Posted on by Staff Report

The cars of Tyler Reddick, Daniel Hemric and Cole Custer will drop to the rear of the field for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race for unapproved adjustments before the Pennzoil 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM).

RELATED:  At-track photos

Dylan Buell | Getty Images
Dylan Buell | Getty Images

Reddick was the highest-ranking driver in Saturday’s Busch Light Pole Qualifying, earning the seventh starting position in the 37-car field. His No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet will be among those dropping to the rear of the field before the green flag.

Hemric had secured the 16th starting spot in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, and Custer had taken the 24th position in the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.

Also, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Kyle Busch was listed as one of the cars to drop to the rear after the team prepped a reserve car for Sunday’s 400-miler. Busch crashed early in Saturday’s practice session and did not register a qualifying lap.

Officials also announced a competition caution is scheduled for Lap 30 of the 267 scheduled.

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

NEWTON, N.C. — Connor Hall’s dominance Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway was extreme enough for one to assume he was a regular at the .363-mile paved oval. He broke the track record (14.390 seconds) in qualifying and won both 40-lap Late Model races.

Yet this was Hall’s first run at the famed NASCAR Home Track.

Wheeling a new car for 2022, the Hampton, Virginia, native dominated the first of the twin 40-lappers on Hickory’s opening night for this year’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. He had to fight his way to the front in the second race after an inversion of the top eight to start the event, but that wasn’t an issue.

RELATED: Watch Weekly Series action all season on FloRacing

“We definitely had a very blessed night,” Hall said. “It takes so much to make this happen, whether it’s the dollars or the effort, the hours, the people. Most important, more than anything, I have the people.”

Hall plans to run in the CARS Tour this season, which will bring him back to Hickory on March 26.

Beyond the Late Models, two other NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series points-paying divisions were in action Saturday night at Hickory: the Heritage Finance Street Stocks and the Renegades.

Gary Ledbetter took the checkered flag in the Street Stocks race with a dominating performance.

Charlie Neill won the Renegades event.

One of the most storied tracks in stock car racing, Hickory in 2022 will continue to host weekly racing through October as part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. The track’s “Big 10” events, the first of which took place Saturday night, conclude with the Weekly Series championship night — with double points for all divisions — in September.

Fans can watch the Weekly Series action at Hickory all season live on FloRacing.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR officials disqualified the No. 07 SS Green Light Racing Ford for a lug-nut infraction found after Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

RELATED: Official results | Ty Gibbs rises to Vegas victory

Joe Graf Jr. had driven the car to a 29th-place finish, six laps off the pace at the end of the Alsco Uniforms 300. But the No. 07 entry was found with just 17 of the 20 lug nuts safely secured in a post-race check, a violation of Section 10.5.2.5.D in the NASCAR Rule Book. The minimum penalty option for such an infraction is disqualification.

Graf was dropped to last place in the 38-car field. The No. 07 SS Green Light entry notched its first-ever win last weekend, with Cole Custer behind the wheel at Auto Club Speedway.

There were no other issues in post-race inspection, confirming the official results and Ty Gibbs’ first victory of the Xfinity Series season.

Posted on by Staff Report

See where your favorite driver will pit for the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Holly Cain

LAS VEGAS — Ty Gibbs pulled away from the field on a restart with six laps remaining and held off hometown favorite Noah Gragson to claim his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win of the season in Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It was the first win of the year for Gibbs, 19, the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner and three-time Super Bowl champion head coach Joe Gibbs. He had an eventful day from the drop of the green flag. His No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota got just the nudge he needed from JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier on that final restart then pulled away from Allgaier’s teammate Gragson to take the lead for the first time on the day and ultimately score his fifth career series victory.

RELATED: Official results  | Vegas weekend schedule

This race had a little bit of everything – from snowflakes in the air to dust-ups on the track. There were 17 lead changes, 11 caution flags and a 42-minute red flag for light snow and rain.

For the first half of the race, there was never more than a 15-lap period of green-flag laps run between caution flags. There were seven yellow flags by Stage 2, which ended at Lap 90.

Gibbs’ day started with a run-in with veteran Ryan Sieg on Lap 4 of the 200-lap race. The two made enough contact while racing hard to send Sieg’s No. 39 RSS Racing Ford hard into the outside wall. The team was still making repairs when the red flag came out for rain and reports of light snow.

With drivers standing outside their cars, Sieg made his way down pit road to have what appeared to be an animated discussion with Gibbs about the incident. And Sieg was visibly still frustrated after the talk.

