KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – OCTOBER 20: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, leads Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 DEKALB Ford, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 20, 2019, in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Thanks to a brilliant pit call by crew chief Todd Gordon—staying out on old tires in the first stage of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, Joey Logano won the first stage of the race and collected ten points for his effort.
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – OCTOBER 14: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 McDonald’s Chevrolet, wrecks during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 14, 2019, in Talladega, Alabama. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
It was a dramatic day for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers in Monday’s rain-delayed 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway – with all 12 championship-eligible drivers involved in some way in an assortment of wrecks, including three versions of the track’s famous ‘Big One.’
DOVER, DELAWARE – OCTOBER 06: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, stands on the grid prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 06, 2019 in Dover, Delaware. Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
Brad Keselowski and Paul Menard put in solid performances for Team Penske and its affiliate Wood Brothers Racing on Sunday with finishes of 11th and 12th respectively.
The results weren’t the same for Keselowski’s teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.
LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 12: Brad Keselowski (2) Team Penske Ford Mustang does a burnout during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 Burnout event on September 12, 2019, on Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Defending Las Vegas race winner Brad Keselowski is among those expecting the intensity to increase this weekend with the Playoff opener. A three-time winner at Vegas, Keselowski is a favorite this weekend and conceded that he’s fully prepared to do whatever is necessary to earn one of the coveted winner’s trophies en route to the Homestead-Miami Speedway Championship finale.
LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 12: A general view of the start/finish line of Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the upcoming South Point 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Playoff race on September 12, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sportsbooks in Las Vegas have decided one of the city’s native – Kyle Busch – is the odds on favorite to win both this weekend’s South Point 400 as well as the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup championship.
Busch, the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, is the regular-season champ and a four-race winner in 2019. The casino’s sportsbook puts him as a 9-2 favorite to win Sunday’s Playoff opener and a 7-2 favorite to win the Cup championship. Defending race winner Brad Keselowski has the next most favorable odds to win again at Vegas.
Reigning series champion, Team Penske’s Joey Logano has the second-best odds 5-1 to repeat as champion, followed by Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr.