Mike Joy: Are you ready to gamble? These drivers sure are as we take a trip to Las Vegas for a race on a very fast mile and a half oval! This race is gonna be full of gambles and tricks.
Race Details
Track: 1.5 Mile Intermediate
Race Length: 267 Laps/400 Miles
Stages: 80/80/107
Fuel Window: 55-60 Laps
Tire Wear: High
Race Start: 3:00 PM
Weather: 94° Sunny
Chance of Rain: 0%
Starting Lineup
Row 1: Martin Truex Jr/Joey Logano
Row 2: Kyle Larson/Ty Gibbs (R)
Row 3: Jimmie Johnson/Noah Gragson
Row 4: Kyle Busch/Ryan Blaney
Row 5: Christopher Bell/Denny Hamlin
Row 6: Corey Heim (R)/John Hunter Nemechek
Row 7: Todd Gilliland/Sheldon Creed (R)
Row 8: Brad Keselowski/Zane Smith (R)
Row 9: Gracie Trotter/Shane Van Gisbergen
Row 10: Chase Briscoe/Kurt Busch
Row 11: Matt DiBenedetto/Tyler Reddick
Row 12: Justin Haley/Matt Kenseth
Row 13: Chase Elliott/William Byron
Row 14: Parker Kligerman/Casey Atwood
Row 15: Michael McDowell/Myatt Snider
Row 16: Brett Moffitt/Ross Chastain
Row 17: Ty Majeski/Kaz Grala
Row 18: Chris Buescher/Anthony Alfredo
Row 19: Landon Cassill/Tyler Ankrum (R)
Row 20: David Ragan/Matt Tifft
Row 21: Ryan Sieg (R)/Hailie Deegan
Row 22: BJ McLeod
1/267
A hot day here in Sin City, we're ready to go and the green is out! Martin Truex shoots out like a rocket from pole and he leads down into turn 1! Truex clears Joey Logano to his outside, it's a calm opening lap here at Vegas.
3/267
Trouble, big trouble, around goes William Byron, spinning across the track he hits Myatt Snider who sails into the wall and goes upside down! Huge huge impact for Snider, Landon Cassill and Hailie Deegan also involved! A horrific crash early here at Las Vegas.
4/267 -> Red Flag
Myatt Snider's car has poured tons of oil onto the track, and has scattered a ton of debris, the safer barrier and catchfence are damaged, there's a lot of cleanup that'll have to be done.
4/267 -> Caution
Cars are rolling once again after an hour of cleanup, the track has started to cool with the sun starting to go down and the clouds coming in. William Byron makes a pit stop to patch up the nose of his car.
8/267
Just like the initial start, it's Martin Truex Jr and Joey Logano leading us back to green! Big push for Truex from teammate Joey Logano, and the 16 pulls ahead into the lead!
12/267
Jimmie Johnson and Ty Gibbs for 4th, Johnson has been racing longer than Gibbs has been alive and he's gonna use that experience to take 4th away from the young rookie.
17/267
Kyle Busch, Noah Gragson, fighting for 6th place and here comes Kyle! He won last week, looking for another and he makes the on fellow hometown hero and defending winner of this race Gragson.
25/267
Kyle Larson is trying to take 2nd from Joey Logano but Joey isn't gonna make it easy! A pair of extremely aggressive drivers, someone has to give and Logano blocks Larson into the wall off turn 4, Larson retaliates and turns him! Logano slides through the grass but gets back going quickly, caution is out!
28/267
Joey Logano is very mad with Kyle Larson! He runs into the back of the 5 hard under caution and NASCAR isn't gonna let that fly, Logano will be held a lap for reckless driving under caution. Everybody pits for 4 tires and fuel.
Race Off Pit Road
1 - Martin Truex Jr
2 - Kyle Larson
3 - Jimmie Johnson
4 - Ty Gibbs (R)
5 - Kyle Busch
6 - Noah Gragson
7 - Christopher Bell (+1)
8 - Ryan Blaney (-1)
9 - Corey Heim (R)(+1)
10 - Denny Hamlin (-1)
30/267
Teammates on the front row, Martin Truex Jr and Kyle Larson bring us back to green! Jimmie Johnson looks low, trying to make it 3 wide, unable to as Truex and Larson are side-by-side into turn 1! Truex holds a tighter line as Larson gets loose and relinquishes his challenge.
