Kobalt 400 Betting News and Notes

Las Vegas Driver Tale of the Tape

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Cheez-It Ford)

· Two top fives, six top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 14.5
· Average Running Position of 12.3, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.9, fifth-best
· 150 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 568 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.725 mph, fifth-fastest
· 1,759 Laps in the Top 15 (65.4%), eighth-most
· 281 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 11th-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 14.7
· Average Running Position of 14.0, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 91.5, ninth-best
· 108 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 584 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.610 mph, sixth-fastest
· 1,857 Laps in the Top 15 (69.0%), sixth-most
· 336 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 Comcast Toyota)

· Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s
· Average finish of 9.2
· Average Running Position of 12.0, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.8, sixth-best
· 159 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· 636 Green Flag Passes, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.568 mph, seventh-fastest
· 1,879 Laps in the Top 15 (69.8%), fourth-most
· 390 Quality Passes, second-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 3M Chevrolet)

· One win, six top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 15.0
· Average Running Position of 9.7, second-best
· Driver Rating of 103.7, second-best
· 181 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 548 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.927 mph, third-fastest
· Series-high 2,130 Laps in the Top 15 (79.2%)
· 385 Quality Passes, third-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John's/Budweiser Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, five top 10s
· Average finish of 14.7
· Average Running Position of 11.6, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 94.5, eighth-best
· 89 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· 571 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.564 mph, eighth-fastest
· 1,870 Laps in the Top 15 (69.5%), fifth-most
· 316 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 KOBALT Tools Chevrolet)

· Four wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 9.2
· Series-best Average Running Position of 8.9
· Series-best Driver Rating of 113.6
· Series-high 346 Fastest Laps Run
· 553 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 171.233 mph
· 2,090 Laps in the Top 15 (77.7%), third-most
· 365 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, six top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 13.5
· Average Running Position of 14.3, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.1, 10th-best
· 94 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 609 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.170 mph, 11th-fastest
· 1,735 Laps in the Top 15 (64.5%), ninth-most
· 290 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 DEWALT Toyota)

· Three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.5
· Average Running Position of 14.0, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 98.1, fourth-best
· 197 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.972 mph, second-fastest
· 1,774 Laps in the Top 15 (65.9%), seventh-most
· 295 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Joey Logano (No. 22 Pennzoil Ford)

· One top five, two top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 12.3
· Average Running Position of 13.8, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 87.5, 11th-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.111 mph, 12th-fastest

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.3
· Driver Rating of 81.9, 12th-best
· 37 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· 1,667 Laps in the Top 15 (61.9%), 11th-most
· 298 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1/ Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

· One win, six top fives, nine top 10s
· Average finish of 14.0
· Average Running Position of 14.0, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.1, seventh-best
· 188 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 538 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.498 mph, ninth-fastest
· 1,733 Laps in the Top 15 (64.4%), 10th-most
· 298 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kobalt Tools 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

It's NASCAR week in Las Vegas where over 100,000 visitors to our fair city will come loaded with cash and ready to party in a way that only Las Vegas can provide. Last year those visitors had a $144 million impact in non-gaming revenue during NASCAR weekend.

It's not only a favorite for fans looking to kill two birds with one stone -- catch a race and take the family on vacation, but also for the drivers and crew members who can blend in with the thousands in town that aren't here for the race. Try that in Bristol or Martinsville. That's how well prepped Las Vegas is -- the city doesn't even blink with a such a big event.

The speedway isn't alone in making this such a great occasion. Every casino in town does their share to make it the best experience possible, as does the Metro Police Department and Highway Patrol to get all those visitors to and from the races in the quickest manner possible so they can get back to the casino and spend some more cash. It's a total team effort and Las Vegas is the shining star among all NASCAR cities.

Las Vegas always has beautiful spring weather this time of year and this weekend will be no different as all three days are expected to perfect. You kind of had to feel sorry for all those freezing fans at Atlanta last week, but as a Las Vegan, I felt like waving my 'Las Vegas is No. 1' big foamy finger.

Yes, I'm definitely biased, but I've been to several races across the country and nothing matches what Las Vegas and the speedway provide. The racing itself on the high-banked 1.5-mile oval is ordinary, but where we stand out more than any other is the amenities across the board. No other track in the country has anything like the Neon Garage where fans can stand above the garages and watch the crews go to work prepping their cars over the weekend.

It's amazing that Las Vegas hasn't been awarded a second race date because of all its strengths that other tracks lack, but having it only once a year adds to the appeal.

Another amenity Las Vegas provides for its race weekend is betting where visitors can wager on almost anything that shows up in the box score. Every sports book in town will increase their betting options Super Bowl-style and because of a captive audience, the Las Vegas race generates more volume than any other on the season -- in some cases four times more action than the second most bet race, the Daytona 500, and that February race has odds posted on it for up to three months before it goes off. The large action for the Las Vegas race is generated in just one week with odds posted on Monday.

This seasons race is a little different from years past because of the data we have before us where we can use what we saw at Atlanta's 1.5-mile high-banked track on Sunday. Las Vegas used to be the first 1.5-mile race of the season and there was a lot of uncertainty with only pre-season testing to go off to handicap who might be the best driver to wager on. This year there was no pre-season testing, but Atlanta gave us more than enough data from the new rules package between a test session last Thursday, practices on Friday and Saturday and then the race on Sunday.

Last week we suggested that whenever NASCAR makes changes to the set-up requirements that it's a good bet Hendrick Motorsports will find the edge quickest and that turned out to be the case as Jimmie Johnson grabbed his fourth career Atlanta win and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third. Kevin Harvick was strong (led the most laps), as was the Joe Gibbs Racing stable and Penske's Joey Logano.

