LAS VEGAS -- NASCAR's annual early-season trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway is an understandable favorite for many teams and drivers. This year's event, however, is about getting much more than a few hands of blackjack and the checkered flag.
For the first time, the drivers are coming back to Vegas in six months for the opening race of the playoffs.
Each turn in today's Monster Energy Cup Series race should provide experience and data to the drivers hoping to dominate the postseason this fall.
"There is definitely some added importance to this race with [Las Vegas] being in the playoffs," said Kyle Larson, who excelled in practice this week at the track where he finished second to eventual Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. last year.
"Hopefully we have a strong race, and if not, you know what you need to go back and work on to be better when you come back later in the year to benefit your playoff run," Larson added. "Not that this race when it was just a stand-alone event wasn't important, but anytime you can race at a track that you are going to come back at in the final 10, it's got some added importance to it."
While other tracks have downsized their NASCAR ambitions when faced with smaller crowds in recent years, Las Vegas has been eager to host a second race for several years, confident in its local fan base and the visiting fans who plan a vacation weekend around the March race.
The track finally got a second date last year when New Hampshire's second race was given to Vegas, which was backed by sponsorship deals with the local Convention and Visitors Authority and with the South Point hotel-casino, owned by former race team owner Michael Gaughan.
Teams already know the track from NASCAR's annual visits, but they are paying particularly close attention this week.
"This race has more importance around it than it ever has before, just because of the playoff atmosphere that will be around it in September," said Kurt Busch, who was born in Las Vegas. "This is big for Las Vegas."
The winter weather in Las Vegas isn't necessarily helping the teams to prepare for September, when temperatures are almost certain to be sizzling. The speedway has been chilly this week, with occasional 40 mph winds buffeting cars.
"It's just like anything else, just the same for everybody," Clint Bowyer said. "You get in the car and you're worried about what it's going to do. I guess it affects the balance of the car, where you pick up the headwind or where you lose it. You feel it as you change direction."
But preparing to get a better grasp of the track before making the playoff return in September is on the minds of every driver and team.
"It's definitely an important weekend to make sure you have a firm understanding of this track and what you're going to need when you come back for the playoffs," said Kevin Harvick, who won last week in Atlanta.
Ryan Blaney earned his third career pole Friday, and his Team Penske Ford will start alongside Harvick on the front row. Blaney has been impressive already this season, nearly winning at Daytona after leading 118 laps before late-race contact with Kurt Busch forced him to pit for repairs. He will be going for his second career Cup victory in Vegas.
Jimmie Johnson is the most successful active driver in Las Vegas, winning four times and recording nine top-10 finishes. Yet he hasn't won ar Vegas since 2010, and the seven-time Cup champion is on the longest winless skid of his career at 25 consecutive races.
Sports on 03/04/2018