NASCAR DFS DraftKings Picks: Las Vegas Race 3/12/2017

With the Atlanta Motor Speedway race in the rear view mirror, the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup travels west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.   In recent news, NASCAR has announced that the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host another Monster Energy race starting in September 2018.   The New Hampshire Motor Speedway will lose their fall race.  NASCAR is taking advantage of the sports momentum in Las Vegas, where an expansion team will begin NHL hockey in the fall of 2017, and the Oakland Raiders have just secured funding for a new stadium for a possible relocation to Sin City.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is an intermediate, 1.5-mile track similar to last week’s Atlanta Motor Speedway.   This weekend’s race, the Kobalt 400, will be 267 laps.

My Top 5 Drivers for the Kobalt 400

Kevin Harvick ($10,700):    In last week’s race, Harvick completely dominated by leading 292 laps in his exceptional car.   A late pit road speeding penalty with only 13 laps to go doomed his performance as he ran out of time to make up those positions.  He finished 9th.  Look for Harvick and his team to carry over their dominance at this similar track, as they will be hungry to make up for last week’s critical mistake.     Harvick has four Top 5’s, and seven Top 10 finishes in 16 starts at Las Vegas.   He won this race in 2015.

Brad Keselowski($10,400):    Overcoming an early lug nut issue in last week’s race, Keselowski took advantage of Harvick’s mistake to overtake Kyle Larson in the final laps to secure the checkered flag victory.   Not only does Keselowski have momentum coming into the Kobalt 400, he has won this race last year, as well as in 2014.   He is a must start in Cash Games.

Martin Truex Jr.($9,500):   Truex Jr. runs well at intermediate tracks and has been consistent in the two races this year.   He finished 11th in last year’s race.   NASCAR America analyst and former driver Kyle Petty has picked Martin Truex Jr. to win the Kobalt 400.

Joey Logano($10,000):   In 8 starts at Las Vegas, Joey Logano has two Top 5’s, and four Top 10 finishes.  His average finishing position at Las Vegas is 10.75 and finished 2nd last year.

Jimmie Johnson($10,200):   The reigning champion has had an awful start to the year, crashing early at the Daytona 500, and finishing 19th last week at Atlanta, a track where he has won the last two years.   The good news is that he has the highest driver’s rating at Las Vegas, securing four wins in fifteen starts while leading the most laps at this track among active drivers.  Due to his awful start, he may be under-owned for a decent GPP play.

Hometown Narrative

Do you believe in the hometown narrative where a native son/daughter makes an emotional return home for a peak performance in front of family and friends?  If so, here are a couple of Las Vegas natives that could outperform.

Kyle Busch($10,100):  The younger Busch was dominating last year’s race before succumbing to a mechanical issue to eventually concede the race to Keselowski.  He grades very well as this track as his driver’s rating is 2nd behind only to Jimmie Johnson.   He has five Top 5’s, and six Top 10 finishes in twelve starts.    He won this hometown race in 2009.

Kurt Busch($8,300): He runs very well at this track, and he is hungry to win one at home.   He has won the pole twice including last year.    In last year’s race, the older Busch had a fast car, leading 31 laps overall, but could only muster a 9th place finish due to some penalties and a late crash with Matt Kenseth.

Sleeper Pick

Matt Kenseth($9,000):  I considered Dale Earnhardt Jr. for this week’s sleeper pick, but since he has had a disappointing year thus far, I decided to go with Matt Kenseth, who quietly finished 3rd last week at Atlanta.   Kenseth has won at Las Vegas three times, his last coming in 2013.    He is 2nd among active drivers in Laps Lead at this track.

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