Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team are upbeat going into this weekend’s Kobalt 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Despite brushing the wall early in the season-opening Daytona 500, driver and crew had the iconic Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford Fusion poisedto contend for a Top 10 finish or better when the engine let go late in the race, leading to optimism about the future.

Wild Wild West
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for its first stop on a three-race west coast swing – Sunday’s Kobalt 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX). Following Las Vegas, the series moves on to Phoenix and concludes its Pacific trip at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California before heading back east to Martinsville. Phoenix was formerly the second race on the docket, but is now the fourth. Auto Club still occupies its traditional fifth race slot.

Kevin Harvick heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Kobalt 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race looking for a reason to celebrate in Las Vegas on a Sunday.

Harvick has had many reasons to celebrate in Las Vegas over the years, including his most recent trip in early December 2014 when he was honored as the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion during Champions Week in Las Vegas. The week culminated with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards banquet on Friday night, Dec. 5, at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Things were looking good for Chevy and Toyota heading into the weekend.
Matt Kenseth won the Shootout in his Toyota, and Hendrick teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson won the Twin 150s. The Gibbs cars and the Hendrick cars seemed like the best bet to win the biggest race of the year.

No one even mentioned the Fords.

And then a sweep happened for the Blue Oval.

Here is the official statement from the National Motorsports Appeals Panel (Feb. 21, 2015)

"The National Motorsports Appeals Panel today heard and considered the appeal of driver Kurt Busch.

The penalty concerns Section 12.1.a: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; 12.8: Behavioral penalty.

The penalty stems from activities last year involving Kurt Busch that resulted in a decision by the Family Court of the State of Delaware to issue an Order of Protection of Abuse against him.

The penalty is an indefinite suspension.

The Appellant appealed both penalties.

Upon hearing the testimony, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel decided that the Appellant violated the rules set forth in the penalty notice. The Panel therefore decided to uphold the original penalty assessed by NASCAR.

The panel consisted of the following three individuals:
Mr. Paul Brooks
Ms. Lyn St. James
Mr. Kevin Whitaker
Kurt Busch presented his position to the panel.

Representing NASCAR was Jim Cassidy, Senior Vice President of Racing Operations.
The Appellate Administrator is NASCAR Vice President George Silbermann.

Kurt Busch has the right to appeal the decision to the Final Appeals Officer, Mr. Bryan Moss. Kurt Busch must inform NASCAR of his intent to do so within the guidelines provided to him.

The Final Appeals Officer has indicated that he would hear the final appeal, if requested, this evening at the International Motorsports Center in Daytona Beach, Florida."