages and held a lead heading into the stretch run, but Joey Logano and others passed him with 25 laps remaining to set up a dramatic finish.

Hamlin joined Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and Sterling Marlin as back-to-back champions at Daytona International Speedway who failed to three-peat in the Great American Race.

McDowell earned the checkered flag at the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening event Sunday in stunning fashion, as it appeared as if Logano were going to win on the last lap. However, Logano and Brad Keselowski collided on the final push, which led to a multi-car pileup.

NASCAR reviewed the situation and determined McDowell was the winner, which was the first Cup Series victory of his career.

Here is a look at the top five, per NASCAR.com:

1. Michael McDowell

2. Chase Elliott

3. Austin Dillon

4. Kevin Harvick

5. Denny Hamlin

It was a head-turning finish, but it didn't take long for chaos to reign in this year's edition of the famed race.

Christopher Bell pushed Aric Almirola on Lap 15, which sparked a massive 16-car pileup that knocked out a number of contenders, including pole-sitter Alex Bowman. Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, William Byron, Matt Dibenedetto, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick and Ryan Newman were among those involved in the wreck.

What's more, a weather delay that lasted nearly six hours shortly followed.

Once the weather delay ended, Almirola, Bowman, Blaney, Newman, Derrike Cope, Daniel Suarez, David Ragan and Erik Jones were all out of the race. Chris Buescher, DiBenedetto and Anthony Alfredo were also ruled out as the race started, and Quin Houff ran into trouble during Stage 1 and was eliminated.

Despite all of the drama, the status quo prevailed in the early going when Hamlin won Stage 1 and earned the corresponding playoff point.

It was fitting considering he was directly involved in two of the biggest storylines coming into the race. Not only was he going for a three-peat, but he and Michael Jordan are also the co-owners of 23XI Racing with Bubba Wallace behind the wheel.

Wallace, who is the only Black full-time driver at the sport's top level and sparked progress by successfully calling for NASCAR to ban the display of Confederate flags at racetracks last year, was also in the top 10 after Stage 1.

Wallace nearly won Stage 2 in a battle with Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, but the No. 11 car held him off and won yet another playoff point. It was a testament to Hamlin's ability, especially in Daytona, that he maneuvered his way back to the front of the pack on the final lap of the stage.

The stage was defined by concerns about visibility in the fog; a wreck involving Bell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Larson; and Kaz Grala's right rear tire catching on fire. Larson's car suffered right-side damage and a flat tire, while Grala's car needed fire extinguishers.

There wasn't much drama in the early portion of Stage 3 with Hamlin cruising so much he asked his team how many laps he led.

However, he lost that lead to Logano and others with 25 laps remaining and was never able to make up the gap. McDowell was the ultimate benefactor and earned the first Cup Series victory of his career.

Daytona 500 Starting Lineup: Predictions and Odds Ahead of 2021 Duels

Feb 11, 2021
Joey Logano drives in the NASCAR Clash auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Joey Logano drives in the NASCAR Clash auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Thirty-eight of the 40 starting positions for the 2021 Daytona 500 will be determined in Thursday's Duels. 

Alex Bowman and William Byron locked into front-row spots on the starting grid from Wednesday's qualifying session. The rest of the drivers will fight for positions on the second row and beyond on Thursday. 

The first of the two Duels will decide the odd-numbered positions on the grid. Polesitter Bowman will lead the field for that race, which includes two-time reigning Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano.

The second Duel carries more star power with Kurt and Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski among the 22 drivers. 

Hamlin and Elliott are viewed as the favorites to win their respective Duels, but there are a few experienced drivers with longer odds who could carry better value for the pair of 150-mile races. 

        

Daytona Duel Odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Duel 1

Denny Hamlin (+550; bet $100 to win $550)

Joey Logano (+650)

Kyle Larson (+700)

Aric Almirola (+750)

Alex Bowman (+900)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (+1000)

    

Duel 2

Chase Elliott (+650)

Ryan Blaney (+700)

Kyle Busch (+700)

Kevin Harvick (+700)

Brad Keselowski (+700)

Bubba Wallace (+1000)

William Byron (+1100)

Martin Truex Jr. (+1100)

     

Predictions

Team Penske Wins At Least One Race

Team Penske has a three-year winning streak in the Duels. 

Ryan Blaney took first in his Duel in 2018 and Joey Logano captured victories in 2019 and 2020. 

Blaney started "Speedweeks" off with a strong run in the Clash, which was run on the Daytona road course for the first time. 

The No. 12 car driver was denied a victory on Tuesday after a final-lap collision with Chase Elliott led to Kyle Busch crossing the finish line first. 

