2018 Pennzoil 400 Picks and Predictions – Top Sleeper Bets: he Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads out to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this for the Pennzoil 400. Sunday’s race is the first in a three-race West Coast swing that highlights the early portion of the 2018 schedule.
Much like last weekend’s venue, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Vegas is a fast 1.5-mile oval. However, Vegas’ surface isn’t as abrasive, so I expect to see longer green flag stretches and longer stretches of racing between pit stops. Those factors could create a situation where fuel mileage or pit strategy comes into, and that means the potential for a surprise winner.
I expect many of the big names to be fast this weekend, but I have my eye on few underdogs who could help you hit in big in Las Vegas. Check out my favorite sleeper bets for Sunday’s Pennzoil 400.
2018 Pennzoil 400 Picks and Predictions: Top Sleeper Bets
Top Sleepers
Ryan Blaney (18/1)
He’s only got one Cup win under his belt, but Blaney is one of the rising young stars in the sport, and he developed into one of the top performers at the 1.5-mile tracks at the end of last season. More importantly, Las Vegas and the track it is most similar to, Kansas, happen to be two of his best. Blaney has finished sixth and seventh at Vegas the last two seasons, and he has four top-10s in his last five starts at Kansas, including a pair of top-five finishes last year. Blaney is in his first season with Team Penske, and the improved equipment should only speed up his rise to the top. These are great odds for a driver who has all the tools needed to win and is heading to one of his best tracks.
Erik Jones (30/1)
Last year’s rookie of the year, is still looking for his first win at the Cup level, but he came close on a couple of occasions. More importantly, he got stronger as the year went on, reeling off six straight top-10s at one point in the second half. Seeing Jones in the Truck and XFINITY Series, it is clear he has the type of talent to be a star at the Cup level. Now that he is driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, it is only a matter of time before he breaks through. I like 30/1 odds for a guy that I wouldn’t be surprised to see show up in victory at any track on any given week.
Ryan Newman (80/1)
I’m starting to dip into the more serious longshots, but I do think Newman offers some potential. For one, he usually finds his way to at least one win most years, so he’s not a total stranger to victory lane. More importantly, he showed some speed at Atlanta last weekend, sitting on the pole and hanging in the top 10 until a tire issue ruined his day. Newman is only a couple of years removed from a third-place finish a Vegas, and after the encouraging speed he showed last weekend at Atlanta, he could be a steal at a Vegas track with a similar 1.5-mile layout.
A.J. Allmendinger (1000/1)
The road course warrior should be a longshot to win at any oval track, but 1000/1 are the odds you give a driver who doesn’t even have equipment to run the full race. Allmendinger has actually been decent at Las Vegas, compiling a 15.5 average finish in four starts with JTG Daugherty Racing and finishing on the lead lap three times in that stretch. At the very least, he should be in position to try to steal a win with a fuel mileage gamble, and that’s a heck of a lot more than you can say about the other drivers getting similar odds. If I’m throwing a dart at a total shot in the dark, I’ll throw it at Allmendinger.
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