NASCAR Predictions Las Vegas: 5 Pennzoil 400 Predictions for Sunday

Matt Johnson

Updated: March 13, 2026

NASCAR Predictions Las Vegas — Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The NASCAR Cup Series is at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for the fifth points race of the season. Coming off an exciting race at Phoenix, expectations are relatively high for what the Pennzoil 400 could deliver on Sunday afternoon.

Let’s dive into our NASCAR predictions for the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday.

William Byron is the Pole Winner at Las Vegas

Hendrick Motorsports comes to Las Vegas hoping to turn things around. In 2026, the team doesn’t have a single stage win or a pole to its name. Things need to change this weekend, and we believe that’ll start on Saturday thanks to William Byron and the No. 24 team. Byron has the second-best average starting position at Las Vegas (5.2) since the 2023 season, with some of his best starts coming in the spring race. Hendrick drivers will be at the front of the grid for the Pennzoil 400, with Byron and Kyle Larson qualifying first and second, respectively.

Ross Chastain is the Stage 1 Winner at Las Vegas

Unfortunately for Ross Chastain and the No. 1 team, they are now in a bit more of a dire situation points wise. A wreck last weekend at Phoenix and a tire coming off at COTA resulted in just 23 combined points in the last two races, putting them 23rd in the standings. Fortunately, Chastain does have a great history at this track as evidenced by a 9.3 average finishing position since 2023 that is second among active drivers. He’s also fared particularly well in the spring, with a Stage 1 win back in 2022 and at least a top-3 stage result in 2025 and twice in 2023. Chastain will get 10 early points on Sunday with a Stage 1 victory.

Christopher Bell Gets Stage 2 Win

Christopher Bell is coming off a season-best performance, which is saying something given he finished third at COTA. The No. 20 was the fastest car on the track last Sunday and while the circumstances are different at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, this is a track where Bell has an average finishing position of 9.5 (third in Cup Series) with four top-5 finishes and a remarkable average starting position of 6.3 since 2023. He won Stage 2 back in October 2024 and placed in the top-five of both stages during the spring race in 2023. We’re predicting a Stage 2 win for the No. 20 team on Sunday.

Daniel Suarez Snags a Top-10 Finish

In a make-or-break year for Daniel Suarez, he’s making the most of his opportunities behind the wheel of the No. 7 car for Spire Motorsports. He finished 13th at Daytona and then fifth at Atlanta, and he followed that up two weeks later by qualifying fourth at Phoenix. While he finished 30th this past Sunday, that result came after he was running near the front of the field when his car was taken out in a wreck. Suarez now heads to Las Vegas, a track where he has recorded three top-10 finishes in his last six starts, and he finished second there in the spring race last season. We’re calling a top-10 finish for Suarez in the Pennzoil 400.

Kyle Larson Wins the Pennzoil 400

It’s time for Hendrick Motorsports to reach victory lane for the first time this season. It would only be fitting for Kyle Larson to do it at the track where he’s won three times, including consecutive races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 2023 and March 2024). It’s also worth noting that Larson, with 568 laps led, has led more than twice as many laps as the next-closest driver, William Byron (258), since the spring race in 2023. Larson is winning the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday in Las Vegas, delivering Hendrick its first win of 2026.

By Matt Johnson

Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college ... More about Matt Johnson

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