LAS VEGAS, NV – Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated NASCAR races we’ve had in a long time. See, this was the true debut of the 2019 rules package. This weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on the 1.5-mile Nevada race track had the full effect of the new aerodynamic rules for season.

Tapered Spacers decreased the horsepower from 750 to 550. The aeroducts created more drag. The high spoiler added a ton of downforce. Counter that with a recent repave on the racing surface and you should get what many considered a “pack” race.

But, what we saw was a lot of parade racing.

Unfortunately, if you watch just what the TV broadcast shows you, you’d see some follow the leader racing. That’s the problem with some racing broadcasts. It’s hard to really capture the full capability of the race itself.

Why would TV show you battles for midpack? It’s not compelling. But, the stats tell a completely different story though.

If no one told you any different, you wouldn’t have noticed much of a difference between this year’s race and the past. We saw 26 lead changes on Sunday. We also saw just five cautions and 17 on the lead lap.

For comparisons sake, we had 24 lead changes, five cautions and 13 cars on the lead lap last year.

In 2016, we had 28 lead changes, three cautions and 12 on the lead lap.

In 2015, we had 28 lead changes, 10 cautions and 13 on the lead lap.

The racing was somewhat closer and even exciting at times, but overall, this looked a lot like the past few years. That’s because of the aged surface and not the full rules package in place.

The 19lead changes on Sunday were more than last year’s 11. In 2017, we only saw 14. Last year, Kevin Harvick led 214 laps. The year before Martin Truex Jr. dominated in leading 150.

This year, Harvick led the most laps but he only led 89.

Overall, there were 3,345 green flag passes. By comparison, there were only 2,379 last year and 1,982 in 2017.

The 47 green flag passes for the lead were more than the last three years combined.

Last weekend, we saw a similar race in Atlanta than year’s past. That was due to a slightly different rules package to what we’ve seen today mixed with an abrasive racing surface.

But, last weekend’s margin of victory was only 0.218-seconds. That was the fifth closest ever for Atlanta. Sunday’s 0.236-seconds margin of victory between the two Team Penske teammates was the second closest finish ever at Vegas.

Plus, the drivers all say that it’s hard to get close racing when you only have two total cautions all day, none of which for on track accidents. The drivers say that it’s hard to really mess up when you’re flat out with high downforce. The cars are easy to drive but clean air is still key. When you pit, you spread out from others. How can you catch back up without a draft?

But, after 400 miles of racing, 382 of which run under green flag, to have a finish of .236-seconds a part, that’s saying something.

Cream Still Rises To The Top

Last weekend in Atlanta, the best drivers on that track still shined. The top four in Sunday’s final results are arguably the top four drivers recently in Atlanta.

Keselowski, despite being under the weather, earned his third straight top two result.

Truex, has five straight top eight finishes and seven in his last eight tries.

Kurt Busch has four straight top eight finishes and eight in his last 10 Atlanta starts.

Harvick, has five straight top 10’s and eight in his last nine tries. No, he didn’t dominate like in the past but he still finished in the top five.

Sunday in Vegas, the familiar faces were up front again.

Logano, earned his seventh straight top 10 finishes on the 1.5-mile track including four top four finishes in his five starts overall.

Keselowski, earned his eighth straight top seventh finish at Vegas and fifth top three in the same time frame.

Kyle Busch scored his seventh top five finish ever at Vegas (most of all-time) and his second top three finish in as many starts in the spring race. Since 2013, he had four top four finishes.

Harvick, finished fourth for his fourth top seven finish in his last six Vegas starts.

Yes, we have a new package, but the fast cars still find their ways to the front.