Lagano Goes All In…Wins in Vegas! (3-3-19)

By: Becca Cottingham

Headline Photo Credit: USA Today

In the opening laps in Las Vegas Motor speedway, you saw three wide racing as Kevin Harvick worked to lead the first several laps. At one point we were even six wide at the track which is where the spotters are key for keeping accidents to a minimum at the start of the race. Practice was under mostly cloudy sky’s but come race time it was bright and sunny make the practice laps completely different from racing conditions. The bumps in this track are going to be a huge task to overcome with the race cars at this track. They truly upset the balance of the cars as they race. Making some cars harder to handle. For those who tested out at Las Vegas they are a little ahead of the game. Pit strategy and tires are also playing a key role in the race today. With a gas window of roughly sixty laps cautions will also be a key factor for the race. But we ended up not having anything in the first stage of this race.

Jimmie Johnson was having issues with another driver on the track. With the new car setup there is some great racing happening all over the track. As great example look at Joey Lagano and Kyle Busch battle for first place during the second stage. Then Kyle Busch got hit with a too fast entering pit road. This truly hurts a driver at Las Vegas because it quickly puts you a lap down. As we watched at the end of Stage two waiting to pit saved William Byron from falling back past tenth place before the end of stage two. The great thing about this race has been we have had great racing with no one really being able to get a huge lead. You also have had two different stage winners. Joey Lagano was able to keep himself in the top ten in the final stage of the race. With nothing major, but some great racing. Joey Lagano and Brad Keselowski battled it out and in the end Joey was able to bring home the win. This made for Joey’s twenty-second win in his career.