NASCAR will be in Las Vegas this weekend for the Pennzoil 400. However, the one thing that won’t happen in Vegas is the NASCAR Hauler Parade, as it has been canceled due to the Daytona 500 postponement earlier this week. It was determined that due to the rain in Daytona on Sunday which led to the race being postponed until Monday, race team-haulers will not arrive in Las Vegas in time for the parade.
“We did everything possible to facilitate having the parade,” Las Vegas Motor Speedway president Chris Powell told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Unfortunately, getting 50 or so 18-wheelers from Daytona Beach to North Carolina to Las Vegas in time for the hauler parade simply became a logistical impossibility.”
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After the race in Daytona, most transporters stayed in the area and then traveled to North Carolina to trade out cars before making the trip to Vegas. As for the other NASCAR events, they will still go on as planned, including Sunday’s Pennzoil 400.
One of the big storylines coming out of the upcoming race is Ryan Newman. He will not be racing on Sunday as he’s still recovering from injuries suffered in a fiery crash during the Daytona 500 race. Because of that, Ross Chastain will take his place in the No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford.
“First and foremost, our focus remains with Ryan and his family as he continues to recover,” Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark said in a statement. “We also want to express our sincere gratitude to all of those who have offered support and taken the time to send their thoughts and prayers to Ryan, his family and everyone at Roush Fenway Racing.”
“The NASCAR community has long prided itself on being a close-knit family,” Newmark continued. “That is never more evident than during these types of moments, and we want to express our appreciation to everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing as well as Kaulig Racing for allowing Ross to fill in for Ryan in the No. 6 on such short notice.”
When Chastain, who is known as Watermelon Man, heard the news, he went to Twitter to make a statement.
“No one could ever take the place of Ryan Newman on the track, and I can’t wait to have him back. As we continue to pray for a full and speedy recovery, I’ll do my best to make him and everyone at Roush Fenway Racing proud,” Chastain said.
The Pennzoil 400 will air on FOX Sunday, Feb. 23 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
