NASCAR just wrapped up an intense race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where the weather wasn’t kind to the drivers. This now seems to be a new trend in NASCAR, with the Busch Light Clash and Daytona 500  being rescheduled owing to extreme adverse conditions. While this past week’s Pennzoil 400 went as scheduled, it did see some hindrances from the weather front. And it was the legendary Richard Petty who brought this to the fans’ notice.

Petty recently discussed the Las Vegas race on his podcast with Dale Inman. He emphasized that, while it was not apparent, the real challenge on the track was the weather conditions. Amid all this, those who strategized well with the wind, like Erik Jones, saw remarkable results.

Richard Petty blames Las Vegas’ wind for Horsepower failure

The influence of air on racing becomes particularly apparent at a track as fast as Las Vegas Motor Speedway. At speeds over 186 mph, even a little wind may cause drivers to lose their balance and focus, greatly elevating the probability of accidents. 

Unfortunately, the high gust on the track was uncontrollable, which even led to unexpected events. For example, a large trash bag carrying a beer can got stuck to William Byron’s car. With the bag lodged at the front of the car, the HMS driver had to pit to get it removed as his engine had started to overheat.

In his post-race analysis, ‘The King’ aka Richard Petty, made a lighthearted jest about the track’s fastest feature—the indomitable Las Vegas wind by stating, “The fastest thing out there was the wind.”

His podcast co-host Dale Inman agreed, saying that the breeze reduced backstretch speeds by around six mph. Building on this, Petty added a conclusion, saying, “See, it was strictly a handling racetrack. Had nothing to do with horsepower or anything.”

After discussing it, they agreed that advanced airflow management through handling was more crucial than horsepower for peak performance on a circuit like Las Vegas. But it seemed that Erik Jones was one of the drivers who carefully used superior air control to withstand the severe whirlwind.

Erik Jones’ Las Vegas theatrical finish wowed the audience

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If you wish to see a race where the drivers’ luck change with each lap, you should go to Las Vegas. Erik Jones was the unexpected hero at the Pennzoil 400, as he started in 22nd place but finished 14th. 

Jones had a rough start, finishing 31st in the opening stage due to handling issues. Stage two saw him recover like a fortuitous break, and after making some clever modifications, he finished in the tenth position. He maintained a position in the top fifteen as he navigated the challenging conditions of the last stage. 

It was a fantastic turnaround from his disappointing early rankings, he finished strongly against the heavy weather. “Yesterday was a challenge. We fired off further back than anticipated and had to make some big changes to secure a top-15 finish. We will keep working to move on up,” he said on Instagram, reflecting on the difficulty of the race.

Richard Petty and Dale Inman lauded Jones for his adept handling. Dale Inman said, “I don’t believe they could have come up behind a tractor-trailer and blowed that one off… That was a good pit strategy.”

Emphasizing his mastery of the racetrack and strategic racing approach, The King stated, “They probably took a 28th and 30th place car and finished 14th with it.” Both NASCAR veterans were quite complimentary about his outstanding performance in the last stage. 

What did you think about the Vegas race? And if not Jones, which driver stood out to you for his outing at the desert?

Also Read: “I Was Better” – With Another Dominant Las Vegas Performance Kyle Larson Gives His Thoughts on the Hard Earned Win