“It’s tough, but it is what it is,’’ Sieg told reporters while still waiting by his car. “He’s definitely going to have to learn his lesson, you know what I mean.’’

Gibbs remained adamant that he didn’t do anything on purpose.

“I told him if my goal was to wreck you and end your day, you wouldn’t have made it around another lap,’’ a defiant Gibbs said.

MORE: Early friction for Gibbs, Sieg

A few minutes later, he softened his tone and apologized for ruining Sieg’s day and the impact it had on the Sieg’s small, family-owned team. The race re-started, and only a handful of laps later, Sieg pulled alongside Gibbs and looked as if he was trying to wreck Gibbs, but he missed and spun out himself. Sieg’s ensuing spin collected the cars of Sheldon Creed and Brett Moffitt. Sieg drove back to the garage and retired after completing just 25 laps, finishing 36th in the 38-car field.

Again, after the race, Gibbs apologized to Sieg on live television for starting the whole episode.

“I want to apologize to the 39 (Sieg) for the contact I made, it wasn’t my best decision and I’m sorry to the whole group, Ryan’s family they work so hard.

“I want to say thank you to Justin Allgaier for my push, too,’’ Gibbs added. “I had a fun time racing with the JR (Motorsports) cars, too, so hopefully we can keep it going and win some more races.

“Let’s go!’’ he added with a scream.

Certainly it was a bitter pill for Gragson to swallow. He won both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the race and was leading when the final caution came out for a multi-car wreck in Turn 4. He lined up with Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric behind him. His teammate Allgaier was behind Gibbs, and Gibbs was able to pull away just enough to stake a nearly half-second lead before a wreck — after the white flag — froze the field.

Gragson finished runner-up, followed by Hemric and JR Motorsports drivers Josh Berry and Allgaier.  Landon Cassill, rookie Sheldon Creed, Brett Moffitt, polesitter A.J. Allmendinger and Brandon Jones completed the top 10.

“I just kind of got beat at our own game there. Restarts just came up short,’’ Gragson said, adding, “Just needed to be better. Congrats to them and we’ll keep working hard. Thankful to this team led by Luke Lambert and we’ll come back stronger next week.”

“Obviously, I wanted to be in Victory Lane, but it could be a hell of a lot worse, ‘’ he said.

Though Gragson was disappointed to miss out on the win, this marks his second runner-up finish in 2022. He has a third place and two second-place showings and holds the Xfinity Series championship lead by 17 points over Gibbs.

The Xfinity Series’ next race is the United Rentals 200, scheduled next Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM) at Phoenix Raceway.

Notes: Sam Mayer led four times for 25 laps in a bid for his first top-five finish of the year. A crash with 19 laps left knocked him from contention, and he finished 25th, two laps down. … Chevrolet drivers finished second through ninth behind Gibbs’ winning Toyota. … Joe Graf Jr., who unofficially finished 29th, was disqualified in post-race inspection for having just 17 of 20 lug nuts secured, violating section 10.5.2.5.D of the NASCAR rule book. Graf is credited with a last-place finish.

MORE: No. 07 disqualified after inspection

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Pat DeCola

Race No. 3 of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season is here, and it’s time to set those Fantasy Live lineups for Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). What six drivers should comprise your lineup? Does Kyle Busch’s practice wreck change things if you were thinking about using the hometown hero? Let’s answer that and offer up my race-day lineup and bonus picks below.

RELATED: Las Vegas lineup | Fantasy preview coming into Las Vegas | How to play Fantasy Live

Pat DeCola’s race-day lineup for Las Vegas:
1 — Kyle Larson
2 — William Byron
3 — Christopher Bell
4 — Tyler Reddick
5 – Ryan Blaney
Garage: Joey Logano

Next in line: Chase Briscoe, Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric and Daniel Hemric.

MORE: Full Vegas guide | Latest odds

Analysis: Saturday’s on-track action for the Cup Series was fast and furious, slotting back-to-back practice and qualifying on the schedule with just a handful of minutes between the sessions.

The most notable development came in the form of Busch’s aforementioned spin, early on in practice. Given the extent of the damage his No. 18 Toyota incurred, Joe Gibbs Racing elected to bring out an unmarked, non-team-specific backup for the two-time champ to race in for Sunday’s event. Busch’s crew went to work quickly to transform it into a No. 18 machine, catered to Busch’s preferences, but it’s a tall order. Busch is arguably the most talented driver in NASCAR, so if anybody can take a previously untrimmed backup with no practice time from the back of the pack — he skipped qualifying to the team could wrench away — to Victory Lane, it’s him. But he’s an easy avoid for fantasy purposes this week, despite racing in his native Vegas.

