The upcoming Las Vegas weekend seems to be a big one for the Hendrick Motorsports’ #5. Provided that he’ll be the defending champion of the ‘Pennzoil 400,’ Kyle Larson has some important responsibilities to take care of. Adhering to HMS’s 2025 season goal, only two drivers are left out from the ‘Thrive in 25’ motto: Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson. Teammates Chase Elliott got one in ‘The Clash’ at Bowman Gray Stadium and William Byron took the Daytona 500 trophy home. So, all eyes are on them now! In addition to that, if you are a Larson fan, the race is not the only reason to be in Vegas. Not just the weekend, the entire week is going to be kind of special for him!
It’s no secret that our Cup veteran is big into dirt racing. So big that he owns an entire series: High Limit Racing! He started it with Sprint Car veteran and his brother-in-law Brad Sweet and it’s been a massive success. And Sweet won the 2024 High Limit Racing season with 10 wins. Larson too tries to race in as many races as he can manage alongside a full Cup season. He got 4 wins last year. Anyway, the new season is kicking off, and that is something Larson never misses. And this time, he doesn’t want the fans to either!
Kyle Larson green flags the new Sprint Car season!
Folks Larson loves being in Las Vegas! And currently, he’s having a blast! For the folks that don’t know, Larson is a big ice hockey fan and the NHL team Vegas Golden Knights happens to be one of his favorites. Only recently he was at the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Knights game. And if you aren’t a hockey fan…let us tell you, Larson was happy the Knights got a dominant 5-2 win. And Larson’s happiness just continues as Vegas also happens to be his series’ season opener.
And he’s urging all the NASCAR fans coming for the Vegas race to extend their stay…by a little! “Hey fans out there Kyle Larson here. I am really excited to get to the dirt track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on the 13th and the 25th with High Limit Racing. It’s our season opener, really excited to be there. Gonna have a great field of teams.”
According to Kyle Larson, it would be worth it! “Travelling from California, traveling from the west, our full-time teams as well. I expect a great field of cars. Some great racing. Finally back on the dirt track there. If you haven’t yet, please get your tickets. Come to the pits and see us. Meet your favorite driver, get an autograph, a picture, it’d be a great night,” Larson added. And hopefully, the HMS driver can win and continue that momentum into the weekend!
Don’t miss your chance to see Kyle Larson battle at The Dirt Track in the Kubota @HighLimitRacing Season Opener, Mar. 13 & 15!
Get your tickets! : https://t.co/Wp5Qz1i353 pic.twitter.com/hlAQDw2eL7
— Las Vegas Motor Speedway (@LVMotorSpeedway) March 11, 2025
One other reason why Larson loves Vegas is how the track treats him in the Cup Series. The #5’s average finish on the track has been 9.4, which is his best among all considering the number of races he’s run here (17). Who can forget his 2024 spring win? Larson started from P2 and was quick to dominate the race.
He won stage 1, won stage 2, and led 181 laps to finally take the checkered flag. And he’s undoubtedly a front-runner for the upcoming Vegas race as well! Until now, he has finished 8 times in the top 5. While he’d be looking to repeat that… it won’t be that easy. As Christopher Bell is hungry for more!
Can Christopher Bell create history?
Bell’s third win in a row at the recent Phoenix race is already an achievement in itself. It’s something he and his crew chief, Adam Stevens, were set on achieving since 2021. The #20 driver, recalling the moment, said, “I will never forget 2021, my first year with Adam Stevens, and me and Adam got off to a rocky start. We were sitting in his office there at JGR and he looked at me and said: ‘We can do this. I’ve won three straight sitting in these exact same two chairs,’ (talking about him and Kyle Busch in 2018. And he said, ‘I know that we can do it.’” And now that the two have accomplished that, they are eying a 4-in-a-row record.
If they pull this off…it will be really special. No one has done it since Jimmie Johnson in 2007. If you recall the last part of that season…Johnson first won Martinsville, then Atlanta. and finally followed it by wins at Texas and Phoenix. It could have been 5 out of 5 at Homestead Miami, but JJ could not convert the pole start into a win.
But now Bell can join the elite group of 8 drivers, which includes NASCAR legends like Dale Earnhardt Sr and Jeff Gordon. And to Bell’s luck, 5 out of these eight drivers went on to win the championship. So who knows, maybe the #20 team can finally bag one too.
And Bell is pumped to make it 4 out of 4. After the Phoenix win, he said, “That’s incredibly special to hear that and know that I have that opportunity ahead of me, and we’re going to do a darn good place for it. I’m kind of in disbelief that I have that opportunity and I’m looking forward to it.” However, to Larson’s good fortune, Bell’s Vegas stats aren’t good. He hasn’t won here until now. And in the 10 races he has only managed an average finish of 17.4. So if he wins it this time…it would be too special.
Who do you think will win in Las Vegas? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
The post Arrived Early for the Pennzoil 400? Here’s the Perfect Las Vegas Weekend Itinerary, Courtesy of Kyle Larson appeared first on EssentiallySports.