The Atlanta disappointments last week include 2012 Las Vegas winner Tony Stewart and Roush Fenway Racing who won eight of the 17 Las Vegas Cup races. There is no reason to believe they'll have things figured out in one week and could be profitable drivers to bet against in driver match-ups this week.

While Logano, Johnson, Harvick and Earnhardt Jr. have finished in the top-5 of both races so far this season, Jeff Gordon currently sits No. 36 in the standings with two straight poor performances. However, it wasn't to his doing as he was involved in wrecks in both which isn't exactly the farewell tour he had imagined to begin the year.

On Sunday, Gordon will be the only driver to start all 18 Las Vegas races. He visited victory lane in 2001 in an emotional race two weeks after his friend and rival Dale Earnhardt has passed away at Daytona.

Momentum counts for a lot in NASCAR, but so does good equipment and Gordon's got it, and maybe even more so than his Hendrick teammates who are all excelling. Last week during an Atlanta test session Gordon not only posted the fastest single lap, but he also showed the fastest speed on long runs by having the quickest 10-consecutive lap average.

Gordon's team is too good to continue this run of bad luck and with good weather, great notes from Atlanta testing, and simply being Jeff Gordon -- arguably the greatest driver in NASCAR history, he's got a lot going for him. And because of his poor performances to start 2015, there are likely to be several sports books thinking his chances of winning are slimmer than they really are and offer some juicy prices on him.

If you've been reading this column over the years, you know I'm a sucker for the fairly tale ending of a NASCAR story. I'm wrong more than I'm right when I make a reach, but when adding in the odds, I'm actually ahead in the pocket with wishful thinking, and in Gordon's case, he's not really a reach.

Kevin Harvick has never at Las Vegas, but the city is special for him because he married his wife Delana at one of the chapels on the strip. To be fair, Harvick never had a car in Vegas that was considered the best until last year in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing. He finished 41st in that race, but he'll come in as the favorite this week just because of dominating 1.5-mile races last season. The new rules package didn't slow him down as he was the driver to beat at Atlanta last week as well.

Matt Kenseth is a three-time winner at Las Vegas and Joe Gibbs Racing, and actually all the Toyota's, look vastly improved under the new rules package. This means that Denny Hamlin and two-time Vegas winner Carl Edwards are also a player this week, and to a lesser degree in match-ups, so is Michael Waltrip Racing's Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers who will make his 2015 debut Sunday.

Jimmie Johnson came up huge last week in the late stages of the race to win at Atlanta despite not looking so great in testing and practices. His four Las Vegas wins and a 9.2 average finish are the best in track history.

Two other Hendrick Motorsports drivers should also be considered live on Sunday. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has the most starts (15)at Vegas without a win, but he also has the most second-place finishes (3), including last season when he ran out of a fuel a few yards short of the finish line. Kasey Kahne has always practiced well in Vegas, but it has only translated to two runner-ups.

I'm going to stick with a Hendrick car, and the good story of Las Vegas sending Gordon off into the sunset of his career here as a winner.

For all those in town visiting this weekend, everyone who lives here thanks you for coming and spending your hard earned cash. Have the time of your life, get a few cocktails and most of all -- win some money.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #24 Jeff Gordon (8/1)
2) #4 Kevin Harvick (5/1)
3) #11 Denny Hamlin (15/1)
4) #20 Matt Kenseth (9/1)
5) #48 Jimmie Johnson (6/1)

Las Vegas SuperBook Posts Odds On NASCAR Kobalt 400 Pole
By: Micah Roberts
Sportingnews.com

Friday's qualifying session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway just got a little more interesting, as the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has posted odds to win the Kobalt 400 pole. This is the only race of the season for which sports books post odds to win qualifying, and it probably offers the best long shot value of the entire weekend.

Picking a long shot to win a Vegas race has been a losing proposition since 1998, since the highest payout has been 18-to-1. Favorites usually win, but the pole is another story. The cream typically rises to the top after 267 laps, but with only one super-fast lap needed to cash, the pool of candidates to win the pole is widened.

In the first 1.5-mile race of the season last week at Atlanta, Joey Logano (8/1) laid down the fastest lap at 194 mph to win the pole. Kevin Harvick had eight poles last season and comes in as the 7-to-1 favorite to do so Friday. Jeff Gordon (8/1) is the active leader with 78 career poles, and Ryan Newman (25/1) is next with 51.

The most attractive long shots on Friday are Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyle Larson (25/1) and Jamie McMurray (20/1). Larson had one pole last season, but the most important piece for this prop is that he was fastest in the first Atlanta practice session while running in qualifying trim. In that same practice, David Ragan (30/1), driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for injured Kyle Busch, had the third fastest lap in a mock-qualifying run. Harvick was second fastest.

KOBALT 400 POLE ODDS

KEVIN HARVICK 7-1
BRAD KESELOWSKI 8-1
JEFF GORDON 8-1
JOEY LOGANO 8-1
JIMMIE JOHNSON 10-1
DALE EARNHARDT JR 12-1
MATT KENSETH 15-1
CARL EDWARDS 15-1
KASEY KAHNE 15-1
JAMIE McMURRAY 20-1
DENNY HAMLIN 20-1
KYLE LARSON 25-1
RYAN NEWMAN 25-1
CLINT BOWYER 25-1
MARTIN TRUEX JR 25-1
TONY STEWART 30-1
DAVID RAGAN 30-1
BRIAN VICKERS 30-1
PAUL MENARD 30-1
AUSTIN DILLON 30-1
REGAN SMITH 30-1
ARIC ALMIROLA 30-1
GREG BIFFLE 40-1
AJ ALLMENDINGER 40-1
SAM HORNISH JR 40-1
RICKY STENHOUSE JR 60-1
DANICA PATRICK 75-1
TREVOR BAYNE 75-1
CASEY MEARS 100-1
FIELD 30-1

Drivers to Watch - Las Vegas
By Sportsbook.ag

Race: Kobalt 400
Date-Time: Sunday, March 8 - 3:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

The 1.5-mile, tri-oval superspeedway at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be the host of this week’s NASCAR event as the drivers hit the 20-degree banks in an early season race. Last year it was Brad Keselowski that took home the belt at this race with a time of just over two hours and 35 minutes; the best mark in the history of the race.