Now that we’ve ruled out Rowdy, who should be in your lineup? 

Heading into the weekend, in-house fantasy expert RJ Kraft had a tentative lineup of Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr. and William Byron, with Brad Keselowski in his garage.

I’m largely going to stick with that based on what we saw in practice, but we did see a bit of a surprise with Sunday’s pole winner — Christopher Bell, currently 36th in points with just … 10 of them.

Bell, understandably, had a “stay away from” designation in RJ’s Fantasy Faslane analysis, but he merits consideration now. In three of his previous four Vegas starts Bell finished 24th or worse, but that was pre-Next Gen.

His car this weekend, however, looks like a bullet after he posted the second-fastest speed in practice before setting the qualifying pace, as well as turning in top-five speed on the lap averages chart.

You’ll notice those Hendrick Chevrolets continue to show elite-level speed, and there’s next to no reason to not toss Larson — the defending race winner as well as last week’s victor — out there. Look for William Byron to make his first imprint on the 2022 season this weekend as well, with a stout ride under him.

Beyond that, Vegas marks a good spot for Reddick to potentially cross over into Cup Series winner’s territory. In addition, all three Team Penske boys deserve a look. You honestly can’t go wrong with any of them, but Logano and Blaney have proven to be exceptionally strong at Vegas over the years. Cindric, however, is the current points leader and should be a contender most weekends — including this one.

Featured Matchup bonus picks
Chase Elliott vs. Kyle Larson: All eyes will be on these two teammates as they overcome last week’s run-in. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them finish 1-2. My pick: Larson

Kyle Busch vs. Joey Logano: Easy one here, unless Logano runs into trouble. Busch needs a huge race to overcome Logano in this matchup. My pick: Logano

William Byron vs. Tyler Reddick: Hardest matchup, by far. Both are near-locks for the top 10, but I think Byron breaks out big this week. Reddick could win, though. My pick: Byron

Kurt Busch vs. Austin Dillon: The Toyotas, on the whole, seem to be playing a bit of catchup early on. RCR, however, is punching above its recent-years weight class. Go with the hot hand. My pick: Dillon

Posted on by Staff Report

Ty Gibbs’ march to victory Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway had quite the early detour.

Gibbs had an exchange of words with new rival Ryan Sieg that boiled over into retaliation after an early run-in during Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Sieg got the worst end of it, retiring after completing just 25 laps, while Gibbs drove away to his first win of the 2022 season.

Sieg’s No. 39 RSS Racing Ford sustained significant right-rear damage after close racing with Gibbs’ No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the third of 200 laps in Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300. Sieg’s car clapped the outside wall in Turn 4, and he limped back to pit road for repairs.

RELATED: Unofficial results | Weekend schedule

Both drivers continued, but the race was stopped with just 19 laps complete by rain and a wintry mix at the 1.5-mile track. During the delay, Sieg discussed the incident with Gibbs on pit road, and both drivers later shared their sides of the story with FOX Sports.

“So he’s got the best car out here, way out from everybody. Just not smart on his part,” said Sieg, who eventually wound up 36th in the 38-car field. “I mean, we’re trying to just survive and make it through these two (races), and just riding along and then all of a sudden get packed with air and you’re already free. But just sucks for our CMR guys. I mean, all of our guys work hard.”

Reminded of Gibbs’ limited experience at age 19 and in his first full Xfinity Series season, Sieg said, “No, he’s definitely, probably gonna learn his lesson, if you know what I mean,” adding that he did not consider the matter to be settled.

Gibbs offered his account: “I mean, I got into him and it was totally, it was my fault, but we were all packed up underneath each other there and once he started to get a little bit aero-free, once it happens, it’s so quick when they come to you. And I just didn’t have enough time to get out of it, and we’ve seen it before. So I made my mistake on that part. And I told him, like I said, if my goal is to wreck you or to ruin your day, you wouldn’t have made it around another lap, and it was my fault.”

Once the race resumed after a nearly 42-minute delay, Sieg delivered on his lightly veiled “learn his lesson” threat, squeezing Gibbs high in the groove on the 29th lap to express his frustration. Sieg then lost control, his spinning No. 39 collecting the cars of Sheldon Creed and Brett Moffitt exiting Turn 4 in his wake.

