The Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last year was nothing short of a rollercoaster, with half of the playoff contenders storming into the top five while the rest found themselves languishing outside the top 10. Fast forward to this year, and the stakes are even higher. For all the drivers eyeing the grand title at Phoenix in just three weeks, overcoming the challenges of the high desert is crucial.

The momentum suggests that the Round of 8 is poised to set the stage ablaze this Sunday in Las Vegas. With the gateway to the Championship 4 berth wide open, each of the eight remaining racers has a shot. Yet, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway have their own daunting hurdles, historically dominated by only a select few. For the underdog from Joe Gibbs Racing, currently hovering in the lower quartile of the playoff chart with an average finish of 19.6 at Las Vegas, the race could be his proverbial Achilles heel.

Is the dark horse of Joe Gibbs ready to leap over his hurdles?

The 2023 NASCAR playoffs are at a fever pitch. Win on Sunday, and any of the top eight contenders will solidify their spot in the championship showdown. It’s a tried and tested strategy; just look at Kyle Larson in 2021 and Joey Logano in 2022. Both secured their title victories right from the first race in the Round of 8. Nailing this week would be an early ticket to meticulously prep for the Championship 4 race, making this race almost as pivotal as the grand finale.

Out of the 36 drivers revving up this weekend, nine boast victories in Las Vegas. Four of them?Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr.?are multiple-time winners on this track. Others, including Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Alex Bowman, and this year’s March victor, William Byron, have each savored a single triumph here.

But for the dynamo of Joe Gibbs, Christopher Bell, Las Vegas has been a mixed bag. In seven starts, he’s managed to break into the top-10 thrice. Yet, his track record in fall races at this 1.5-mile circuit is less than stellar, never finishing beyond 24th apart from the three. However, the 2023 season’s spring race did see an uptick with a fifth-place finish that ignites hope. Now, as he enters the Round of 8, ranked sixth and eight points below the cut-off, a Las Vegas win is crucial for Bell.

Comparing it with Martin Truex Jr’s history on the track, we can find that the Joe Gibbs driver flaunts an impressive 10.0 average from 23 races, which includes a remarkable six consecutive top 10 finishes and two grand victories in 2017 and 2019.

However, with such fierce competition, it could also be the moment for a reshuffling of the cards.

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The spotlight on Las Vegas’ NASCAR Cup Series favorites

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Las Vegas Speedway has a rich tradition of crowning the legends of racing. A glance at the winners’ roster reveals a constellation of stars, each with a minimum of 10 career triumphs. However, Alex Bowman, with his seven wins, remains the intriguing outlier.

While victory at Las Vegas usually goes to the usuals, some drivers and their machines consistently outshine others. In the track’s chronicles, Ford teams have etched their dominance, seizing 13 of the first 25 races. However, since 2020, Chevvy’s roar has been resonating, clinching four out of the last six races.

Leading the pack is Joey Logano, the reigning South Point 400 champion. With a stellar average finish of 9.9, he’s the one to watch out for. But there’s a twist: Logano’s title dreams were dashed in the Round of 16.

Talking about Las Vegas favorites: After Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Larson holds a 10.5 average across 14 races, ten of which saw him in the top 10, including his 2021 victory. Ryan Blaney‘s record is equally compelling, with an average of 12.4 over 14 races, inclusive of eight top-10 finishes. Yet, recently, his luck at Las Vegas seems to be dwindling, having lagged behind in his last three outings.

And who could forget the ever-consistent Denny Hamlin? With an average of 12.8 from 14 starts and a whopping 11 top-10 finishes from 23 races at Las Vegas, he’s undeniably a force to be reckoned with. After clinching the 2021 playoff race and ranking 11th this spring, Hamlin has showcased his prowess, leading for over 121 laps in the 2020 and 2021 races. However, eyes are also on Bell. With a less-than-stellar 19.6 average finish from seven races, an unexpected win definitely has the potential to send shockwaves through the racing community.

Read More: Falling Short of Playoff Goal, Was Leaving Joe Gibbs a Good Decision for Kyle Busch?