38/267
Jimmie Johnson to the inside of Kyle Larson for 2nd, and unlike the battle with Logano, Larson keeps it clean and Johnson gets by off of turn 4.
45/267
Car into the wall hard, Todd Gilliland with a flat tire! The tire on his car just disintegrated already out of nowhere! Big damage the right side of his car and his race is over!
49/267 -> Caution
The teams don't seem to be concerned by that tire failure, everyone stays out with only 19 laps on their tires. Is this a mistake?
52/267
Martin Truex Jr has led since the drop of the green flag, he leads us back to green here! He gets another great push from Kyle Larson and he's gonna clear Jimmie Johnson into turn 1! Johnson settles into 2nd, Larson 3rd, Ty Gibbs 4th, Kyle Busch 5th!
59/267
Kyle Larson tries to use the high line to get past Jimmie Johnson but he brushes the wall off turn 4! Here comes Ty Gibbs to take 3rd, and the rookie takes the spot away!
66/267
Joey Logano is on a mad dash to the front, he flies past Denny Hamlin to take the 10th spot away off of turn 4! That was quick!
70/267
Christopher Bell with a problem, he's into the wall now! Another tire! We might have a problem on our hands here with tires exploding! Bell's race is done and the caution is back out.
74/267 -> Caution
Split decisions happening, there's a choice between points and track position! The leaders pit, but others further back stay out!
Race Off Pit Road
1 - Martin Truex Jr
2 - Jimmie Johnson
3 - Ty Gibbs (R)
4 - Kyle Busch (+1)
5 - Kyle Larson (-1)
6 - Noah Gragson
7 - Ryan Blaney
8 - Corey Heim (R)
9 - Joey Logano
10 - Denny Hamlin
78/267
3 laps until the stage end, we have 15 that stayed out, led by Zane Smith and Sheldon Creed, back underway! Creed gets the jump over Smith and he leads into turn 1, but Smith pulls him back in! Side-by-side as Martin Truex Jr and Jimmie Johnson make it 4 wide trying to claw back through! Creed drives it in deep into turn 3 and he muscles ahead of Smith for the lead!
80/267
Final lap of Stage 1 and Zane Smith has a run off turn 2! Side-by-side for the lead again, 10 important points at stake and Smith gets loose into turn 3! Out of 4, Sheldon Creed is gonna win Stage 1!
Stage 1 Results
1 - Sheldon Creed (R)
2 - Zane Smith (R)
3 - Shane Van Gisbergen
4 - Kurt Busch
5 - Matt DiBenedetto
6 - Gracie Trotter
7 - Justin Haley
8 - Martin Truex Jr
9 - Jimmie Johnson
10 - Matt Kenseth
83/267 -> Caution
The gamble paid off for Sheldon Creed in the moment, now he has to make a pit stop to get some tires and fuel inside that racecar.
Race Off Pit Road
1 - Sheldon Creed (R)
2 - Zane Smith (R)
3 - Shane Van Gisbergen
4 - Matt DiBenedetto (+1)
5 - Kurt Busch (-1)
6 - Gracie Trotter
7 - Justin Haley
8 - Matt Kenseth
9 - Parker Kligerman (+1)
10 - Brett Moffitt (-1)
86/267
Martin Truex Jr back to the lead of this race, he's controlled just about the entirety of it and he gets a great restart over Jimmie Johnson! Truex leads into turn 1 once again, Johnson fends off Ty Gibbs for 2nd.
93/267
Kyle Larson with a huge run on the outside, he sails past Kyle Busch for 4th! What a monstrous run the 17 got running right up against the wall.
100/267
Despite the slow transition from evening to sunset, it is still very very hot here in Las Vegas, uncharacteristic for this time of day as we sit at 90 degrees.
109/267
Joey Logano, making a on teammate Ryan Blaney for 7th! Logano is back and still very, very angry at Kyle Larson for their clash earlier.
118/267
Caution, another car in the wall, the 46 of David Ragan has lost a tire, the 3rd tire failure of this race! Goodyear is not having a fun time.
122/267 -> Caution
Martin Truex Jr leads a flood of cars down pit road once again, teams are scrambling for tires, tires, tires at the moment with how fast the tires are wearing and blowing out.
