We all know Las Vegas is a gambling paradise. Speaking from experience, literally when you get off the plane at the airport, you’re welcomed with the sounds of slot machines. Pick up your rental car, slot machines.
You can even go to the local convenience store, pick up a case of beer, some snacks, and hit the slots.
It is a gambling town, that’s what it is.
Now, at the same time, in NASCAR, every race is a gamble because each team has a different strategy on how to get to the front, and win. Some take the gamble late in the going, whether it’s a gas-n-go, two tires, or not pitting at all. Some do so during a busy portion of the race, trying to get out of sequence and hope that things go in their favor.
And then you have a guy like Kevin Harvick, who has seemed to find the luck he needs to succeed and carry it on for many races. His finish to 2014 was a big part of that, as he won at Phoenix to make himself part of the Championship Four in the season finale. Then he would go on to win that race, and in doing so would bring the second Sprint Cup championship to Stewart-Haas Racing, and the first of his career.
Even being off since November didn’t hinder the strong hand he was dealt, as he would finish second in Daytona, then second in Atlanta. He was already playing his cards right, and judged his competition well to know when to hold on, and know that folding wasn’t an option.
In Las Vegas, the man nicknamed “Happy” finally laid his cards out and would come out on top. getting the big jackpot and achieving his third victory in the last five races.
That locks him in for the 2015 Chase, and ensures he will go after the big jackpot at the end of the season.
Alright, enough of the Las Vegas references for this week. Up next on the schedule, a duel in the desert in Phoenix.
RESULTS: 1-Harvick 2-Truex Jr. 3-Newman 4-Earnhardt Jr. 5-Hamlin 6-Allmendinger 7-Keselowski 8-Larson 9-Kenseth 10-Logano
NOTABLE FINISHES: 18-Gordon 33-Stewart 41-Johnson 42-Edwards
CAUTIONS: 6 for 28 laps. Lap 27-30 (Competition), 83-86 (Debris-T1), 140-144 (Debris-FS), 173-177 (#48 Accident-T1), 187-192 (#48 Accident-T4), 195-198 (#19 Accident-T2).
LEAD CHANGES: 18 among 9 drivers. Gordon POLE, Logano 1-27, Earnhardt Jr. 28-29, Logano 30-42, Johnson 43-76, Edwards 77-78, Kenseth 79, Johnson 80-90, Harvick 91-130, Keselowski 131-132, Logano 133-139, Harvick 140-144, Truex Jr. 145-147, Harvick 148-198, Earnhardt Jr. 199-200, Harvick 201-230, Newman 231-244, Keselowski 245-251, Harvick 252-267.
TIME OF RACE: 2 Hrs, 47 Mins, 16 Secs.
AVERAGE SPEED: 143.677 MPH
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 1.64 Seconds
POINT STANDINGS: 1. Harvick, 134 points*; 2. Earnhardt Jr, -9; 3. Logano, -11*; 4. Truex Jr, -16; 5. Allmendinger, -34; 6. Kahne, -42; 7. Johnson, -43*; 8. Hamlin, -47; 9. Mears. -47; 10. Kenseth, -49