On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
NASCAR Pennzoil 400 takeaways: Eventful Las Vegas race produces first-time Cup Series winner
In only his fifth start with the famed Wood Brothers Racing team and the 53rd of his career, Josh Berry picked up his first career Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday.
The first career #NASCAR Cup Series win for Josh Berry, pic.twitter.com/ocQ2isLOIk
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 16, 2025
Here are five takeaways from the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas:
Berry's win a feel-good story for driver and team
After a disappointing rookie season that only produced two top fives, four top 10s and 10 DNFs, Berry made the transition to Wood Brothers Racing. With a pass for the lead over Daniel Suarez with 14 laps to go, Berry pulled away for career win No. 1.
Sunday was Berry's second straight top five, but the speed has been evident so far. Berry led a career-high 56 laps at Atlanta and appears to be putting things together in the early going with his new team. With powerhouse organizations Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing already finding victory lane, Sunday was a feel-good story for Berry and the famed Wood Brothers, who achieved their 101st win as an organization.
No four of a kind in Sin City for Christopher Bell
With a 12th-place finish, Bell was unable to join NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott as the only drivers in Cup Series history to win four of the first five races in a season on Sunday.
While he qualified 13th, the JGR driver began the day at the tail of the field after his team changed the throttle body. Even though he only scored one stage point in the race and was seldom toward the front throughout the race, Bell looks poised to be a championship contender all season and Sunday was likely more of an outlier as the season progresses.
Dominant efforts derailed by late caution
Following a caution with 73 laps remaining, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron had the two dominant cars in the race. After electing to pit to eliminate any fuel concerns, Byron rallied to fourth while Larson could only recover to ninth.
The speed between the two was clear and it looked as if one of them was going to be standing in victory lane by race's end. That was not the case, leaving both empty-handed, and in Larson's case, still in search of that first win of 2025.
Loose wheels cause problems for multiple drivers
It did not take long for loose wheels to become an issue on Sunday. Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe lost a wheel on Lap 34 following his green flag pit stop. Las Vegas native Kyle Busch experienced the same issues when he spun at the exit of Turn 2 as his loose right rear wheel went rolling down the backstretch.
While Briscoe at least rallied for a top 20 finish in 17th, Busch (33rd) was not as fortunate. To make matters worse, both drivers will lose two crew members for the next two races as a result of the wheels coming off, compounding a frustrating day in Sin City.
Las Vegas produces good finishes for drivers in need
Although Berry was the one in victory lane, three notable drivers finally put together solid finishes after a difficult start to the season. With a runner-up finish and 12 laps led, Trackhouse Racing's Daniel Suarez picked up his first top 10 of the season after having a best finish of 13th (Daytona 500) coming into the weekend.
Just behind him, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing's Ryan Preece (third) and Kaulig Racing's AJ Allmendinger (eighth) recorded their first top-10s of the season as well. While victory eluded each of them, Sunday was a much-needed step in the right direction and something to build off of.
More must-reads:
- Josh Berry wins first career NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas
- Christopher Bell's bid for four straight wins comes up short at Las Vegas
- The 'NASCAR All-Star race winners' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Humpy Wheeler was one of NASCAR's great visionaries, innovators
Everyone thought H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler was wild when he decided to put lights around the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1992. Wheeler, looking for a way to spice up The Winston — known today as the NASCAR All-Star Race — decided that running the race under the lights on a Saturday night would be sufficient. The problem? To that point, no racetrack as big as Charlotte had lights. Lighting a massive 1.5-mile facility adequately enough to ensure there were no safety issues for drivers was a massive undertaking, and one that, if it failed, would put Wheeler's face at the forefront of the failure. But Wheeler's idea worked, and the 1992 running of The Winston became one of the most iconic races in NASCAR history. Davey Allison and Kyle Petty barreled toward the checkered flag, with Allison taking the win before suffering a hard crash on the frontstretch. The 1992 All-Star Race was just one example of how brilliant a promoter that Wheeler, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86, was. "Humpy Wheeler was a visionary whose name became synonymous with promotion and innovation in our sport," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France in a statement. "During his decades leading Charlotte Motor Speedway, Humpy transformed the fan experience through his creativity, bold ideas and tireless passion. His efforts helped expand NASCAR’s national footprint, cement Charlotte as a must-visit racing and entertainment complex and recently earned him the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s prestigious Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. "On behalf of NASCAR and the France family, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Wheeler family and all who were touched by his remarkable life and legacy." Wheeler was the president of Charlotte Motor Speedway for 33 years. During that span, he came up with ingenious ways of getting fans to come to races. The pre-race festivities during Wheeler's time as track president included school buses jumping over junked cars, a recreation of the United States' invasion of Grenada and the iconic "Robosaurus," a giant robot that destroyed condemned cars by dropping them from its grasp. Wheeler was appropriately dubbed the "P.T. Barnum of NASCAR" for his work in bringing outlandish entertainment to the racetrack. But Wheeler was far from just a businessman — he had a deep understanding and love for the sport of stock-car racing that he grew up with and eventually worked in. One of Wheeler's shining moments came in 1976. To that point in NASCAR history, no female driver had competed in a race at a track as big as Charlotte. Enter Janet Guthrie, Wheeler and the 17th running of the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Wheeler was impressed by Guthrie's talent after watching her on the IndyCar circuit earlier in 1976. Wheeler's move to reach out to Guthrie paid off — she finished 15th in NASCAR's longest race. Wheeler retired as president of the Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008, but his legacy persisted. Earlier this year, Wheeler was named the winner of the 2026 NASCAR Landmark Achievement Award for his contributions to the sport, ensuring his name will forever be enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In a sport full of daredevils, there may not have been as daring a man as Humpy Wheeler — a legacy he carried in life, and one he'll carry for the rest of time.
