On March 3rd, 2024, The Pennzoil 400 took place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Pennzoil 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series race that has been held annually in Las Vegas since 1998. The race is 265 laps with 3 stages (dividing the laps). There were an estimated 12,500 people at the race on Sunday. Driver #5, Kyle Larson, won all three stages of the race and will move on to the next race in Arizona at the Phoenix Raceway.
Fans come from all around the world to this race. Some people can even be seen watching the race from inside their RVs that they park near the track. Before the actual Pennzoil begins, fans usually arrive early to watch pre-race events or to get concessions for the race.
Junior Raiden Paloschi says, “I enjoyed watching the Pennzoil 400. I missed the crash at the beginning but I got to see the cars start up again. I love how competitive the drivers are as the stages progress.”
Just as the race began, driver Chris Buescher’s rim came off in the 27th lap causing him to have wheel failure. His car slammed into the wall and the race was stopped momentarily. After about 10 minutes, the race started again and drivers were able to complete the first stage (80 laps) without any other complications.
The second stage consists of another 80 laps. It begins after the driver visits their pit crew. They can be seen driving off to the side of the track and quickly stopping to get fuel and new tires. These drivers are going 180 mph around the track. Their tires get worn down quickly so it is crucial that they replace them for their safety.
Junior Cole Johansen goes to the Pennzoil 400 every year with his friends. One of his favorite parts of the races is the pit crew.
“I love to watch the pit crew replace the tires and re-fuel the cars before they go back out. I also like when the cars regroup on the track and get super close together before taking off. It’s crazy how loud the engines are.”
The final stage of the race is 107 laps. Driver’s fight for the first place spot as the laps pass by. Larson was closely followed by driver Tyler Reddick, who was a mere 0.143 seconds behind him with only two laps left. Larson quickly increased the gap and won the third stage.
The next NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be The South Point 400 on Sunday, October 20.
