Playoff implications are on the line this weekend in both the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series at Kansas Speedway.
While Saturday’s Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 300 (MRN, 2:30 p.m. ET) kicks off the second round for NASCAR’s number two division, Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (MRN, 1:30 p.m. ET) will determine who moves on to the Round of 8 in the Cup Series.
The four drivers below the cutline heading into the Cup race are Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman. The quartet needs to find its way above the cut-off point or risk being eliminated from the playoff picture.
Playoff Standings | Hollywood Casino 400 Entry List
While Keselowski and Blaney are 18 and 22 points out – still no easy task to make up ground – things got worse for Larson who is now 36 out thanks to a 10-point penalty incurred in post-race inspection after last week’s Talladega race. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver along with Bowman, who sits 68 behind, need to win in order to advance.
“We approach races the same way we have approached them all season long,” said Bowman, who remains optimistic. “I’m just proud of my team and how much I feel like we have been able to step up over the course of the year and how much stronger we have been able to get.
“I think if we can make the Round of 8 there are some really great racetracks for us, especially going to Martinsville and Phoenix. But we’ve got to get there first.”
Kansas Race Winners | Kansas Pole Winners
Defending series champion Martin Truex Jr. isn’t completely safe as he is just 18 ahead of Keselowski. The Furniture Row Racing driver endured a miserable Talladega afternoon that ended up in a 23rd-place finish. However with two wins and a second place in his last three Kansas starts, Truex Jr. brings confidence with him into Sunday’s race.
“As far as why we’ve been good there over the years, I’m not sure,” Truex said. “It’s a place where I really feel comfortable. Have had chances to win multiple races there over the years with different teams even. It was one of the places I was successful at before Furniture Row so for whatever reason it just points towards my driving style and my comfort level, what I like in my race car and it just seems to work out well there.”
Eight drivers moved on in the Xfinity Series Playoffs after the last series race at Dover. Christopher Bell is the No. 1 seed followed by Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric, Cole Custer, Elliott Sadler, Tyler Reddick, Matt Tifft and Austin Cindric.
Xfinity Playoff Standings | Kansas Lottery 300 Entry List
Bell won a pair of races in the opening round at Richmond and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, where he set a series rookie record with his sixth win of the season.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver brings confidence into Kansas and the start of the season round but dismisses the notion he is the favorite to win the title.
“To be able to win two out of the three in this round is really cool, and we have added to our bonus points going into the next round,” Bell. said “It would be really nice if we could win Kansas and go on the offensive again the entire next round.
“It all boils down to one run at Homestead-Miami to decide who the champion is. So, I don’t think anyone is the clear-cut favorite, and we won’t know that till about Lap 100 in Homestead-Miami.”
