HFT Weekend Preview: Las Vegas
By Haas Factory Team
Saturday O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Action:
Date: Saturday, October 3rd at 7:30 p.m. ET
Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Race Distance: 201 laps / 301.5 miles
Broadcast: CW | PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Sunday Cup Series Action:
Date: Sunday, October 4th at 5:30 p.m. ET
Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Race Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Broadcast: USA | PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
On-Track Activity:
Saturday:
2 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Practice
CW App | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
3:05 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Qualifying
CW App | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
4:30 p.m. ET – Cup Practice
TruTV | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
5:35 p.m. ET – Cup Qualifying
TruTV | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
7:30 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Race
CW | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Sunday:
5:30 p.m. ET – Cup Race
USA | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Race Weekend Quick Hits:
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts its annual fall race date this weekend for the fourth race of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase.
- Sheldon Creed earned his third career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win two weeks ago at Bristol, using a strong overtime restart to claim his second victory in the last three races. The win extended his Chase points lead to 11 points over Justin Allgaier with just six races remaining.
- Through 27 races, Creed has put together a breakout campaign, leading the series in average finish (9.5) and top-10 finishes (19), while ranking second in wins (3) and top-five finishes (10).
- Creed has posted a 4.5 average finish over his last six starts, including top-two finishes in all three races to open the Chase.
- Sam Mayer moved up one spot to fifth in the NOAPS Chase standings with a seventh-place finish at Bristol, marking his third consecutive top-10 to begin the Chase.
- Mayer enters the weekend 78 points behind teammate Sheldon Creed in the standings and returns to Las Vegas, where he earned the pole earlier this season and led a career-high 32 laps.
Cup Driver Lineup:
No. 41 Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, CA
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: Sysco / SAHARA Las Vegas
Custer’s Las Vegas Cup Series History:
Starts: 10
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
- Custer will make his 11th Cup Series start at Las Vegas this weekend, where his best finish is 16th, recorded in the 2020 fall race after starting 22nd.
- Custer has started inside the top 20 twice at Las Vegas and owns a 24.7 average starting position.
- In 10 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Las Vegas, Custer has earned four poles and seven top-10 finishes while leading 147 laps. He finished third in his only CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Driver Lineup:
No. 00 Driver: Sheldon Creed
Hometown: Alpine, CA
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Road Ranger
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings: 1st., +11 points
Creed’s Las Vegas O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Starts: 9
Wins: —
Top-10s: 5
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
- Creed is set to make his 10th O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Las Vegas on Saturday, where he finished third earlier this season and has earned five career top-10s, including three in his last four starts.
- Creed has started inside the top 10 in five of his nine previous races at LVMS and owns a 14.1 average starting position.
- Across six Truck Series starts at Las Vegas, Creed has recorded four top-10 finishes and led 104 laps.
No. 41 Driver: Sam Mayer
Hometown: Franklin, WI
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Starkey Omega A.I.+
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings: 5th, -78 points
Mayer’s Las Vegas O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Starts: 10
Wins: —
Top-10s: 5
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
- Mayer makes his 11th O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Las Vegas this weekend, where he earned the pole earlier this season and led a career-high 32 laps at the 1.5-mile track.
- Mayer owns a 9.2 average starting position at LVMS and has never started outside the top 16 in his 10 career races at the track.
HFT Kansas Recap:
Cole Custer battled a tight-handling No. 41 Haas/Andy’s Chevrolet throughout last Sunday’s race, working through multiple adjustments before ultimately finishing 30th at Kansas.