NASCAR Pennzoil 400 Odds: Larson favored for the first time in 2024
The grid heads west to Las Vegas this week after two thrilling races to start the season
What a start to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season! Daniel Suárez won in Atlanta by a record-close margin over Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch. This week, the Cup Series grid leaves the Eastern time zone for the first time this season with a stop at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The NASCAR Pennzoil 400 odds are the shortest of the season, with multiple drivers favored for a good result.
Favorites for victory
Kyle Larson (+400)
Larson’s had a mixed start to the season. Eleventh in Daytona preceded a DNF in Atlanta. He did tally up points in Atlanta after finishing fourth in Stage One and second in Stage Two.
Luckily, he’s the best driver in Las Vegas by average finish on the Cup Series grid. He’s finished in the top 10 in 11 out of 15 career races there. He won here from second in the playoff race last season and has the best NASCAR odds for victory for good reason.
William Byron (+875)
Byron followed up his win in a chaotic Daytona 500 with a 17th-place finish last week in Atlanta. He won this race last year in his first of a career-high six victories in 2023. That is his lone career win at the track, but he has another four top-10 results. He’ll likely be near the front after an off week in Atlanta.
Denny Hamlin (+900)
Hamlin’s finished in the top 10 in half of his 24 career races in Las Vegas but he’s managed just one win. He’s had a rough start to 2024, with 19th in Daytona and 23rd in Atlanta. He’ll need to turn things around sooner rather than later. His track record in Las Vegas isn’t excellent but he’s a standout at Kansas, a similar track to this week’s race. He needs a bounce-back effort more than most of the favorites this weekend.
Ryan Blaney (+900)
The defending Cup Series champion made up for a crash in Daytona with second place by just 0.003 seconds in Atlanta. He’s yet to win in Las Vegas in his Cup Series career, but he’s been a solid racer there. Fifteen career events there have yielded five top-five finishes.
He finished sixth there in the latest Cup Series race there in the 2023 playoffs. If he can keep up the momentum from Atlanta, he’ll be within reach of a win once again.
Kyle Busch (+975)
Busch leads the NASCAR standings following his third-place result in Atlanta. He crossed the finish line 0.007 seconds behind winner Suárez. After his 12th-place finish in Daytona, that’s enough to make him the championship leader.
He’s racing on home turf this weekend. The Las Vegas native is a top driver there compared to the rest of the Cup Series field. His 12 top-five results are the most among active drivers. It’s been just two races, but he’s put together his best start since 2019, when he won his second Cup Series title. Look for him to be at the front again this weekend.
Sleepers worth considering
Joey Logano (+1400)
Logano’s had a rough start to 2024. He took pole position for the Daytona 500 but wrecked late. In Atlanta, he was fined for an illegal webbed glove. He’s now 31st in the NASCAR standings after a pair of DNFs.
But Logano’s one of the best drivers on the Cup Series grid at Las Vegas. He’s just behind Larson in average finish and has three wins there. Only Brad Keselowski can match that. If there’s ever a place for Logano to start a resurgence, it’d be Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Chase Elliott (+1400)
Elliott’s off to a solid but unspectacular start in 2024. He won Stage One in Daytona on his way to a 14th-place finish. In Atlanta, he managed 15th and sits sixth in the standings.
His track record in Las Vegas is solid with five top-10 finishes in 13 career races there. But he’s been a very good driver in Kansas throughout his career. He can win on these tracks and improve his start to the 2024 NASCAR schedule.
Bubba Wallace (+1900)
Wallace is quietly having his best start to a season in his Cup Series career. Fifth in Daytona and Atlanta has him fourth in the NASCAR championship standings and just three points behind leader Busch.
Las Vegas is a solid venue for Wallace. He finished fourth in this race last season. He’s also had some success in Kansas with one of his two career Cup Series wins there. Look for him to at least keep the top 10 results coming.
NASCAR Pennzoil 400 odds: Picks for the race weekend
Las Vegas could easily make it three exciting races in a row to start the season. Last year’s race saw a late-race caution and a close overtime restart ahead of Byron’s win.
Though it’ll be close, Busch seems like the best pick of the favorites. He’s ahead in the standings after a good start and could build even more momentum in the early days of the season. Of the sleepers, Logano needs this the most and has a track record of success in Las Vegas, making him worth the pick.
For NASCAR news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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