Heading to Las Vegas

Roush Fenway Racing has proven to be ‘The One’ to beat at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, however Hendrick Motorsports is now just 2 behind. Will it come down to a battle of Roush vs. Hendrick this weekend?

photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images for NASCAR

Roush-Fenway Racing team owner, Jack Roush, leads all other car owners with six Sprint Cup Series wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Some say it’s a dry spell, since Roush only picked up three cup wins last year. Matt Kenseth kicked off last season by scoring back-to-back victories including Roush’s first Daytona 500 crown. Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, both went winless after picking up a combined 11 wins during the 2008 season. Driving in one of his final races for Roush, Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray won at Talladega in October. It’s the last time a Roush driver visited victory lane. The next win by any of the Roush drivers will mark a milestone 400th overall for the organization.

When we talk Vegas, don’t rule out reigning champ and last week’s race winner, Jimmie Johnson. He has won three times at LVMS. “We obviously learn every time we go to the race track and try to make our packages better,” the #48 crew chief, Chad Knaus said. “We’ve got a new car going to Las Vegas that’s got some new things we’re excited about. Every race is a learning opportunity. If we go away from any race and we don’t learn something, it’s our own fault.” A win for Hendrick Motorsports would give the race team their fifth total win, close to tying Roush’s six.

Johnson’s Hendrick teammate, Jeff Gordon needs a boost to get him going this season. Coming off a 26th and 20th-place finish, Gordon is currently 22nd in the standings, his second-worst start to the season after 2 races ever and the first time to happen since 2000. Gordon has one win, five top-5 and six top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He’s finished in the top-10 in four of his last five races there.

Kyle Busch is the defending race winner at his hometown track. “It was awesome, just the feeling of a lifetime,” Busch reminisced. “I told everyone that it would be just like another race, but it really meant a lot more than that when I got to Victory Lane. To have my mom there and my brother come to Victory Lane just made it that much more special.”

TV coverage of the Shelby American starts at 2 pm this Sunday on FOX.

Danica Patrick will make one of her last starts in the Nationwide Series until this coming summer as she will return to open-wheel. The Nationwide Series will also race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Catch the Sam’s Town 300 on Staurday starting at 4 on ESPN2.