Cool conditions forecast for NASCAR tripleheader in Las Vegas

Let’s race three.

But bring a jacket, NASCAR fans.

Baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Banks would have liked Pennzoil 400 Weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Instead of “Let’s play two,” which is what the Chicago Cubs legend would say whenever the weather was conducive to playing doubleheaders, LVMS will host a NASCAR tripleheader starting Friday.

It is expected to be cooler than usual out at the track.

It will be the Truck Series on Friday night, the Xfinity Series on Saturday afternoon, the Cup Series on Sunday afternoon. The weather is expected to be brisk, breezy and dry. The forecast for dry conditions should please NASCAR fans who waited out a 2½-hour rain delay before Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The Las Vegas racing forecast is for a 10 percent chance of rain Friday for Cup Series qualifying and the Truck Series race. The possibility of rain shrinks to 5 percent on Saturday and Sunday. Highs only in the upper 50s are predicted all three days, with wind gusts of 25 mph Friday.

This will be the first of two NASCAR tripleheaders at LVMS, as the 1.5-mile trioval also will host the first race of the 2018 playoffs. The inaugural South Point 400 is set Sept. 16, capping another Truck, Xfinity, Cup Series tripleheader.

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.