It was as if WSOP was on hand for the Kobalt Tools 400 as the cards were dealt and the drivers made their bets at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The seating positions were set from qualifying with Kasey Kahne on the pole and handling the dealer button but as the cards were dealt it was Dale Earnhardt, Jr. opening with a pair of tens.
It was a decent pair to start, apparently. The first caution hit while the #88 was going in under green. This little bit of luck allowed Jr. to keep the lead on the restart. However, the flop hit and changed the dynamic of the hand completely.
Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth hit a pair, a double pair and a straight draw. Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson also matched their hold cards with pairs and a flush draw. Johnson had started in a backup car at the rear of the field but the cards, and the laps, brought him to the front running spots.
Earnhardt’s pair still looked good but he drew dead on the flop putting his position in the pack and off the lead pace.
The turn card hit with about 35 or so laps remaining. Harvick hit nothing. Biffle drew into a second pair. Stewart, Kenseth, Biffle and Johnson held on with cards still high enough to run on any wager. However, Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards were betting heavy but their hands were bluffs for the most part. With the race in the last laps it would be time and tires holding out for these bluffs to hold.
Keselowski and Busch… Not so much. Keselowski had some issue after the lap 250 restart and Kyle Busch spun and brought out a caution and restart with 5 laps to go.
The river. Tony Stewart hit a full house. Jimmie Johnson filled out a flush. The two roll the first and second position as Stewart takes the checkered for an early season win as defending champion.
There weren’t any big crashes shaking the field and taking out contenders even at speeds approaching 200mph. The race at Las Vegas was more like the strategy and patience of a World Series of Poker final table. Mind your position, cards and chip stack and play the table as well as the opponents. Keep your face straight and let the cards dictate how you drive.
Jimmie Johnson played an excellent game with an opening draw that most would have folded. The cards fell well for Johnson but that full house on the river for Stewart was unstoppable.
Time will tell if the slogan is true. Will “what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas”? Or will there be more wins in the season for Smoke and the #14 Team. Stewart has now taken wins each season for 14 straight. We wouldn’t bet against it.