In the 17 years that this annual event has taken place in Vegas, four drivers, Jimmie Johnson (4), Matt Kenseth (3), Jeff Burton (2) and Carl Edwards (2), have combined to win 11 times. With the season now in full swing, let’s take a look at a few drivers who could take the checkered flag after the 400-mile drive.

Drivers to Watch

Jimmie Johnson (6/1) - Johnson has had more success on this track than anyone else; winning for times in the past, but has not done so since 2010. He is one of the best racers of all-time and should be able to take the momentum from his win last week at the Folds of Honor 500 to put him right in position to take his 72nd career victory. His driver rating of 113.6 is by far and away the best on this track and it would be a surprise if he didn’t do better than his average finish of 9.2; a number that ties him with Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth for the best since the race began in 1998.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8/1) - Dale Jr. has failed to get a win here in the past, but has eight top-10s in his 15 races and had the victory in his grasp last year before running out of gas on the final lap. He has an average green flag speed of 170.610 MPH at this track, which ranks him as the sixth fastest and he has spent 69% of his time within the top-15 (6th most). His two third-place finishes already this year suggest that he is ready to have another big season and he could keep it going with a trip to victory lane this weekend.

Carl Edwards (10/1) - As mentioned earlier, Edwards has equaled Johnson with an average finish of 9.2 at this track and has a solid driving rating of 97.8. He hasn’t had the greatest start to the 2015 season, starting in the top-six in each of the first two races and eventually ending in 23rd at the Daytona 500 and 12th last week in Atlanta. It was 2011 when he last won at this track and in the three years since he has placed fifth each time, so there is a little more work he needs to do to improve and become the third racer to win at least three times here on Sunday.

Ryan Newman (30/1) - Newman has 17 career wins under his belt, but he has never been able to conquer the Las Vegas Speedway despite having seven career top-10s and three top-5s. Last year he managed to finish a solid seventh when he traveled here and should have some confidence after a top-10 placing in Atlanta last week. The odds have him as the 12th-best racer in the field, but his past performances here suggest otherwise and he could surprise a few with a big performance.

Casey Mears (500/1) - Mears is last in the field with these huge odds, but it seems a little out of place since he has managed to improve on his pole in each of the past two races and really performed well at the Daytona 500 after starting at 41st and ending in sixth. He has three top-10s at this track in his 11 starts and seems to be much better than his odds would suggest.

Sportsbook.ag - Odds to win Kobalt 400

Kevin Harvick 9/2
Jimmie Johnson 6/1
Jeff Gordon 7/1
Brad Keselowski 8/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 8/1
Joey Logano 8/1
Matt Kenseth 8/1
Carl Edwards 10/1
Kasey Kahne 12/1
Denny Hamlin 15/1
Kyle Larson 25/1
Ryan Newman 30/1
Clint Bowyer 40/1
David Ragan 40/1
Jamie McMurray 40/1
Martin Truex Jr. 40/1
Tony Stewart 40/1
Brian Vickers 60/1
Paul Menard 60/1
Austin Dillon 100/1
Greg Biffle 100/1
Regan Smith 100/1
AJ Allmendinger 200/1
Aric Almirola 200/1
Danica Patrick 300/1
Ricky Stenhouse 300/1
Sam Hornish Jr. 300/1
Trevor Bayne 300/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 300/1
Casey Mears 500/1

Check out more NASCAR Odds and Props at Sportsbook.ag!

Kobalt 400 Odds – Driver-by-Driver Breakdown
By: Micah Roberts
Sportingnews.com

For the next three weeks, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series is on a west coast swing. It all starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday for the Kobalt 400, which gives west coast NASCAR fans a tough decision to make. Based on past attendance, Las Vegas routinely wins that vacation destination decision over Phoenix and Fontana.

Visiting fans don't mess around on the cheap when they come to town, either. They come fully loaded with pockets full of cash ready to take their NASCAR party experience to a new plateau. Last season, the Las Vegas NASCAR weekend generated $144 million in non-gaming revenue to the city.

As for actual gaming, they do plenty of that also. The bulk of the action comes on table games and slots, but more action is written for the Vegas Cup race than for any other on the season. The books treat it -- not the Daytona 500 -- as the Super Bowl of NASCAR. They go full throttle with a variety of betting propositions, similar to what they just did five weeks ago for the NFL's biggest game.

Despite all the props available, the overwhelming popular choice among most race fans is still the good old meat-and-potatoes of just picking a driver to win the race. So let's take a look at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook's odds posted on Monday. Of course, we'll share the props with you as well.

Advice: The best betting strategy before final practices Saturday is to keep what transpired at last week at Atlanta, Las Vegas' sister track, close at hand while mixing in some history.

ODDS TO WIN 2015 KOBALT 400

KEVIN HARVICK 9/2: Las Vegas is a special place for the Bakersfield, Calif., native, mostly because he married his wife Delana here -- not because of wins. His best finish was second-place in 2010, and his average finish is 14.7 in 14 starts. However, in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing last year, he had his best car coming into a Vegas race. Based on Atlanta testing and practices last week, he's the driver to beat on Sunday.

