Kyle Busch enters Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the longest winless drought since he’s been a full-time driver in the series.
Busch’s last win was on June 4, 2023, at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois. He went last year without a win, the first time he went a full season in the Cup Series without one in his career.
But after a difficult 2024, this season has gotten off to a better start for Busch.
The 39-year-old has scored three top-10 finishes through the first four races of the season and is eighth in the point standings. Busch with start fourth in the Pennzoil 400, with the green flag scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
“We’ve had some good races so far; we’ve had some good speed,” Busch said. “We’ve had the cars driving much more to my liking than what we’ve had in the past. I’ve been able to get more from the race car as well, so that’s all a net positive.”
Busch gave a valiant effort last year to try to get a win and make the playoffs. He finished second at Daytona and Darlington, the two final races in the regular season.
Busch said he felt like Richard Childress Racing turned a corner in the offseason with the personnel changes the organization made in competition leadership positions.
“I feel like there’s more to go get,” Busch said. “If we had the gains that we made at Phoenix from last year to this year. If we could have another step of that, there’s going to be reason for us to race for wins. I’m optimistic about this weekend, seeing what we can do this week and putting ourselves in position to race up front.”
Busch has 15 top-10 finishes at his home track, but just one in the past four races. He said he’s confident his team will put in the work to get in position to contend for wins.
“We just try to elevate the whole program,” Busch said. “If you elevate the whole program, the whole program is going to bring yourself to the front and being able to capitalize on good runs.”
Herbst: ‘Take it all in’
Sunday’s race will be special for Riley Herbst. The Las Vegas native will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400.
“I used to camp on motorhome hill. I used to go on the bridge (on the Strip) and watch the hauler parade,” Herbst said. “It’s like a full circle moment for myself to race a Cup car at my home track. I’ve been dreaming of it forever, and it’s really special. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and take it all in.”
Herbst qualified 34th for Sunday’s race. The 26-year-old made the jump to the Cup Series to join 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by Denny Hamlin and legendary NBA player Michael Jordan.
Herbst spent the previous five seasons racing full-time in the Xfinity Series. Last year, Herbst won twice and had his best finish in the overall points standings (seventh).
He said the biggest difference is how “cutthroat” the Cup Series is and how small the margin for error is.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Herbst said. “… The jump (to the Cup Series) is tremendous, and everyone tells you about it, and it’s one of those things you don’t really know until you experience it. But I feel I got myself surrounded with really good people at 23XI Racing and really good mentors.”
Herbst is 27th in the point standings. He opened the season with three straight 17th-place finishes but was involved in a crash and finished 37th last week at Phoenix. He said there have been some things his No. 35 Toyota team has “excelled” at, and the focus in the early portion of the season is to finish races.
“This week is going to be another challenge. A 1½-mile (track) should be fun,” Herbst said. “I’m just taking it in stride each week and try to enjoy each week and everything new about it. It’s been a lot of fun these last two months getting to know everybody and just get my feet underneath me, and hopefully we can build a good foundation.”
Allgaier pulls away for Xfinity win
Justin Allgaier dominated last week’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix, leading 130 laps, but he lost the lead on an overtime restart and finished fifth.
The 2024 Xfinity Series champion was able to hold onto the lead Saturday at Las Vegas.
Allgaier led the final 49 laps and fended off Aric Almirola to win The LiUNA Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“We were able to not make a mistake and go to victory lane,” Allgaier said. “It’s 180 degrees. Last week I was sad. I was fired up at the end of Stage 2. But to come out of here on top, a place that I’ve loved since Day 1 and I’ve had so many seconds and thirds here, it just made it that much more sweet and special.”
It’s Allgaier’s first Xfinity Series win at Las Vegas in 22 starts and 19th top-10 finish at the 1½-mile oval. Allgaier led the most laps (102) and has taken the points lead in the series standings by 19 points over Jesse Love, who finished third.
“This is the first place that I led laps in the Xfinity Series,” said Allgaier, who has won a race in nine straight seasons in the Xfinity Series. “This was the first racetrack that I had that light switch moment and just felt comfortable. I felt good. I felt like I could compete at a high level, and I’ve loved (this track) ever since.”
There were three cautions Saturday, two for the endings of Stages 1 and 2. Only nine cars finished on the lead lap.
Allgaier passed JR Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch with 72 laps to go. After a series of green-flag pit stops, Allgaier regained the lead and faced a hard charge from Almirola.
Almirola got within a car length of Allgaier, but his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota missed his line in turn 4 and lost ground to Allgaier.
“I was pretty burnt out after last week of getting beat (in overtime), so that added fuel to the fire and we got our win and we can have some fun at Homestead next week,” Allgaier said.
Contact Alex Wright at [email protected]. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