Blaney may have the best chance of the three Team Penske drivers to win on Thursday since he posted the best speed between him, Logano and Brad Keselowski in qualifying and has a teammate to draft with in the second Duel. 

Keselowski will begin Duel 2 two rows behind Blaney, and both start the race on the inside lane. If they link up early, they could be a formidable one-two punch for the entire race. 

Logano may not receive as much help in Duel 1 since seven of the eight cars at the top of the grid are Chevrolets and Toyotas. 

If Blaney and Keselowski perform well, they could challenge the Hendrick Motorsports duo of Elliott and Byron, who both start in the top five. 

If a Penske-Hendrick showdown occurs, it would be a battle of five of the last six Duel winners. Stewart-Haas Racing is the only other team with a Duel victory in that span.

Given Penske's recent history in the Duels, a bet on Blaney or Keselowski at +700 in Duel 2, or even Logano at +650 to take Duel 1 should be worth it. 

      

Bubba Wallace Extends Strong Showing At Daytona

Bubba Wallace had the fastest Toyota during Wednesday's qualifying session. In fact, the No. 23 car driver was one of three team members in the top 12. 

Of course, a lot can change between now and Sunday because qualifying counts one lap and the actual race is a 500-mile shootout, but right now, he has the fastest Toyota. 

Wallace is expected to have improved results in 2021 with better horsepower under his engine because of 23XI Racing's partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing. 

If Wednesday's qualifying session is a sign of things to come, Wallace should be in the mix for a top position in Duel 2. 

Although he is not a member of Joe Gibbs Racing, Wallace could receive help from Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. since they are the only three Toyota competitors entered in Duel 2. 

Wallace, Busch and Truex will all start on the outside lane, so they could work together to generate momentum off that side of the track to earn an early edge over Elliott, Keselowski, Blaney and Kevin Harvick, all of whom start on the inside for Duel 2. 

If Wallace runs well again on Thursday, he could be one of the popular long-shot selections to win the Daytona 500, or be a popular pick for top-five or top-10 prop bets. 

            

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

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NASCAR at Phoenix 2020: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Nov 7, 2020
Joey Logano (22) heads into turn 3 during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Luther Jr.)
Joey Logano (22) heads into turn 3 during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Luther Jr.)

Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano will leave Phoenix Raceway on Sunday as the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion.

That quartet advanced to the final four after a dramatic penultimate race at Martinsville Speedway—won by Elliott—last time out. Keselowski and Logano are the only members of the group to have won the Cup Series in their careers.

In addition to crowning a champion Sunday, NASCAR will bid farewell to Jimmie Johnson, who is retiring from the competition after a two-decade career in which he's won seven championships.

While the title race and Johnson's farewell will capture the spotlight, there is a chance Kevin Harvick steals the show in the chase for his 10th victory of the season.

                      

Series Finale 500 Information

Date: Sunday, November 8

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBCSports.com or NBC Sports app

                 

Odds

Kevin Harvick: +400 (bet $100 to win $400)

Chase Elliott: +450

Denny Hamlin: +450

Brad Keselowski: +450

Joey Logano: +500

Kyle Busch: +900

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

                

Starting Lineup

             

Preview

The four championship contenders do not have to win the Season Finale 500 to become champion.

But if a member of the quartet crosses the finish line first, he will capture the 2020 Cup Series title.

Elliott, Hamlin and Keselowski have the same odds to capture first place, while Logano is slightly behind the trio.

Harvick is the bookmakers' favorite to win the race. He produced a series high nine wins, but he failed to qualify for the final four based off points out of Martinsville.

In March, Harvick landed in second place behind Logano in the Cup Series' first trip of the season to Arizona. Elliott was seventh, Keselowski took 12th and Hamlin finished 20th. Harvick has nine victories at Phoenix, which solidifies his favorite status to win the race.

Logano believes Team Penske is best prepared to complete the season sweep at Phoenix and win the title, per NASCAR.com's Terrin Waack:

"Honestly, I feel l like this year feels a lot like 2018. It's actually kind of funny because I think about 2018 where we had not the best summer months, then we kind of picked it up as the playoffs started [and] won Martinsville, the first race of the third round, which set up to race for a championship in Miami that year. ...

"I think the experience is there, the speed is there. I think the mentality of the way we race is there. I truly believe that we're the favorites to win this thing."

The No. 22 car driver competed with the least amount of pressure in the past two races after automatically advancing to the final four by way of his victory at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 18.

Hamlin is the only other title contender to win at Phoenix, capturing the March 2012 and November 2019 competitions at the circuit. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver drew the worst starting position of the four finalists, all of whom start in the first two rows.