JIMMIE JOHNSON 6/1: The west coast swing suits the El Cajon, Calif., native just fine, especially Las Vegas, where he has cashed in a track record four times -- the last time in 2010. His 9.2 average finish is tied for the best in LVMS history. He comes fresh off a victory at Atlanta, a similar 1.5-mile track, and there's no reason to believe he won't be just as good at one of his favorite tracks this week.

JEFF GORDON 7/1: For the sake of keeping the west coast NASCAR theme going, we'll claim him as being from Vallejo, Calif., rather than Pittsboro, Ind. On Sunday, he'll become the only driver to have started all 18 LVMS Cup events. He's set to retire at season's end, which will surely make him popular with bettors -- even if he loses, your bet ticket makes for a nice souvenir. He won this race in 2001, and despite wrecking in his first two starts of 2015, he should be racing for the win in the final stages on Sunday.

DALE EARNHARDT JR 8/1: He has the dubious distinction of having the most LVMS starts (15) without a win, but he came a few yards short of from his first win in 2014 until he ran out of fuel and settled for his third runner-up finish, the most in track history. He's one of four drivers to start the season with top-five finishes at both Daytona and Atlanta, and a third straight top-five is a favorite to happen.

BRAD KESELOWSKI 8/1: The beneficiary of Junior's empty tank last season; finished third in 2013, but was 26th or worse in his first four cracks at LVMS. Last season he came in on a roll as Cup champion, but didn't show any speed with the new rules package that began at Atlanta last week to suggest he'll contend for a win Sunday.

JOEY LOGANO 8/1: He's certainly got the momentum thing down with two top-5s to start 2015. He looked just as good at Atlanta with the new rules package as he did in 2014 in the old set-up when he won two races on 1.5-mile tracks. He had a career-best fourth-place last season at LVMS and has a 12.3 average finish in six career starts. Is this really his seventh Cup season?

MATT KENSETH 8/1: He's a three-time winner -- the last in 2013 -- with a 12.3 average finish in 15 starts, which includes a record-tying six top-5 finishes. His fifth-place finish at Atlanta last week suggests Joe Gibbs Racing is much improved from 2014, when it struggled on 1.5-mile tracks.

CARL EDWARDS 10/1: He's performed two back-flips at LVMS, the last in 2011. He's on a run of four straight top-five finishes at LVMS and is tied with Johnson with a 9.2 average finish.

KASEY KAHNE 12/1: On multiple occasions, the Enumclaw, Wash., native looked to have the best car at LVMS after practices, but he's never won there. He likes the track -- runner-up twice with a 13.5 average. Because Hendrick Motorsports appears to be the team that has things figured out early this season, he should be considered a live play to unseat the single-digit favorites.

DENNY HAMLIN 15/1: In nine starts, he's averaged a 13th-place finish, with a best of third-place in 2007. He led twice for 14 laps last week at Atlanta and was in contention for a top five until wrecking late. JGR is going in the right direction, so no one can critique a play on the No. 11.

KYLE LARSON 25/1: He was awesome in testing and practice last week, but then finished five laps back in 26th place. We've seen this out of the Elk Grove, Calif., native before -- last year in Vegas (19th) being one example. But speed is a hard thing to look away from, and he's always got lots of it on 1.5s during practice. The best bet with Larson this week may be to win the pole.

RYAN NEWMAN 30/1: A 17.3 average finish in 14 starts may not sound great, but he's finished fifth, fourth and seventh over three of his past four LVMS starts. A win may not be in the forecast here, but he's tough to bet against, which makes him a decent driver to wager on in most match-up props at plus-money. A top-10 looks to be in store for him Sunday.

JAMIE McMURRAY 40/1: See Ganassi Racing teammate Kyle Larson above, as it applies to McMurray as well, including being a pole candidate. His best LVMS finish was fourth in 2004.

TONY STEWART 40/1: The 2012 Las Vegas winner is tied for an LVMS-best six top-five finishes, but his weak Atlanta performance suggests he's a long way from getting a top five on a 1.5-mile track anytime soon.

CLINT BOWYER 40/1: Runner-up in 2008, and his Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota looks to be on the upswing -- just like the JGR Toyota's -- based on Atlanta testing and practices.

DAVID RAGAN 40/1: He showed some speed during Atlanta practices last week, but finished 18th driving Las Vegan Kyle Busch's JGR Toyota. Finished a career-best seventh at LVMS in 2008.

MARTIN TRUEX JR 40/1: It's hard not to root for this single-car team out of Denver, Colo., as it sits fifth in points. Expect another solid run on Sunday.

BRIAN VICKERS 60/1: Welcome back! After missing the first two races, he jumps back into the No. 55 MWR car that just finished eight with first-time NASCAR starter Brett Moffitt last week. Again, Toyota has found speed on 1.5s.

PAUL MENARD 60/1: Career-best third-place at LVMS last season and should compete for a top-15 on Sunday.

AUSTIN DILLON 100/1: An 18.5 average in two LVMS starts, and after finishing 39th at Atlanta last week, 18th place would be a success on Sunday.

GREG BIFFLE 100/1: Roush Fenway Racing has a LVMS-record seven Cup wins, but the eighth looks far away.

REGAN SMITH 100/1: Filling in for Las Vegan Kurt Busch, he finished 17th at Atlanta and has a 25.6 average finish in five LVMS starts.

AJ ALLMENDINGER 200/1: The Los Gatos, Calif., native had a career best 18th-place at LVMS last season, but was very competitive with a seventh-place finish at Atlanta. He's also eighth in points. Great story so far in 2015.

ARIC ALMIROLA 200/1: One of 13 drivers to finish on the lead lap at Atlanta for a quality 11th-place finish. Richard Petty Motorsports has something working and can't be picked on in match-up props.

DANICA PATRICK 300/1: She managed to stay out of the wrecks last week and finish 16th, one lap down.

