Las Vegas Motor Speedway could awaken sleeping giants this weekend, giants called the “Big 3.”
Vegas, a 1.5-mile circuit, is the type of track Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch have held sway over for the last two years.
They’ve combined to win the last 13 races at 1.5-mile tracks, including this year’s seven races.
Harvick and Busch have combined to lead 1,171 laps on 1.5-mile tracks in 2018 (55 percent of laps).
But after the last month, all three drivers could use Vegas to get back in a championship groove as the playoffs begin on Sunday (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN).
Despite combining to win 17 of the season’s 26 races so far, the three have hit a rut of sorts.
Harvick’s (seven wins) last victory came on Aug. 12 at Michigan. Since then he’s placed 10th, fourth and fourth.
Busch, who won the regular-season title on the back of six victories, last won at Pocono on July 29. In the five races since he’s placed third, third, 20th, seventh and eighth.
Truex, who has four wins, enters Las Vegas following a last-place finish in Indianapolis (brake rotor). In the seven races since his last win (Kentucky), he has two top fives. But he has failed to place better than 11th in the four races since he finished runner-up at Watkins Glen.
Together, all three drivers have been unable to win a stage in the last three races.
The Cup Series will visit four 1.5-mile tracks in the playoffs: Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas and Miami.
Here’s what each of the “Big 3” has going for them ahead of Sunday’s race.
Kevin Harvick
- Won the spring race at Las Vegas, leading 214 laps and sweeping every stage.
- Finished in the top 10 in four of last six Las Vegas races, including two wins.
- Finished in the top 10 in 19 of the last 21 races on 1.5-mile tracks.
- Second all-time with 13 wins on the West Coast (Jimmie Johnson, 15)
- Fourth all-time in wins on 1.5-mile track with 14, tied with Dale Earnhardt.
Kyle Busch
- The only driver to finish in the top 10 in all seven races at 1.5-mile tracks this season.
- Has an average finish of 3.7 on 1.5-mile tracks in 2018, the best of all drivers.
- Tied with Harvick with 10 top-2 finishes this season.
- Streak of eight consecutive top 10s on 1.5-mile tracks, dating back to 2017, is a career-best and is longest active streak among drivers.
Martin Truex Jr.
- The most recent winner at a 1.5-mile track (Kentucky). Led 174 laps and swept every stage.
- Won the last two playoff openers, which were held at Chicagoland Speedway, a 1.5-mile track.
- In four West Coast races in 2018, has best avg finish of 2.8.
- Series-leading six wins on 1.5-mile tracks since 2017 Coke 600
