2023 Pennzoil 400: Kyle Busch & Kyle Larson Favored, But Don’t Overlook Kevin Harvick at 15-1 Odds
The NASCAR Cup Series will descend on Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the 2023 Pennzoil 400, the third race of the season and the second leg of its West Coast swing.[0] Las Vegas native Kyle Busch is the 6-1 co-favorite in the 2023 Pennzoil 400 odds from Caesars Sportsbook along with Kyle Larson, while Joey Logano and Ross Chastain are both 8-1.[1] The race begins at 3:30 p.m[1] ET on Sunday, March 6.[2]
Las Vegas presents an important benchmark for each team as the first mile and a half track of the season. This weekend is the first demonstration of who achieved the perfect blend of horsepower, setup, and aerodynamics to be rapid on intermediate tracks during the offseason, and who still need to improve.
Ross Chastain is one of the top Vegas favorites at 8-1, and he has a strong case for being the driver to beat in Vegas.[3] In 2022, Chastain and the #1 team had an incredible showing at the desert track; they earned two top-three finishes and led for a combined total of 68 laps in both races at the speedway.[4] In addition, he is well acquainted with Victory Lane here, having completely dominated the 2018 Xfinity Series race and earning his first victory at any of NASCAR's top three levels.[4]
But there are far better values in the 2023 Pennzoil 400 starting lineup.[3] Chastain, who rapidly rose to fame in 2022 and became one of the most polarizing figures in the sport, enters the third race on the NASCAR schedule as the points-leader due to his two top-10 finishes.[4]
A startling prediction has been made by the model; it gives Kevin Harvick a high chance of success in the 2023 NASCAR at Las Vegas, despite his 15-1 long shot odds.[1] At the age of 47, Harvick declared his intention to retire as a full-time driver at the end of the season. However, he demonstrated last week that he does not have one foot in retirement yet.[3] At Fontana, Harvick placed fifth and was among the 12 racers to have a lead during the intensely competitive race.[3]
0. “Las Vegas Starting Lineup: March 2023 (NASCAR Xfintiy Series)” Racing News, 4 Mar. 2023, https://racingnews.co/2023/03/03/las-vegas-starting-lineup-march-2023-nascar-xfintiy-series/
1. “2023 Pennzoil 400 odds, picks: Projected NASCAR leaderboard, predictions for Las Vegas from proven model” SportsLine, 4 Mar. 2023, https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/2023-pennzoil-400-odds-picks-projected-nascar-leaderboard-predictions-for-las-vegas-from-proven-model
2. “Pennzoil 400 Picks & Analysis – NASCAR Betting 3/5/23” Predictem, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.predictem.com/nascar/pennzoil-400-presented-by-jiffy-lube-picks-analysis
3. “2023 Pennzoil 400 odds, predictions, start time, lineup: Surprising NASCAR at Las Vegas picks from top model” CBS Sports, 4 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbssports.com/nascar/news/2023-pennzoil-400-odds-predictions-start-time-lineup-surprising-nascar-at-las-vegas-picks-from-top-model/
4. “What to Watch: 2023 Las Vegas-1” Yahoo Life, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/watch-2023-las-vegas-1-105106995.html