TREVOR BAYNE 300/1: Finished 19th last week, but wasn't even that good. Jack Roush has never produced anything this mediocre in his career.

RICKY STENHOUSE JR 300/1: See Biffle above. Stenhouse finished 36th last week.

SAM HORNISH JR 300/1: Sits 12th in points, and like Almirola, the future is looking bright at RPM.

CASEY MEARS 500/1: The Bakersfield, Calif., native is one of the better stories of the young season as he sits sixth in points. Like many of the middle-of-the pack drivers last week, he benefited from all the wrecks, but there's reason for optimism like never before from Germain Racing. The team's Chevrolet showed some good speed at Atlanta in practice last week.

FIELD 300/1: Surprisingly, there are several bettors that drop $5 on this wager every week, saying, "You never know". But the truth on 1.5s is that you actually do know -- the field has no shot even if half the field wrecks. Talladega or Daytona? Sure, maybe a case can be made. But Las Vegas, where the favorites usually win and 18-to-1 has been the highest payout between all 17 races? Forget about it. For $5, buy a beer or a Jeff Gordon ticket that serves a dual-purpose: win and get paid 7-to-1, or lose and keep a souvenir.

Chassis Selections
Jayski.com

#3-Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 477 in the Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In 2014, Dillon raced this Dow Energy & Water Chevrolet SS to a 24th-place finish at Dover in September, a 20th-place finish at Richmond in September and a 14th-place finish at New Hampshire in July.
#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Keith Rodden has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-888 for Sunday's race at Las Vegas. Most notably, in 2014, Kahne led 70 laps and finished sixth driving the chassis at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July. He also raced it at Pocono Raceway in August, where he started 12th and finished 10th.
#15-Clint Bowyer: Chassis No. 812 serves as the primary chassis for Bowyer at Las Vegas, is is a brand new chassis. Chassis No. 816 serves as the back-up chassis and is new, was the backup in Atlanta.
#24-Jeff Gordon: Crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 24-895 for this Sunday's Kobalt 400. Gordon raced the chassis to a record-breaking fifth Brickyard 400 victory in July, a win at Michigan International Speedway in August and a 14th-place finish at Kansas Speedway in October in 2014.
#27-Paul Menard will utilize chassis No. 480 for this weekend's 267-lap event at the 1.5-mile track in Las Vegas. This #27 Quaker State / Menards Chevrolet SS has four previous starts from the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season including Indianapolis, Chicago, Charlotte and Homestead.
#31-Ryan Newman will pilot chassis No. 491 in Sunday's Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This #31 Caterpillar Chevy is a brand new car and will take to the track for the first time on Friday when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams practice and qualify at the 1.5-mile speedway.
#32-Mike Bliss Crew Chief Clinton Cram will be bringing chassis 742, which will serve as the primary car. This chassis previously ran at the fall Texas event in 2014 with Joey Gase. Chassis 755 will serve as the backup car.
#33-Brian Scott will pilot chassis No. 460 in Sunday's Las Vegas 400. This chassis has seen action at three previous tracks in 2014 including Auto Club, Atlanta and Phoenix.
#41-Regan Smith will pilot Chassis No. 838 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Sunday's Kobalt 400. It was previously a #10 chassis for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammate Danica Patrick. It made its debut in April 2014 at Texas Motor Speedway, where Patrick started 24th and finished 27th. She was running in the top-15 with the car in June at Pocono but cut a tire, crashed and finished 37th. Chassis 838 then raced in August at Atlanta, where Patrick started 27th but finished a career-best sixth. It was last used in October at Kansas, where Patrick qualified 29th and over the final 30 circuits moved from 23rd to record an impressive 16th-place finish. Since then, Chassis No. 838 has undergone updates and will see its first laps of the season this weekend at Las Vegas.
#48-Jimmie Johnson: For the Kobalt 400, Knaus has selected chassis No. 48-922, which is a brand-new car. The backup car is No. 48-824, which last saw action at Pocono in June 2014.
#55-Brian Vickers: will drive primary chassis 817 in which Clint Bowyer finished eighth with at Homestead and 18th at Kansas in October. The backup chassis 813 was last driven by Bowyer Charlotte in May finishing 17th, 10th and sixth at Michigan races and ninth at Dover in September.
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: This weekend, crew chief Greg Ives and the No. 88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-810. Earnhardt most recently raced the car at Kansas in October 2014. It is the same chassis Earnhardt drove to Victory Lane at Pocono in June and August of last season.

Westgate offering Super Bowl-type props for Las Vegas' Kobalt 400
By: Micah Roberts
Sportingnews.com

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook may not have posted 350 props for the Kobalt 400 like it did for the Super Bowl, but there are more props available for Sunday's race than we'll see for any other NASCAR event in 2015.

The reason is simple: Las Vegas has a captive audience of over 100,000 people in town for the race. More racing fans means more volume; more props mean more ways for the book to ensure a profit for the weekend, the same strategy employed for the Super Bowl.

If the Westgate has to pay out lots of Jeff Gordon-to-win bets at 7-to-1 odds, the book's back-up plan -- props -- will help negate the loss. In the Super Bowl, many bettors cashed on 13-to-5 Patriots-to-OVER parlays, and if parlays were the only betting option, Las Vegas books would have shown a hefty loss. But between the Super Bowl props and futures, the books showed a $3.3 million profit.

The volume wagered on Las Vegas' NASCAR Sprint Cup race will be only a fraction of what was written for the Super Bowl ($116 million), but the same bookmaking concept applies.

Let's take a look at all the wonderful props and offer a few leans we think show good value.

