The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series runs the first of three consecutive races on its West Coast swing with today’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Here are the particulars:
START: Rascal Flatts will give the command for drivers to start engines at 3:37 p.m. ET. The green flag is scheduled for 3:46 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is scheduled for 267 laps (400.5 miles) around the 1.5-mile oval.
COMPETITION CAUTION: Lap 25 so teams can check tire wear.
SCHEDULE: The Sprint Cup garage opens at 10:30 a.m. ET, and the drivers meeting is at 1:30 p.m. ET. Driver introductions begin at 3:05 p.m. ET.
NATIONAL ANTHEM: It will be performed by Rascal Flatts at 3:31 p.m.
TV/RADIO: Fox will broadcast the race, starting with its pre-race show at 3 p.m. ET. Performance Racing Network will broadcast the race on radio and GoPRN.com. beginning with its pre-race show at 2:30 p.m. ET.
FORECAST: The wunderground.com site predicts sunny skies and 70 degrees at race time with a 0 percent chance of rain.
LAST TIME: Brad Keselowski won this race a year ago when Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran out of fuel while leading on the last lap. Earnhardt finished second.
DRIVER CHANGES: Brian Vickers returns to the No. 55 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing. He missed the first two races after having heart surgery in December. … Brett Moffitt runs the first of three races in the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. Moffitt earned the ride after his eighth-place finish in Vickers’ car last week at Atlanta.
STARTING LINEUP:
Row 1: Jeff Gordon*, Joey Logano
Row 2: Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Row 3: Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth
Row 4: Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr.
Row 5: Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray
Row 6: Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart
Row 7: David Ragan*, Carl Edwards
Row 8: Aric Almirola, Greg Biffle
Row 9: Casey Mears, Kevin Harvick
Row 10: Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer
Row 11: Danica Patrick, AJ Allmendinger
Row 12: Brian Scott, Paul Menard
Row 13: Austin Dillon, Justin Allgaier
Row 14: Alex Bowman, Brian Vickers
Row 15: Sam Hornish Jr., Ryan Blaney
Row 16: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell
Row 17: Michael Annett, Regan Smith
Row 18: Trevor Bayne, Brett Moffitt
Row 19: David Gilliland, Cole Whitt
Row 20: Josh Wise, JJ Yeley
Row 21: Jeb Burton, Landon Cassill
Row 22: Brendan Gaughan
* Will go to a backup car and start at the rear of the field.