Elliott is on the pole thanks to the starting position formula that heavily weighed his victory at Martinsville. He will be racing for a trophy while sending off his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson, who is proud of what he has accomplished in the NASCAR Cup Series, telling ESPN's Ryan McGee.

"My entire life has always been about the experience. All I ever wanted to do was win one race. After I did that, I had to adjust my goals. Now I am adjusting them all the time. I have had opportunities that I never dreamed of. I have a lot more of those opportunities coming. I don't know where all it will take me, where it will take my family, but that's the exciting part."

Johnson does not have a victory in 2020, but if there is a track where he can go out a winner, it is Phoenix, where he owns four victories.

                   

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

NASCAR at Kansas 2020 Results: Joey Logano Earns Win, Advances to Championship 4

Oct 18, 2020
Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) prepares for practice for Sunday's Sprint Cup auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) prepares for practice for Sunday's Sprint Cup auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

After Chase Elliott's victory at Charlotte last Sunday, the third round of the NASCAR playoffs was christened by Joey Logano.

The 2018 Cup Series champion held the lead out of a restart with 45 laps to go and never gave it up to a chasing Kevin Harvick to win the first of three races in the Round of 8 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday and clinch his spot in the Championship 4. 

The victory was the third of the season for Logano, who began the day in fifth place within the field of eight.

Denny Hamlin beat out Kevin Harvick for the Stage 2 win, but he had to make an unscheduled pit in the final stage after he hit the wall and finished 15th. 

Within a tight race at the bottom of the playoff standings, where Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch entered Sunday with just 16 points separating fifth and eighth (Busch), Truex had a setback before the race even began. His car failed pre-race inspection twice, so the 2017 champion, who hasn't won since June, began at the back of the pack but managed to finish ninth.

Busch had his engine quit in the final stage to end his day after 197 laps.

Clint Bowyer, who did not qualify for the Round of 8 last week after announcing his retirement, was honored by his fellow drivers before his last race at his home track by leading the pack at the start and placing 26th.

The Round of 8 continues next Sunday with the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway before the championship field is determined in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 1. 

NASCAR at Las Vegas 2020: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Sep 26, 2020
Joey Logan (22) drives during a NASCAR Cup Monster Energy Series auto race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Joey Logan (22) drives during a NASCAR Cup Monster Energy Series auto race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The second stage of the NASCAR Cup Series postseason begins Sunday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kevin Harvick, who won two of the three races in the round of 16, comes into the round of 12 in first place.

Sunday's South Point 400 may be more competitive than previous races at Las Vegas because of the challenges that lie ahead. After Las Vegas, the NASCAR playoffs head to the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway and the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Harvick begins the race on the pole, with Kyle Busch next to him on the front row. Joey Logano, who won the season's first event at Las Vegas, starts in fifth.

                      

South Point 400 Information

Date: Sunday, September 27

Start Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: NBCSN

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

            

Starting Lineup

          

Odds

Kevin Harvick: +450 (bet $100 to win $450)

Martin Truex Jr.: +500

Brad Keselowski: +600

Joey Logano: +650

Denny Hamlin: +750

Kyle Busch: +900

Chase Elliott: +900

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

              

Preview

Even though Harvick has won only one of the past seven Las Vegas races, he has to be viewed as Sunday's favorite because of his season-long form. The No. 4 car driver took first in three of the past five races, including Sept. 19's Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Harvick now holds a three-race advantage on Denny Hamlin for most wins (nine) during the 2020 season. And Hamlin may struggle to keep pace with Harvick in that category Sunday since he has never won in Nevada.

Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, who respectively sit third and fourth behind Harvick and Hamlin, have been the most successful set of teammates at Las Vegas recently.

The Team Penske drivers have won three of the past four Las Vegas events, with Logano taking the past two early-season races. Logano led 54 of the 267 laps during the Pennzoil 400. Keselowski landed in seventh in that race.

In fact, the Penske competitors were two of four drivers still alive in the NASCAR postseason to finish in the top 10 in February. Austin Dillon and Harvick were the others. Six of the racers who started in the top 10 in that race finished outside of the those places, including Kyle Busch, who began that competition on the pole.

Busch is one of a few drivers that either need a win in the next three races to clinch a spot in the final eight or a handful of high positions to avoid the cut. Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and and Kurt Busch are the others on the outside looking in at the top eight playoff spots.

A move into the top eight is possible, as Dillon proved in the first postseason stage by surging up to eighth place. Since Dillon took fourth at Las Vegas in February and had a pair of top-five finishes in the round of 16, he should be considered a dark horse to win and could be worth backing at +4000.

                      

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.

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