Steelers have major injury concern leaving preseason
The No. 1 priority for NFL teams in the preseason is to get out of the games without major injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers may have failed with that one on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers. Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, the team's first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, had to be carted to the locker room with a knee injury while also looking visibly upset as he was taken back. The team announced almost immediately that he would be out for the remainder of the game with a knee injury. Head coach Mike Tomlin provided an update after the game: Defensive line was a top priority for the Steelers this offseason, especially after their playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens where they allowed nearly 300 rushing yards to end their season. Along with Harmon, they also selected Iowa's Yahya Black in this year's class to help try to beef up their line. Harmon is expected to play a major role in this year's defense and was already in a starting position. With star defensive lineman Cameron Heyward holding in as he tries to get a new contract from the team, that puts even more importance on Harmon's ability to make an impact. He has had a strong training camp, and after a quiet first preseason game, he really took a big leap forward in the team's second game, recording a sack against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Heyward returns, and if Harmon's injury is not serious, the Steelers would have the potential to have a really strong defensive line with those two joining rising star Keeanu Benton. Right now, though, those are a lot of "ifs," especially as it relates to the availability for Heyward and Harmon for the team's season opener.
Commanders' Jayden Daniels expands on prediction for Terry McLaurin contract standoff
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels raised eyebrows when he said during Monday's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals that he knew unsettled wide receiver Terry McLaurin would "be coming through the door soon." During the latest edition of The Athletic's "Scoop City" podcast, Daniels spoke with NFL insider Dianna Russini about the ongoing contract standoff between McLaurin and the Commanders. "Hundred percent, I feel great (about the situation)," Daniels said about his confidence that he'll have McLaurin as a teammate when Washington opens the season against the New York Giants on Sept. 7. McLaurin remains in the final year of his current deal and requested a trade on July 31 amid his desire for an extension. On Monday, ESPN's Ben Solak revealed that he could not "find anyone who believes wide receiver Terry McLaurin will play for another team in 2025" during a visit to the Commanders during training camp. Furthermore, a Thursday report shared that McLaurin is not among the players who could be made available to would-be buyers before the summer comes to an end. "I just know that it is all gonna work out, that both sides will come to an agreement, and Terry’s gonna be back out here. We’re gonna be throwing some passes to him," Daniels added. Daniels' comments don't erase the fact that, as of Friday morning, there was no indication that McLaurin and the Commanders were close to an agreement. On Wednesday, it was reported that "one person with knowledge of McLaurin’s contract negotiations" said the 29-year-old "has asked for more than" the average annual value attached to the five-year, $150M contract that the Pittsburgh Steelers gave DK Metcalf earlier this year. On Friday, DraftKings Sportsbook continued to list the Commanders tied for sixth (with the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers) among the betting favorites at +2000 odds to win Super Bowl LX in February 2026, hence why Washington is in no rush to trade Daniels' favorite target for a future draft asset. Additionally, it appears Daniels understands McLaurin wouldn't forfeit money by sitting regular-season games out if he doesn't have an extension in hand by Week 1.
Bill Belichick's trademark snark already showing in North Carolina's QB battle
North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick doesn't want anybody to know anything about the way he does things. He's always been tight-lipped, and that's been especially true as it relates to prying questions from the media. Belichick's "we're onto Cincinnati" is an infamous line in the sports world, as is his disdain for allowing anybody to see how "the sausage is made." Perhaps, then, it's no surprise that Belichick's trademark snarkiness revealed itself in a Wednesday news conference for North Carolina. He was asked by a member of the media when he felt he'd be able to name the Tar Heels' starting quarterback for 2025, and the legendary head coach responded with sarcasm. “We’re getting ready to do that this afternoon — to announce the starting lineups and the play times and how we’ll be substituting everything,” Belichick joked, according to Chandler Vessels of On3. “So Brandon will get that to you as soon as we get done. We want to make sure we get that out there right away.” That's classic Belichick snark right there. North Carolina kicks off its 2025 campaign against TCU on Sept. 1, and Belichick doesn't want the Horned Frogs to have any time to prepare for who will be the starting quarterback. The Tar Heels will, of course, have to release a depth chart eventually, but you can bet that Belichick is going to slow-play his quarterback competition as long as possible. Max Johnson, son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, and South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez are the two players in the running for the job. Johnson missed most of last season with a devastating leg injury he suffered in UNC's first game. He's had previous stops at LSU and Texas A M as a starter. Lopez threw for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns with five interceptions last season for South Alabama. He also rushed for 465 yards and seven touchdowns.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
