LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 22: Race fans wait out a rain delay prior to the start of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Boyd Gaming 300 Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Will Lester/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS – Rain the desert? Go figure.
That was the reality on Saturday afternoon when rain delayed the start of the Boyd Gaming 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and ultimately halted the proceedings after completion of the first stage.
The first stage ended after lap 45. Drivers came to pit road and completed laps 46-50 under caution before NASCAR red-flagged the event. A subsequent downpour forced the sanctioning body to postpone the final 150 laps until Sunday, approximately one hour after the completion of the Pennzoil 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at the 1.5-mile track (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 22: The crew of NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones (20) Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry wait in the rain to get their race car through tech inspection Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. Photo by Will Lester/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
LAS VEGAS – A persistent drizzle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway forced the cancellation of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session for Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Accordingly, the starting field has been set according to the rule book, with the cars set to line up according to the final 2019 owner points. That puts Kyle Busch on the pole, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. on the outside of the front row.
Because of inspection issues, however, Busch will drop to the rear for the start of the race. Racing to the front could be a huge issue for the reigning series champion, given handling issues that plagued the No. 18 Toyota during Friday’s practice sessions.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 21: Kyle Busch, driver of the #51 Cessna Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 21, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
LAS VEGAS – It’s easy to spot a trend where Kyle Busch is concerned.
Put Busch in one of his own Kyle Busch Motorsports trucks, and he’s all but certain to win. That’s been the case for seven straight starts in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, counting Friday night’s victory in the Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track.
Busch led seven times for 108 of the 134 laps in the 200-mile race. About the only difficulty he had was clearing Sheldon Creed on consecutive restarts in the final stage of the race. But five laps into a run, Busch was gone.
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Our preview this week centers around racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, Gander Outdoors Truck Series, along with the ARCA Menards Series West season opener at the Las Vegas Bullring. We’ll include updates from the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and sometimes more.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 15: Ross Chastain, driver of the #10 Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet, climbs into his car during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Speculations over the driver for the RFR No 6 at Las Vegas are now over.
On Wednesday afternoon it was Ross Chastain getting a nod from Roush Fenway Racing to take the wheel of the No. 6 for Ryan Newman starting at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Due to injuries from a last-lap incident – in Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500 – Newman was immediately taken to Halifax Medical Center for treatment. The good news is that he was released this afternoon and is now home.
“First and foremost, our focus remains with Ryan and his family as he continues to recover. We also want to express our sincere gratitude to all of those who have offered support and taken the time to send their thoughts and prayers to Ryan, his family and everyone at Roush Fenway Racing”.
“The NASCAR community has long prided itself on being a close-knit family. That is never more evident than during these types of moments, and we want to express our appreciation to everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing as well as Kaulig Racing for allowing Ross to fill in for Ryan in the No. 6 on such short notice.”
Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark.
A popular NASCAR veteran, Ross Chastain is taking advantage of his most recent opportunities with stellar results. In the past two years, he has three Truck Series victories and two Xfinity Series wins. In 2018, his dominating win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway put a spotlight on his career. Chastain has also run in 72 Cup Series races, which includes his top-ten finish in last year’s Daytona 500. On Monday, however, his strong 500-run came to an end with a late-race accident.
Currently, there is no timetable for Newman’s return and Roush Fenway Racing is continuing to provide any additional updates.