KOBALT 400 MATCHUPS

KEVIN HARVICK -155
JIMMIE JOHNSON +135
The Linemakers' lean: Pretty hard to not take four-time LVMS winner Johnson at plus-money against a driver who has never won here. Harvick will be scary fast in practices just like last week, but he was fast in Vegas testing last year as well and finished 41st.

KEVIN HARVICK -165
JEFF GORDON +145
The Linemakers' lean: If you like Gordon to win, you might as well play the matchup as well. Gordon can't start the season with three straight poor finishes in his final season, can he?

KEVIN HARVICK -200
BRAD KESELOWSKI +175

JIMMIE JOHNSON -130
JEFF GORDON +110

JIMMIE JOHNSON -165
BRAD KESELOWSKI +145

JEFF GORDON -155
BRAD KESELOWSKI +135

DALE EARNHARDT JR -110
MATT KENSETH -110
The Linemakers' take: Good matchup with two drivers who should be battling for position within the top five all race.

DALE EARNHARDT JR -110
JOEY LOGANO -110
The Linemakers' lean: Junior has been runner-up three times at LVMS, a track record, but has also failed to win in 15 starts, which is also the most at LVMS. Logano is scary so far, but Junior should finish better.

DALE EARNHARDT JR +175
KEVIN HARVICK -200
The Linemakers' lean: Junior ran out of fuel while leading on the last lap last season; Harvick had the best car on most 1.5-mile tracks last season, but had plenty of issues that kept him from winning on one until the Chase. The big plus-money is the draw here.

MATT KENSETH -110
JOEY LOGANO -110

MATT KENSETH -130
CARL EDWARDS +110

DALE EARNHARDT JR -130
CARL EDWARDS +110

JEFF GORDON -155
DALE EARNHARDT JR +135

JEFF GORDON -155
MATT KENSETH +135

BRAD KESELOWSKI -110
JOEY LOGANO -110

BRAD KESELOWSKI -110
CARL EDWARDS -110

CARL EDWARDS -155
KASEY KAHNE +135
The Linemakers' lean: Kahne has two second-places finishes at LVMS, loves 1.5-mile tracks and drives for Hendrick Motorsports. Edwards has two LVMS wins, but would be a surprise to win Sunday. A Kahne win wouldn't surprise.

KASEY KAHNE -110
DENNY HAMLIN -110
The Linemakers' lean: Even matchup with a slight edge to Kahne, even though Hamlin looked very good at Atlanta last week before wrecking.

CARL EDWARDS -155
DENNY HAMLIN +135

KASEY KAHNE +145
JOEY LOGANO -165

DENNY HAMLIN +145
MATT KENSETH -165

RYAN NEWMAN -125
KYLE LARSON +105

RYAN NEWMAN -130
CLINT BOWYER +110
The Linemakers' lean: The Waltrip and Gibbs Toyotas all look improved from 2014 on these type of tracks. Newman has finished seventh or better in three of his past four LVMS starts.

KYLE LARSON -125
CLINT BOWYER +105
The Linemakers' lean: Can you trust Larson on race day?

CLINT BOWYER -110
MARTIN TRUEX JR -110
The Linemakers' lean: Has Truex Jr. just been lucky in the first two races to sit fifth in points, or is the single-car team from Denver really this good? Let's see one more strong outing before jumping on his bandwagon.

MARTIN TRUEX JR -125
JAMIE McMURRAY +105

JAMIE McMURRAY -125
DAVID RAGAN +105
The Linemakers' lean: Is Ragan finally comfortable in Kyle Busch's seat? He should be closer to the performance of his Gibbs teammates, and plus-money against a big question mark in McMurray make him worth playing.

DAVID RAGAN +115
MARTIN TRUEX JR -135

DAVID RAGAN -125
TONY STEWART +105

TONY STEWART -110
PAUL MENARD -110

TONY STEWART -140
BRIAN VICKERS +120
The Linemakers' lean: Man, what's happened to Stewart? The 2012 Vegas winner looked awful at Atlanta. Vickers makes his 2015 debut, but his No. 55 MWR Toyota finished eighth at Atlanta with first-time starter Brett Moffitt. Until Stewart shows something, he's a bet-against every race, especially when the driver he's matched up against is getting plus-money.

PAUL MENARD -140
BRIAN VICKERS +120

PAUL MENARD -140
AUSTIN DILLON +120

CASEY MEARS +105
DANICA PATRICK -125
The Linemakers' lean: Is Truex Jr. the best story of the young season, or is it Mears who is sixth in points? Mears showed speed last week at Atlanta and is on the upswing.

KOBALT 400 FINISH POSITIONS

FINISH BY: KEVIN HARVICK
OVER 5.5 +100
UNDER 5.5 -120
The Linemakers' take: Rough number to mess around with.

FINISH BY: JIMMIE JOHNSON
OVER 6.5 EVEN
UNDER 6.5 -120
The Linemakers' lean: Sixth or better in eight of his 13 LVMS starts, including the past three.

FINISH BY: JEFF GORDON
OVER 6.5 -120
UNDER 6.5 EVEN

FINISH BY: DALE EARNHARDT JR
OVER 7.5 -120
UNDER 7.5 EVEN
The Linemakers' lean: He's been seventh or better the past two LVMS races.

FINISH BY: MATT KENSETH
OVER 7.5 -120
UNDER 7.5 EVEN

FINISH BY: BRAD KESELOWSKI
OVER 7.5 -120
UNDER 7.5 EVEN
The Linemakers' lean: He won in Vegas last year, but looked nowhere near as good as Penske teammate Logano in practices and during the race at Atlanta last week.

