NASCAR Las Vegas 2014 schedule: Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks to stay atop standings at Kobalt Tools 400

Las Vegas Motor Speedway will play host to NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races this weekend, in the first weekend of the 2014 season that is expected to be dry throughout. After rain delayed the Daytona 500 several hours and shortened the Blue Jeans Go Green 200 in Phoenix, it is expected to be a rain-free weekend in Las Vegas, although it will be windy.

With clear conditions, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is still going to be the driver to catch, as he held on to his top spot in the standings with another strong finish at Phoenix International Raceway. After winning the Daytona 500 to start the year, Earnhardt finished second behind Kevin Harvick and enters the third race of the season with a six-point lead over Brad Keselowski, who had second- and third-place finishes to start 2014. However, Earnhardt has never won in Las Vegas and has only two top-five finishes.

The strong start to the season could lead to an even larger spotlight for Earnhardt, the 11-time winner of NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Award, but SB Nation’s Jordan Bianchi says he is well equipped to handle it:

With success comes the pressure to sustain. But being the son of a seven-time Cup champion, Earnhardt has faced a raised standard throughout his career. He entered the sport in 2000 as a highly touted rookie and quickly won twice in his 11 starts of that year. What came next was a pattern of inconsistency that became Earnhardt’s trademark. One good season would be followed by a subpar campaign, and rarely was their prolonged productivity.

Still, the driver to watch is likely six-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, who has more wins at Las Vegas than any other driver. Of the 16 Sprint Cup Series races that have been held in Las Vegas, Johnson has raced in 12 and won four. In 2013, he finished sixth while Matt Kenseth earned his third victory at the track.

Sprint Cup qualifying will take place on Friday for Sunday’s race and will be shown live on Fox Sports 1 at 6:40 p.m. ET. No driver who has started deeper than 26th in the field has managed to earn a victory at Las Vegas. Check out the full weekend schedule below:

Sprint Cup practices -- 2-3:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 1
Sprint Cup qualifying -- 6:40 p.m. on Fox Sports 1

Nationwide qualifying -- 12:40 p.m. on Fox Sports 2
‘Final’ Sprint Cup practice -- 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 2
Boyd Gaming 300 -- Green flag drops 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2

Kobalt Tools 400 -- Green flag drops at 3:16 p.m. on Fox. Pre-race coverage begins at 1:30 p.m.