Stewart-Haas Racing has had a couple of tough years in the NASCAR Cup Series. After years of having four playoff-contending teams, it only had one car qualify for the Cup playoffs in 2023.
The team hasn't had much success to start the 2024 campaign either, with several torn-up racecars, and a major penalty in the young season.
Noah Gragson was a welcome addition to the No. 10 team. After struggling in his rookie season in 2023, Gragson seems to have found some confidence despite his car having an illegal part on it in Atlanta and the resulting penalty.
Fast forward to Las Vegas and Gragson didn't let that damper his spirit as he recorded his best career finish.
Gragson showed speed and had plenty of moves as he finished a career-best 6th in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track.
The 6th-place finish also marked his second top 10 through the first three races of the season.
Gragson certainly showed he is the best SHR has to offer right now. His three teammates all finished 20th or worse on Sunday.
What a drive from the No. 10 to come home P6! pic.twitter.com/9CK8ZBL2DR
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) March 4, 2024
Racer.com's Kelly Crandall talked with Gragson following the race, and the Las Vegas native was excited about how well the race went for his No. 10 car and team.
"We practiced really well; we were second in practice yesterday, and I thought we prepared really well, and then I under-drove it really bad," Gragson said of his qualifying effort," I qualified 30th, but we kept inching up all day and progressing. The pit crew did an awesome job... just an outstanding job. It's a great day, sixth."
Gragson made moves late in the race, which shocked a lot of people. He admitted he wasn't too good on restarts, but he got it going during the final run and it all paid off.
"I was terrible on all the restarts and kept losing spots all day, and then I pretty much ran out of options of where not to go on restarts," Gragson said. "Then I tried the last thing I hadn't tried, and that was shoot through the middle and picked up spots. So, I know to put that down in my notebook."
He's certainly giving it his all on the racetrack and Gragson looks to be back to the competitive level he ran during his Xfinity Series career with JR Motorsports.