“Wow, that was really smart there,” reported the No. 54 radio. “Maybe he can go punch a bag at home or something.”

Gibbs rallied late, getting by Noah Gragson in the final restart to lead the last six laps.

Posted on by Bozi Tatarevic

Editor’s note: Bozi Tatarevic is a professional racing mechanic and pit crew member. He will provide technical analysis for NASCAR.com throughout the 2022 season.

Saturday marked the debut of a new practice format as teams shifted to a longer, 35-minute practice session to allow more time to make adjustments, and it was definitely beneficial.

Teams were given the option to purchase an additional set of tires for a total of two sets for this practice session. Many took advantage of having an extra set to attempt various types of runs and adjustments and used the second set to attempt a qualifying simulation lap toward the end of the session.

RELATED: Bell tops qualifying | Practice results

While teams had an opportunity to make some longer runs, it’s probably wise to focus on short-run speed based on how much tougher these cars are to drive and how much fall-off this tire is showing. As we noted last week, the aerodynamic and suspension configuration of the Next Gen car makes it prone to lift-off oversteer, which makes these cars a handful to drive and can result in them snapping loose quickly once they reach that edge of the handling. So the optimal strategy play is to look at short-run speed because we’re likely to see breaks in the race from the occasional spin as drivers try to control these cars with worn tires.

Car control will continue to be a big theme and those that can find that cliff of where this shorter sidewall tire hits peak handling without going over the edge will continue to find success. Dirt-racing and sports-car racing experience are beneficial with the Next Gen car and that is exemplified by the front row, which is occupied by dirt aces Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson.

MORE: Vegas weekend schedule

The only car that did not get a chance to join that qualifying session was the No. 18 of Kyle Busch as it sustained damage after a spin in practice caused by a left-rear flat. It is unclear what caused the flat tire but the car spun as soon as that tire went down, and the car ended up spinning and hitting the wall with its left-rear corner. The resulting damage to components such as the underwing and rear chassis pieces necessitated going to a backup car, which the No. 18 crew will likely be working during all of their allotted time Saturday as that backup car was prepared more as a parts car than a backup car. The team will have to transfer a variety of components from one to the other.

All of these events are likely to combine for an action-packed race with Bell and Larson battling it out in the front and Kyle Busch trying to make it through the field with one of the fastest pit crews behind him.

Posted on by Zack Albert

2022 Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
(⏰ 3:30 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s visit to Las Vegas, the third regular-season NASCAR Cup Series race of the 2022 campaign. 

Race-day info

Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile D-shaped oval
Green flag: 3:49 p.m. ET
Grand Marshal: Pro football legend Marcus Allen
Flyover: Heritage Flight: (1) F-16, (1) F-35, (1) F-22, (1) F-15
TV/Radio: FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: Sunny, with a high near 62 degrees, according to the National Weather Service
Race purse: $8,483,997
Race distance: 267 laps | 400.5 miles
Stages: 80 | 165 | 267
Pit-road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 55 mph
Las Vegas 101: Get the full lowdown
Entry list: See every driver and team
Lineup: Starting lineup for Sunday
Practice happenings: Practice results | Heavy hit for Kyle Busch
Prepping for pit road: Pit-stall assignments | Which box is best at Las Vegas?

Five things to watch

1. The first two races of the NASCAR Cup Series season have produced a variety pack of top-10 finishers, with 19 different drivers occupying those spots after the year-opening Daytona 500 and last weekend’s event at Auto Club Speedway. The question that’s begged for this weekend’s 400-miler at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is if the trend can keep going. Only Aric Almirola — fifth at Daytona, sixth at Auto Club — is a repeat visitor to the top 10, a stroke of consistency that has him seventh in the Cup Series standings early on. Among those who have yet to scratch the top-10 column are some familiar names: Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., William Byron, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman — all of whom qualified for the Cup Series playoffs last year. | Parity party, for openers | Weekend schedule

2. Kyle Larson heads to the third race of 2022 with his first win of the season already in pocket. The defending Cup Series champion is also the defending race winner at Las Vegas, and his victory here in 2021 touched off what would become a 10-win campaign that resulted in his first series title. The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver ruffled some in-house feathers on the way to his Auto Club victory last week, brushing by teammate Chase Elliott in the closing laps. Larson still has the hot hand, with five wins in the last seven Cup Series races stretching back to last season. Unsurprisingly, he’s the 5-1 favorite in the latest Vegas odds, and he’ll start from the second position Sunday. | Preview show: All bets off | Debate: Larson vs. Elliott? | Latest odds

