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LAS VEGAS -- The expectation of high winds for the NASCAR race weekend in Las Vegas has been, at the very least, a talking point if not a concern for drivers. Local weather forecasters are predicting winds as high as 20-30 mph in the area Sunday with gusts even higher.
There is actually a High Wind Advisory in the Las Vegas area lasting through the duration of the scheduled race time.
"We have talked about it some," Team Penske driver Joey Logano said after winning the outside pole position Friday evening for Sunday's Kobalt 400.
"What we do hope is that it is a constant wind," Logano said. "The gusts of wind are what crashes cars. ... If it is constant it is OK. If you get big gusts, the car jumps out of the race track and leads you into the wall or spins you right out. It is going to be dangerous, treacherous for sure."
Logano's teammate Brad Keselowski said he hadn't been too worried about the winds, but offered an explanation for the effect that form of weather could have.
"I try not to worry about the things that affect everyone equally," said Keselowski, who will roll off fourth on the starting grid. "Wind is one of those things. I haven't thought about it."
Pressed to explain his take on the forecast, however, Keselowski said: "The wind moves the car around dramatically, much like every aero force and the cars rely on three key aero forces: drag, downforce or side force.
"All three of those are three dimensional. ... The wind, depending on where it strikes, where it blows you in what direction, can affect all three of those. Of course a headwind down the straightaway can add a lot of drag and make the motor feel a lot weaker.
"A crosswind in a corner can add or take away from the side force on the car, and a headwind into the corner can give you a lot of added downforce or vice versa, a tailwind can take it away."
Pole-winner Kurt Busch, a Las Vegas native, conceded he was fully anticipating the wind being an extra factor in the race. It hadn't picked up to the level anticipated for the weekend and showed no ill effects on speed Friday with four cars bettering the previous track record. Busch set the new track record of 196.378 mph in the first round of qualifying.
"I'm looking at the forecast," Busch said. "It looks pretty gnarly for the wind. That's a West Coast term, gnarly, but the speed of the wind will push us big time, from what I'm gathering, from a southwest direction into Turn 3. When you have a tailwind multiplied by 30 mph that is a headwind of 30 mph down the front straightaway. That is a swing of 60 mph.
"That is a significant difference that these cars are going to feel. We have tested Nashville a few times way back in the day where there was a crosswind of 40 mph. The downforce increase and decrease is staggering. We are all going to be out there struggling, fighting and trying to gain that grip with the tailwind."
The wind had already picked up some during final Saturday morning Cup practices with drivers left to anticipate the situation come race day.
"It is going to be just crazy to think about what that wind is going to do," Logano said. "It is not like we know what direction it is going to be blowing on the race track. I don't know at least. Maybe some weather guy can tell me.
"I just think it is definitely going to be moving cars around and I am sure cars will crash for that reason if it is that windy and you get a gust at the wrong time when you are under somebody. It could be big."