FINISH BY: JOEY LOGANO
OVER 7.5 -120
UNDER 7.5 EVEN

FINISH BY: CARL EDWARDS
OVER 8.5 EVEN
UNDER 8.5 -120

FINISH BY: KASEY KAHNE
OVER 9.5 -120
UNDER 9.5 EVEN

FINISH BY: DENNY HAMLIN
OVER 9.5 -120
UNDER 9.5 EVEN

FINISH BY: RYAN NEWMAN
OVER 12.5 -110
UNDER 12.5 -110

FINISH BY: KYLE LARSON
OVER 13.5 -110
UNDER 13.5 -110

FINISH BY: CLINT BOWYER
OVER 14.5 -110
UNDER 14.5 -110

FINISH BY: MARTIN TRUEX JR
OVER 14.5 -110
UNDER 14.5 -110

FINISH BY: TONY STEWART
OVER 16.5 -110
UNDER 16.5 -110
The Linemakers' lean: Things don't look so good for Stewart here. Until he shows otherwise, keep betting against him.

FINISH BY: AUSTIN DILLON
OVER 17.5 -110
UNDER 17.5 -110

FINISH BY: GREG BIFFLE
OVER 20.5 -120
UNDER 20.5 EVEN

FINISH BY: DANICA PATRICK
OVER 22.5 -110
UNDER 22.5 -110

KOBALT 400 RACE PROPOSITIONS

WINNING CAR NUMBER WILL BE:
1-19 +115
20-98 -135
The Linemakers' lean: The second option offers a ton of the top candidates to win, like Logano, Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt.

WINNING CAR NUMBER WILL BE:
ODD +500
EVEN -700
The Linemakers' lean: We won't suggest laying -700, but only Hamlin and Edwards have a legitimate shot of beating you if you do.

TOTAL CAUTIONS:
OVER 6.5 +110
UNDER 6.5 -130
**(At least 267 laps must be completed for action)
The Linemakers' lean: There were only four cautions at LVMS in 2014, but we should expect a few more this year because of the new rules package, as the cars now come ripping into the corners faster than last year. Because the drivers have had only one race to get comfortable with the new package, and 10 cautions happened in that race at Atlanta, expect quite a few to have some issues.

TOTAL CARS ON LEAD LAP:
OVER 19.5 -110
UNDER 19.5 -110
**(At least 267 laps must be completed for action)

TOTAL NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DRIVERS TO LEAD AT LEAST 1 LAP:
OVER 9.5 -130
UNDER 9.5 +110
**(At least 267 laps must be completed for action)

WINNING MANUFACTURER:
CHEVY -200
FORD +400
TOYOTA +300
The Linemakers' lean: Hard to go against Chevy here, if you're looking elsewhere, the better value is to bet Logano to win if you like Ford; or Hamlin, Kenseth and Edwards separately if you like Toyota.

KOBALT 400 GROUP MATCHUPS

These aren't recommended for straight bets because of the built in juice, bur since parlays are allowed, you can spend a little to win a lot if correct on two or three of the groups.

GROUP 1
KEVIN HARVICK +180
JIMMIE JOHNSON +240
JEFF GORDON +250
DALE EARNHARDT JR +275
The Linemakers' take: Good luck on this one.

GROUP 2
MATT KENSETH +230
BRAD KESELOWSKI +230
JOEY LOGANO +230
CARL EDWARDS +240

GROUP 3
KASEY KAHNE +195
DENNY HAMLIN +195
RYAN NEWMAN +275
KYLE LARSON +285

GROUP 4
CLINT BOWYER +220
MARTIN TRUEX JR +220
JAMIE McMURRAY +240
DAVID RAGAN +255

GROUP 5
TONY STEWART +220
PAUL MENARD +220
BRIAN VICKERS +245
AUSTIN DILLON +250
The Linemakers' lean: Vickers

GROUP 6
REGAN SMITH +230
RYAN BLANEY +230
GREG BIFFLE +235
AJ ALLMENDINGER +235
The Linemakers' lean: Allmendinger

GROUP 7
ARIC ALMIROLA +195
CASEY MEARS +250
DANICA PATRICK +235
RICKY STENHOUSE JR +260

GROUP 8
TREVOR BAYNE +225
SAM HORNISH JR +225
TY DILLON +225
JUSTIN ALLGAIER +255
The Linemakers' lean: Hornish +225

Driver Handicaps: Las Vegas
By: Jeff Wackerlin
Racingone.com

MRN.com's Jeff Wackerlin help you set your fantasy racing lineup for Sunday's Kobalt 400 with a look at some detailed driver notes and stats at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Who's HOT at Las Vegas

• Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards (making first track start with Joe Gibbs Racing) are the only drivers with multiple wins in the eight races on the current track configuration, with two each.
• Brad Keselowski has posted a 2.0 average finish in his last two starts, including a win in this event last year.
• Matt Kenseth has a 5.5 average finish in his two tracks starts with Joe Gibbs Racing, including a win in 2013.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8.2) and Kasey Kahne (13.0) each rank in the top five in average finish among all drivers that have raced in every event since the track was reconfigured.
• Joey Logano has posted an 8.0 average finish in his two track starts with Team Penske.
• Paul Menard has finished in the top 10 in his last three starts.

Who to Keep an Eye On at Las Vegas

• Kevin Harvick has a 1.5 average finish in the last for races at 1.5-mile tracks, including two wins.
• Denny Hamlin has finished in the top 10 in six of his last seven starts at 1.5-mile tracks.
• Ryan Newman is tied for second in average finish (9.5) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season.
• AJ Allmendinger, Menard, Keselowski and Kenseth participated in the Goodyear Tire test at LVMS in January.
• Jeff Gordon has led the most laps in the eight races on the current Las Vegas configuration and is coming off his first top 10 there in his last four starts. He is back in the same car he scored wins with at Indianapolis and Michigan.
• David Ragan will be back in the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing, a team that has enjoyed success in the past at Las Vegas with Kyle Busch.
• Brett Moffitt, who scored a top 10 with Michael Waltrip Racing last weekend at Atlanta, will drive the No. 34 Ford.