3. The new method for Cup Series practice and qualifying underwent a tweak for this weekend, with NASCAR competition officials switching from two separately grouped 15-minute sessions to a single 35-minute stint for all cars. The move was made to allow teams more track time with the new Next Gen car model, which makes its first stop of the season at a 1.5-mile track. Last weekend’s practice at Auto Club was interrupted by multiple crashes. Saturday in Vegas, Kyle Busch absorbed the only major incident with a heavily damaged No. 18 Toyota after his spin into the Turn 3 wall. He did not participate in qualifying and will start from the rear of the field in Sunday’s 400. | Bell snags Busch Light Pole; practice recap | Analysis: Teams make most of practice

4. One team searching for a rebound in the early going is the No. 12 Team Penske bunch of Ryan Blaney. After contending for the victory in the season-opening Daytona 500, Blaney endured an eventful race at Auto Club, with an apparent setup issue that made pit stops difficult and resulted in a daylong net loss of positions on pit road. He drove his way back into the hunt multiple times, but a near-spin on the final lap left him 18th. Blaney finished fifth in each of the Cup Series’ visits to Las Vegas last year, and the Vegas sportsbooks are optimistic about his prospects, slotting him at 10-1 odds near the top of the board.

5. The Cup Series heads to its first 1.5-mile track on the schedule, but the rules configuration will remain the same as last weekend’s package for the 2-mile Auto Club layout. The baseline of 670 target horsepower with a 4-inch tall rear spoiler will be in effect at Las Vegas, as it will at the majority of tracks on the 2022 slate. The event is also the middle event in the schedule’s three-race western sweep — a span that includes Auto Club, Vegas and next weekend’s trip to Phoenix Raceway. | Base rules configurations set | Configurations by track for 2022

2022 March5 Las Vegas W2w2 Main Image
Cup Series haulers with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway main grandstand as a backdrop | Jennifer Fisher | NASCAR Digital Media

Race-day staples

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.

• Power Rankings: RCR’s Austin Dillon making some headway in early going | Latest rankings
• Paint Scheme Preview: New Next Gen looks making their Las Vegas debut | See the schemes
• Preview Show: Similar action set for Sin City? | Watch the show
• Fantasy Fastlane: Putting Penske’s pace to the test at Vegas | Top plays, sleepers

Catch the pack

Abbie Parr | Getty Images
Abbie Parr | Getty Images

Read up on the top headlines from the week leading up to Sunday’s race.

• Spreading the wealth: Fresh faces landing top-10 finishes | Full analysis
• Testy teammates?: Kyle Larson says team conference ‘a good meeting to have’ | Read more
• Tech corner: Next Gen offers strong data on repairs, adjustments | Read more
• Penalties: No. 38 crew docked for lost-wheel violation; team appeals | Penalty report
• Under review: NASCAR officials working to alleviate beached cars | Hear more
• One fan’s journey: Chip Swanson doesn’t let Parkinson’s slow his Daytona experience | Read more
• Fantasy picks: Erik Jones’ hopes riding high for Vegas | See more
• Early insights: Cole Custer: ‘It’s anybody’s game right now’ | Watch more

Get in on the action

NASCAR Fantasy Live
NASCAR Creative Design

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy.

• Play it LIVE: Full guide to 2022 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ
• Early surprises: Teams with surpassed expectations so far | Watch more
• What are the odds?: Betting odds for Las Vegas | See the favorites
• Late fantasy feedback: Rowdy’s wreck throws a curve | Get updates
• BetMGM: Reason for Tyler Reddick optimism in Vegas | Expert tips
• The Action Network: Why William Byron is a bet to make right now for Vegas | Find out why
• Backseat Bettors: Inside the head-to-head battles for Vegas | Which bets are best?
• Prop picks: Try your hand at matchups for Las Vegas | Featured picks
• Going all the way: Updated 2022 Cup Series championship odds | See them here

Arriving at Las Vegas

The Las Vegas track has had its share of memorable moments — take a look back at the venue’s history and features.

• Sin City conquerors: All-time wins at Las Vegas | All the winners
• Pace out front: Top 10 lap leaders at Las Vegas | See the list
• Cherish the times: Memorable moments from Las Vegas | Remember when
• How wide?: Strategies abound for Las Vegas pit road | Watch breakdown
• Take me back: Recap of Kyle Larson’s 2021 victory | Read more
• Press rewind: All of the best 2021 race highlights | Watch them here

Fast facts

Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• Just one driver has prevailed at Las Vegas after winning the pole position — Kyle Busch, in 2009.
• Stewart-Haas Racing has the most top-10 finishes this year with four.
• Kyle Larson earned the most points (440) on 1.5-mile tracks last season.
• Cup Series champions have won 13 of the last 14 races at Las Vegas.
• Brad Keselowski has placed seventh or better in 12 of the last 13 events at Vegas.

