Kyle Larson has won two of the past three NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, including last year’s Pennzoil 400.
The driver for Hendrick Motorsports — which has won five of the past eight Cup events at LVMS — is the +350 favorite at the Westgate SuperBook to win Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 for the second straight year.
Christopher Bell, bidding to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four straight Cup races, is the 4-1 second choice.
Tyler Reddick, who drives for 23XI Racing, a team co-owned by former NBA star Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, is the 5-1 third pick.
William Byron, Larson’s teammate and 2023 Pennzoil 400 winner who recently won his second straight Daytona 500, is the 8-1 fourth favorite.
“This is a mile-and-a-half oval, banked at 20 degrees. There’s about five of them on the circuit, and these are the guys that really excel there,” Westgate NASCAR oddsmaker Ed Salmons said. “One of these four guys figures to win unless … some mayhem happens. That can certainly create someone to win a race they normally wouldn’t.”
For example, Bell dominated the South Point 400 at LVMS in October, leading 155 of the 267 laps, but settled for second place. Bell pitted 35 laps later than Joey Logano, who made his Team Penske’s fuel strategy pay off en route to his second win in the past five Cup races at the track.
Bell became the first Cup Series driver to win three straight races in the NextGen car when he won Sunday in Phoenix. He’s the first driver since Larson in 2021 to win three consecutive Cup races.
Hamlin and 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney are each 12-1. Logano, the reigning Cup Series champion, and Chase Elliott are each 16-1.
“These odds are based on what we’ve seen the last couple years, and then they’ll get tweaked to what we see on Saturday morning,” Salmons said.
The odds might move dramatically following Saturday’s practice and qualifying.
“You could have a guy right now at 25-1 who could go all the way down to 10-1 or 8-1. Things change like that all the time in car racing,” Salmons said. “The trick is to try to be ahead of the curve and bet someone that’s 25-1 that you foresee having speed and a chance to have much lower odds come race day. You’re looking for value.”
Salmons sees value in Elliott, the 2020 Cup Series champion who has already dipped from 18-1.
“He only won one race last year, but there’s just no reason he shouldn’t contend,” he said. “He’s in a Hendricks car. It’s the same car that Larson and Byron drive. He’s getting the same equipment. The stuff is in place for him to contend.”
Hometown hopes
Las Vegas native Kyle Busch hasn’t won on his home track since taking the checkered flag in the 2009 Shelby 427 at LVMS. The two-time Cup Series champ is 20-1 to end his drought.
“He really likes this track,” Salmons said. “The problem with him is their team, (Richard) Childress (Racing), is just a little bit behind the good cars. You need so many things to break your way to have a chance.”
There are two other Las Vegas natives in the race: Noah Gragson is 200-1, and Riley Herbst is 500-1.
Also on the board are driver matchups (Larson is -130 over Bell), over-under finish position props (Busch is 12½, -110) and more (total cautions 6½, u-130).
Xfinity, Craftsman Truck Series
Justin Allgaier and Aric Almirola are the 3-1 co-favorites to win Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, The LiUNA!, at LVMS. Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill are next at 8-1.
Creed holds the Xfinity Series record for the most runner-up finishes (13) without a win.
Corey Heim is the heavy +175 favorite to win Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race, the Ecosave 200, at the track. Chandler Smith is the 6-1 second choice.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
NASCAR weekend odds
At Westgate SuperBook
Pennzoil 400 (Cup Series, Sunday)
Up to 40-1
Kyle Larson +350
Christopher Bell 4-1
Tyler Reddick 5-1
William Byron 8-1
Denny Hamlin 12-1
Ryan Blaney 12-1
Chase Elliott 16-1
Joey Logano 16-1
Kyle Busch 20-1
Ross Chastain 20-1
Alex Bowman 20-1
Chase Briscoe 25-1
Brad Keselowski 40-1
Bubba Wallace 40-1
Chris Buescher 40-1
LiUNA! (Xfinity Series, Saturday)
Up to 12-1
Justin Allgaier 3-1
Aric Almirola 3-1
Sheldon Creed 8-1
Austin Hill 8-1
Jesse Love 12-1
Sam Mayer 12-1
Connor Zilisch 12-1
Ecosave 200 (Craftsman Truck Series, Friday)
Up to 12-1
Corey Heim +175
Chandler Smith 6-1
Ty Majeski 10-1
Grant Enfinger 10-1
Justin Haley 12-1
Layne Riggs 12-1
Daniel Hemric 12-1
Rajah Caruth 12-1