Race Off Pit Road
1 - Jimmie Johnson (+1)
2 - Ty Gibbs (R)(+1)
3 - Martin Truex Jr (-2)
4 - Kyle Larson
5 - Noah Gragson (+1)
6 - Kyle Busch (-1)
7 - Joey Logano
8 - Ryan Blaney
9 - Corey Heim (R)
10 - Denny Hamlin
125/267
Jimmie Johnson is gonna lead for the first time today with Ty Gibbs to his outside, we are green once again! Great jump for Johnson, he's gonna get clear of the 54 into turn 1! Side-by-side for 3rd, Martin Truex Jr against Kyle Larson and Truex hangs onto the spot as Sheldon Creed makes it 3 wide on the extreme outside to get back into the top 10!
132/267
Corey Heim and Ryan Blaney for 8th, here comes Heim, who has been very impressive so far in his rookie campaign, on the outside of the 12, a position swap as Heim takes it away!
140/267
Martin Truex Jr to the outside of Ty Gibbs for 2nd, the 16 is gonna make that look easy as the dominant car of the day sweeps past the 54 Dodge.
146/267
Noah Gragson challenging Kyle Larson for 4th! Gragson has had a great start to 2022 and he's gonna get underneath the 17, getting Larson loose and driving past!
152/267
Sheldon Creed and Denny Hamlin are fighting hard for 10th! Creed has the position currently but Hamlin is trying to take it back, William Byron is waiting to see if they both make mistakes.
160/267
Out of turn 4, Jimmie Johnson wins Stage 2 here at Las Vegas, his 2nd stage win of 2022! Off of turn 4 as well, Sheldon Creed beats Denny Hamlin in a photo finish for the final point!
Stage 2 Results
1 - Jimmie Johnson
2 - Martin Truex Jr
3 - Ty Gibbs (R)
4 - Noah Gragson
5 - Kyle Larson
6 - Kyle Busch
7 - Joey Logano
8 - Corey Heim (R)
9 - Ryan Blaney
10 - Sheldon Creed (R)
163/267 -> Caution
Here come the leaders for pit stops, it is now mostly night-time here in Las Vegas! It's still very hot but we're now under the lights as everyone takes tires and fuel once again.
Race Off Pit Road
1 - Jimmie Johnson
2 - Martin Truex Jr
3 - Kyle Larson (+2)
4 - Noah Gragson
5 - Joey Logano (+2)
6 - Ty Gibbs (R)(-3)
7 - Kyle Busch (-1)
8 - Corey Heim (R)
9 - Ryan Blaney
10 - Sheldon Creed (R)
166/267
Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr make up the front row for this restart and we're back underway, here comes Kyle Larson 3 wide! 3 wide into turn 1, Larson clips the 48 and Johnson goes around in front of the field! Massive pileup behind the spinning Johnson, huge crash involving Tyler Reddick, Chase Elliott, Parker Kligerman, Brett Moffitt, Landon Cassill, and Tyler Ankrum!
167/267 -> Red Flag
Another red flag, there were some massive impacts in that wreck. Brett Moffitt's car all torn up, part of the engine is completely gone and spilling fluid everywhere! Parker Kligerman's Toyota on fire, Landon Cassil torn up, Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick with the front ends caved in, Reddick also took a side hit and spilled protective foam everywhere. This is gonna be a long cleanup as boos pour all over Kyle Larson.
167/267 -> Caution
A 45 minute red flag delay finally comes to an end, back under caution as Jimmie Johnson takes the opportunity to come down pit road and take 4 fresh tires.
172/267
Martin Truex Jr and a very unpopular Kyle Larson make up the front row for the restart and we're green again! Teammates side-by-side going into turn 1! Truex slides up the track a bit, forcing Larson wide as well and Truex keeps his foot on the gas to keep the lead!
177/267
Kyle Busch to the inside of Ty Gibbs for 5th, Busch is gonna take the spot away after getting the 54 loose off of turn 2.
184/267
Kyle Larson isn't giving up on this lead yet, side-by-side for the lead again! Larson on the outside, Truex on the inside and Truex sends it deep and forces the door shut!
191/267
Jimmie Johnson is making decent progress, he's back up inside the top 15 after that spin, he has some left rear damage from the Larson that could be affecting his handling.
