FYI WIRZ: NASCAR Drivers Look Beyond Luck to Win at Las Vegas

NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers aren't talking luck when they go to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, even though they know every race at every track has a bit of bad or good luck in store. That's racing.

Some luck will apply on the 1.5 mile tri-oval track for the Kobalt 400 on March 8, but horsepower and skill are far more important.

The Las Vegas race is early on the long NASCAR schedule, and the weather should be about perfect, according to Weather.com: sunny in the low 70s with zero rain. Teams don’t have to worry about weather in Vegas. They can focus on performance.

In an intense sport, teams seem to look deeper these days. The new emphasis on wins caused by the revised Chase for the Sprint Cup format has no doubt changed the philosophy of early-season results. It’s more important now to get a win early than it is to build a point buffer with top finishes.

Teams with a win or wins in the bank can gamble more on strategies that sometimes pay off with even more winning. It seems quick thinking is as welcome as fast engines.

Perhaps delving into the words of five drivers in the Top 10 NSCS standings might indicate how the 400-lap race at LVMS on March 8 will go. Top drivers Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer shared their outlook moving west.

Harvick is making a habit of running second twice already this season, and that’s good for consistency. One has to think the No. 4 2014 championship team will own a checkered flag soon. He spoke about LVMS.

“Right now you want to win as early as you can in the season,” Harvick said. “The first two weeks have gone really well. To win at a track that we haven’t won at before would be something. I think we are all looking forward to the challenge of trying to do.”

Johnson is no stranger to checkered flags. After not making the final championship grid last year, he and the No. 48 team are beginning the season with a win and a likely spot in the Chase.

"I’m excited about going to Las Vegas,” Johnson said. “The track itself is tough. I would really like to bring home that cool Kobalt trophy for my sponsor. I’d love to win it for them this weekend.”

Earnhardt Jr. has brought his No. 88 Chevy close to a win with two third-place finishes so far this year. Perhaps he won’t wait for moments like his double win at Pocono to boost his season. He shared his thoughts on LVMS.

“The Las Vegas track has some good character with the bumps going into Turn 1, and it’s got a lot of banking and fast speeds,” Earnhardt said. “The groove has widened out The track has less speed since the reconfigure but still just as enjoyable to race on.”

Truex Jr. is known for his calm demeanor, but his fast start on the 2015 season may light up his visible moods if good results keep rolling in. Truex had a few words about good outcomes so far.

“Obviously everything is working out pretty well so far," Truex said. “But you can't stand still in this business.”

Truex went on to describe Vegas conditions.

"Las Vegas is a fast track,” he said. “But tricky and choppy bumps in Turn 1 throw a curve into the setup of the car. Over the years, the track has lost some of its grip. The groove has gotten wider. It's a fun track that has been good to me over the years."

Bowyer and team have had a good start this season too and may be destined to find Victory Lane soon. It’s early with 33 more events to go, but many Victory Lanes are vacant right now.

Bowyer pointed out the value of having a NASCAR race in Las Vegas.

“There’s so much to do there,” he said. “If you aren’t a gambler, there’s good restaurants, good shows and concerts to go to. I think it’s a great place to catch a race if you are a fan.”

Bowyer also spoke about his team.

“I’m proud of the guys,” he said. “I’m most proud of the fact that we worked on the car throughout the race and got it better. That’s a real good sign that we are heading in the right direction. We just have to keep after it.”

It appears drivers and teams are going to have fast fun out West and maybe even a little luck as well. Las Vegas has it all—fast speeds, good entertainment plus good and bad luck. Fans not lucky to have grandstand tickets can catch the action on Fox at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Credit: Dwight Drum

FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of topics by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com. Unless otherwise noted, information and all quotes were obtained firsthand or from official release materials provided by sanction and team representatives.