LAS VEGAS — Christopher Bell is searching for a historic fourth consecutive win on Sunday because the NASCAR Cup Collection descends on Sin Metropolis for the Pennzoil 400.
With a win, Bell would turn out to be the primary driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win 4 straight Cup races. Solely eight drivers have achieved the feat in NASCAR’s trendy period (post-1972) and 5 of these drivers went on to win the championship, together with Johnson in 2007 and Jeff Gordon in 1998.
Bell, 30, has by no means received a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, although he is completed second in two of the final three races held on the observe.
With Las Vegas being the primary intermediate observe on the 2025 schedule, the race provides each Bell in his No. 20 Toyota and the remainder of the sphere their first actual alternative to gauge their automotive on the model of race observe on which a big portion of the schedule is contested. A few of these races are among the many most vital on NASCAR’s schedule, together with October’s South Level 400 in Vegas.
“Vegas is a real barometer of the intermediates,” Bell, the Joe Gibbs Racing standout, advised the NASCAR Wire Service. “It is sort of just like the final model of observe that we have not been to but this season. It is an vital race as a result of you’ve got lots of factors to be gained or misplaced on the intermediate-style tracks, however what makes Vegas much more vital is that it is within the Spherical of 8 (of the Playoffs).
“That race, whenever you come again within the fall, is tremendous vital to have a very stable factors day and contend for a win. That fall Vegas race is the whole lot, and there is not any higher tune-up for it than the spring Vegas race.”
Maybe the best risk to finish Bell’s sizzling streak on Sunday is 2021 Cup Collection champion Kyle Larson, who has received on the “Diamond within the Desert” thrice since becoming a member of Hendrick Motorsports earlier than the 2021 season. Larson’s first win with Hendrick got here at Las Vegas in March 2021 and Larson has claimed two of the earlier three races held on the observe, successful the South Level 400 in October 2023 and the Pennzoil 400 in March 2024.
“I believe since becoming a member of Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, it is in all probability been our greatest race observe,” Larson mentioned. “Getting just a few wins, I believe two different second-place finishes in that point has additionally been actually good. The observe is nice however getting to come back to the town and have enjoyable on the strip and all of the stuff that it has to supply, it in all probability makes it certainly one of my three favourite races to get to.”
Like Bell, Larson can also be is wanting ahead to getting a real really feel for the sort of automotive he has this season on an intermediate observe.
“The best way schedule is now, you go to Daytona, then you definately go to Atlanta and then you definately go to a street course,” Larson mentioned “You virtually have to attend an entire month to understand how your season is perhaps and the way you will be on velocity. I believe all of us groups are actually, actually excited to get on observe for follow, get again into the extra bulk of the schedule with this model of race observe.”
Regardless of Bell’s sizzling begin to the season, it is really William Byron who enters Sunday’s race within the factors lead by 13 factors over Bell. Byron received the season-opening Daytona 500 in February and earned the pole on his technique to a sixth-place end in Phoenix, along with ending second on the first Daytona Duel and on the Circuit of the Americas on March 2.
Joey Logano is the latest winner at Las Vegas, as his victory on the South Level 400 in October 2024 propelled him to his third NASCAR title.
–Will Despart, Subject Degree Media