What We Saw: NASCAR Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
The Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway delivered an unexpected outcome for NASCAR fans. As the fifth race of the season approached, everyone was wondering if Christopher Bell could make it four wins in a row. Would Kyle Busch finally break his losing streak at his home track? And what about the other hometown favorite, Noah Gragson, or Daniel Suarez? But in a stunning turn of events, Josh Berry stole the show.
Before the race got underway, several notable figures stopped by the media center. Morgan Freeman, who gave the command to start engines, was a highlight of the pre-race festivities, adding a touch of Hollywood to the NASCAR atmosphere. During the Q&A session, Freeman made it clear he’s a Bubba Wallace fan. Other celebrities who dropped in to speak with the press included NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Antron Brown, who was named an honorary race official, and WWE star Chelsea Green, who later took on the role of honorary pace car driver.
Race Highlights
Once the green flag dropped, the race was all over the place. The Pennzoil 400 featured 13 different leaders, 32 lead changes, and 9 cautions, including two for tires on the track, involving Cody Ware and Kyle Busch.
Unfortunately, the “Hometown blues” proved all too real for Busch and Gragson, with both drivers hitting the wall during the race. Kyle Busch’s day went from bad to worse, as his team faced multiple penalties including speeding on pit road and pitting before pit road was open. In Busch’s teammate Ryan Blaney’s words, “Just one of those weekends it seems like nothing could really go right.”
A multi-car wreck on Lap 196 collected Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Noah Gragson, Erik Jones, and Bubba Wallace, ending the day for several drivers including Blaney, whose team couldn’t repair the No. 12 car to return to competition.
Race Results
In a stunning turn of events, Josh Berry captured his first Cup Series win in just 53 starts, driving the iconic No. 21 to Victory Lane and securing the Wood Brothers’ 101st win. Josh’s win came as a surprise for many, proving that in NASCAR, anything can happen.
The top 10 finishers were:
1. Josh Berry
2. Daniel Suarez
3. Ryan Preece
4. William Byron
5. Ross Chastain
6. Austin Cindric
7. Alex Bowman
8. AJ Allmendinger
9. Kyle Larson
10. Chase Elliott
Daniel Suarez has had a top-10 finish in four of the five races this season. In his post-race interview, he said: “First of all, congratulations to the 21 team and Josh. They did a great job. They’ve been fast lately. They’ve been in contention. So congratulations to them.” William Byron is the current points leader despite Christopher Bell’s 3 wins. Austin Cindric was the Stage 2 winner, while Kyle Larson led the race for 61 laps. Notably, all four Hendrick drivers managed a top-10 finish.
After the win, Josh Berry was overwhelmed with congratulations: “I have so many texts and stuff. I just can’t believe it. I FaceTime’d Dale Jr. in Victory Lane because he’s done a lot for me. He was really excited.” Jon Wood added, “That was my first call, too. You answer that one when he calls. Dad’s is Jim Farley. Mine is Dale Jr.”
Despite the excitement on the track, Kyle Busch’s struggles continued, finishing 33rd and extending his winless skid. Noah Gragson’s homecoming didn’t fare much better, as he finished well outside the top 10.
In the end, the Pennzoil 400 proved to be a wild ride, marked by Josh Berry’s surprising first Cup Series win and a series of ups and downs and highs and lows. With a mix of surprises and heartbreaks, overall, it earned a solid 8/10.