Say what?

Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Sunday’s race.

Meg Oliphant | Getty Images
Meg Oliphant | Getty Images

• “I think no one has an advantage anymore. Nobody knows to a lot of these points we were just talking about and having a lack of practice. Nobody really knows if they’re gonna be good or not. I think it’s funny when I get that question: How are you gonna run this weekend? No clue. I used to have an idea, to your point, as we go to Vegas. ‘Yeah, that’s one of my best tracks. I should be really good.’ I’ve got no clue how we’re gonna run. The good thing is though that it’s still a race car. It’s still got four tires. It still goes fast. It’s still Vegas and a lot of the things I’ve done in the past are probably gonna work with this car as a driver, but with setup and all that’s gonna be completely different.” — Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, on adjustment to the Next Gen car early in the 2022 season

• “I think what NASCAR did with this Next Gen car is something that, on my opinion, we’re already seeing the results. We are going to look back in a few years from now, five years from now and we are going to be very, very thankful we did this thing called the Next Gen car. It just brought opportunity for new players in the game. I don’t think that if it wasn’t for the Next Gen car, I don’t think that Trackhouse would be here, I don’t think 23XI (Racing) would be here. I’m sure that there’s more team owners that are maybe thinking about it now that there is a Next Gen car. So yeah, answering that question, I definitely think that the competition and the way that we are competing with this Next Gen car is way more level than before.” — Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, on the benefits of the Next Gen car

Posted on by Holly Cain

LAS VEGAS — Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell won his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole position on Saturday and will lead the field in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube (3 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota bested the 10 cars that advanced to second-round qualifying at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a lap of 182.673 mph.

Defending race winner Kyle Larson put his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on the outside of the front row after topping the speed chart in practice earlier Saturday morning. He was only .289 seconds off Bell’s pace – and the only other driver to top the 182-mph mark in the session.

RELATED: Starting lineup | Weekend schedule

“That’s pretty cool,’’ said Bell, who is the second driver (joining Austin Cindric at Auto Club Speedway) to score his first career pole position in 2022. “I feel really good about our DeWalt Camry. I knew our first run out (in practice) we were going to be pretty competitive.’’

Asked if the pole-win surprised him, Bell said, “Not really. All season our Camrys have had speed.’’

Now the talented 27-year-old Oklahoman is hoping that speed translates into a better finish. He’s had tough luck in the season’s opening two races. He crashed out in the Daytona 500 to finish 24th, and last weekend at California’s Auto Club Speedway, he had engine problems and finished 36th.

“You never know and nothing’s guaranteed,’’ Bell said. “But we’ve had a lot of speed and we’ve had promise and hopefully we start putting it together.”

Daytona 500 winner Cindric, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe and Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott rounded out the top five in qualifying. Cindric’s Team Penske teammate Joey Logano, Chevy driver Tyler Reddick, Bell’s teammate Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon completed the Top 10 on Sunday’s grid.

It was another early go-round for the 2022 qualifying format, with the 37-car field initially split into two groups for single-car runs. The five fastest from each early session formed a 10-car final group that battled it out for the pole position.

Bell was the top qualifier (181.482 mph) in Group A, and Larson led the speed charts with a 182.352-mph lap in Group B.

Larson stays fast, tops practice; Kyle Busch crashes

Defending race winner Kyle Larson led the way in Cup Series practice, setting the pace with a 181.184-mph lap in the 35-minute session. Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was also fastest in the consecutive 10-lap average category.

Christopher Bell took the second spot on the practice chart, with Ryan Blaney, William Byron and Joey Logano completing the top five in order.

MORE: Practice results | Video: Busch wrecks early | Practice analysis

A crash by Kyle Busch forced the only caution period, six minutes into the session. The Las Vegas native lost control when a tire deflated on his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, forcing the car into the outside retaining wall in Turn 3. His JGR crew indicated the team would prepare a reserve car for Sunday’s 400-miler.

NASCAR officials tweaked the practice structure for Saturday’s session. Competition officials switched from dividing the field into two groups for separate 15-minute sessions, opting for a single 35-minute practice for all entries.

Contributing: Staff reports