202/267
Car into the wall again, another flat tire! Michael McDowell is the latest victim of Goodyear's disastrous day and its another hard impact at high speeds. McDowell's night is over.
206/267
Martin Truex Jr leads the field back into the pits, maybe for the final time tonight and it's a slow stop for the 16! Kyle Larson is gonna take advantage and win the race off pit road!
Race Off Pit Road
1 - Kyle Larson (+1)
2 - Noah Gragson (+1)
3 - Joey Logano (+1)
4 - Martin Truex Jr (-3)
5 - Kyle Busch
6 - Ty Gibbs (R)
7 - Corey Heim (R)
8 - Ryan Blaney
9 - Sheldon Creed (R)
10 - William Byron (+1)
209/267
Kyle Larson has taken control of this race, Noah Gragson alongside him for the restart and we're green once again! Great restart for both of the front row as they make a little into turn 1! Gragson slides up the track and he's into the wall! Gragson drops a couple places, Joey Logano moves into 2nd!
217/267
3 wide down the backstretch, Corey Heim looking to both Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch, it's not gonna work, Heim bounces off the 54 and goes around! Heim spins, caution comes back out again!
221/267 -> Caution
Nobody pits except for Corey Heim, Heim wants fresh tires and a top-off on fuel. Kyle Larson continues to lead the way.
224/267
A couple of good friends on the front row, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson and they're gonna lead the field back to green with 44 laps to go! Side-by-side into turn 1, Kyle Larson clears Logano and holds onto the lead! Martin Truex Jr stays tucked into 3rd place.
231/267
Kyle Busch has a look on Martin Truex Jr into turn 3, thinks better of it and backs off before they make .
238/267
30 to go, Joey Logano is just stalking Kyle Larson! He's waiting for the defending champ to just make one little mistake and he'll be right there to pounce! It's a champions duel out front!
245/267
Jimmie Johnson has fought his way back into the top 10, he makes his way past Denny Hamlin to get himself up, a solid recovery for the 48.
253/267
Joey Logano has moved up a line, he's trying to make something work to run down the 17 and take the win away, will he get physical?
258/267
Sheldon Creed takes 7th from Ryan Blaney, what a standout performance for the 28 team today as Creed looks for his first career top 10.
262/267
Joey Logano is closing back in! The gap is down to half a second, 6 laps of racing to go! This is gonna get really good!
267/267
Final lap at Las Vegas! Kyle Larson leads, but Joey Logano is right there! Logano all over the back of the 17 into turn 1, he moves him up the track! Side-by-side down the backstretch they go, this could be close! Into turn 3, Logano gets into Larson, they slide up the track and they're into the wall! Big from both, Martin Truex Jr flies past both of them and steals the win at Las Vegas!
Pennzoil 400 Results
1 - Martin Truex Jr (153 Laps Led)
2 - Kyle Busch
3 - Ty Gibbs (R)
4 - Ryan Blaney
5 - Sheldon Creed (R)(9 Laps Led/Stage 1 Winner)
6 - Joey Logano
7 - Kyle Larson (61 Laps Led)
8 - Jimmie Johnson (44 Laps Led/Stage 2 Winner)
9 - Noah Gragson
10 - William Byron
11 - Kurt Busch
12 - Zane Smith (R)
13 - Brad Keselowski
14 - Matt DiBenedetto
15 - Denny Hamlin
16 - Shane Van Gisbergen
17 - John Hunter Nemechek
18 - Chase Briscoe
19 - Corey Heim (R)
20 - Matt Kenseth
21 - Justin Haley
22 - Ross Chastain
23 - Gracie Trotter
24 - Chris Buescher
25 - Ty Majeski (-1)
26 - Kaz Grala (-1)
27 - Casey Atwood (-2)
28 - BJ McLeod (-3)
29 - Matt Tifft (-3)
30 - Ryan Sieg (R)(-3)
DNF
31 - Michael McDowell
32 - Tyler Reddick
33 - Chase Elliott
34 - Parker Kligerman
35 - Brett Moffitt
36 - Anthony Alfredo
37 - Tyler Ankrum (R)
38 - David Ragan
39 - Christopher Bell
40 - Todd Gilliland
41 - Hailie Deegan
42 - Landon Cassill
43 - Myatt Snider
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