MRN.com Staff Picks

Jeff Wackerlin: Kevin Harvick
Pete Pistone: Kevin Harvick
John Singler: Jimmie Johnson

Driver Notes

Ordered by Top 20 in Average Finish in Last Five Races at Las Vegas

Carl Edwards: Leads all drivers with a 5.6 average finish in the last five races that includes a win in 2011. Edwards will make his first Las Vegas start with Joe Gibbs Racing after finishing 12th last week in his first start with the team at a 1.5-mile track, Atlanta. Edwards holds the sixth-best average finish (11.6) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season.

Jimmie Johnson: Has posted a 6.2 average finish in the last five races. Johnson's last of four wins at Las Vegas came in 2010. He ranks fourth among all drivers entered in this weekend's race in average finish (11.2) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season. This weekend, Johnson will shoot for his second straight win on a 1.5-mile track this season in a new car, chassis No. 922.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Finished second last year for his fourth consecutive top 10. Earnhardt has two top 10s in two of his last three starts at 1.5-mile tracks, including a third-place run in his first race at an intermediate track with crew chief Greg Ives. This weekend, Earnhardt will return in the same car (chassis No. 810) that he swept both Pocono races with last season.

Matt Kenseth: Has posted a 5.5 average finish in his two track starts with Joe Gibbs Racing, including a win in 2013. Kenseth, who finished fifth last weekend at Atlanta, is tied for the second-best average finish (9.5) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season.

Paul Menard: Finished third last season for third consecutive top 10. This weekend, Menard will return in the same car (chassis No. 480) that he last finished fourth with at Homestead-Miami Speedway, one of five top 10s at 1.5-mile tracks last season.

Kasey Kahne: Has finished in the top 10 in his last two starts, including a runner-up in 2013 after leading 114 laps. Kahne has posted a 12.8 average finish in his last 12 starts at 1.5-mile tracks with his last top 10 coming at Charlotte last fall. This weekend, Kahne will return in the same car (chassis No. 888) that he led 70 laps with en route to a sixth-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Tony Stewart: Finished 33rd last year, snapping a streak of four consecutive finishes of 11th or better, including a win in 2012. As of late, Stewart hasn’t had the greatest performances at 1.5-mile tracks with only one top 10 and 74 laps led in the last 12 races.

Joey Logano: Won the pole and finished fourth last season in second track start with Team Penske. Logano, who led 84 laps last weekend at Atlanta, hold the best average finish (7.1) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season.

Martin Truex Jr.: Finished 14th last season in first track start with Furniture Row Racing. This weekend, Truex will be aiming for his thirds consecutive top 10 of the season with crew chief Cole Pearn. Truex does have two top 10s at Las Vegas, coming with Michael Waltrip Racing.

Ryan Newman: Finished seventh last season in first track start with Richard Childress Racing. The finish also marked Newman's third top 10 in the last four starts. Newman is tied for the second-best average finish (9.5) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season. This weekend, Newman will debut a new car (chassis No. 491) in the Kobalt 400.

Denny Hamlin: Has posted a 14.6 average finish in his last five starts. A crash last weekend at Atlanta snapped a streak of six consecutive top 10s for Hamlin at 1.5-mile tracks. Hamlin did start fourth and lead 14 laps prior to the accident in his first intermediate track race with crew chief Dave Rodgers, who scored three Sprint Cup wins at 1.5-mile tracks previously with Kyle Busch.

Clint Bowyer: Last of three top 10s in nine starts came in 2012, sixth. This weekend Bowyer will debut a new car (chassis No. 812) in the Kobalt 400.

Greg Biffle: Has posted a 16.0 average finish in his last five starts, including two top 10s. As of late, Biffle hasn't had the performances he would like at 1.5-mile tracks with his last top 10 coming last season at Atlanta.

Kevin Harvick: Was in contention for a strong finish last season in track debut with Stewart-Haas Racing up until a broken left-front wheel on his No. 4 Chevrolet. Harvick has posted a 1.5 average finish in the last four races at 1.5-mile tracks, including a runner-up finish last weekend at Atlanta after leading 116 laps. He leads all drivers in laps led (912) and has the fifth-best average finish (11.3) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season. This weekend, Harvick will return in the same car (chassis No. 858) that he combined to lead 204 laps with and post respective finishes of second and third at Charlotte (May) and New Hampshire (September) last season.

Jeff Gordon: Finished ninth last season for his first top 10 in the last four races. Gordon holds the seventh-best average finish (11.7) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season. This weekend, Gordon will pilot the same car (chassis No. 895) that he took to Victory Lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michigan International Speedway last season.

Brad Keselowski: Won this race last season for his second consecutive top five. Keselowski holds the eighth-best average finish (12.2) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season.

Trevor Bayne: Finished ninth in 2012 for only top 10 in four starts. Bayne will make first Sprint Cup track start with Roush Fenway Racing after finishing 19th with the team last weekend at Atlanta.

Brian Vickers: Finished 13th last season in first track start with Michael Waltrip Racing. Vickers will make his first start of the season this weekend in the same car (chassis No. 817) that Clint Bowyer last finished eighth with at Homestead-Miami.

Austin Dillon: Finished 16th last season in track debut in a Richard Childress Racing Sprint Cup car. Dillon, who only has one top 10 in his last 12 starts at 1.5-mile tracks, will return in the same car (chassis No. 477) that he last finished 24th with at Dover.

Kyle Larson: Finished 19th in first track start last season. Larson holds the 10th-best average finish (13.2) in the last 12 races at 1.5-mile tracks since the start of the 2014 season.