Hollywood Casino 400
(Sunday, 3 p.m. ET | USA Network | NBC Sports App | MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | NASCAR 101
Location: Kansas City, Kan.
Track length: 1.5 miles
Race purse: $9,222,964
Race distance: 267 laps | 400.5 miles
Stages: 80 | 165 | 267
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Starting lineup: Christopher Bell rolls to pole position
Pit stall assignments: See where drivers will pit
Defending winner: Tyler Reddick, September 2023
Key things to watch
Saturday sessions
Trackhouse Racing teammates ruled the single-lap speed chart in Cup Series practice, with Ross Chastain (177.439 mph) and Daniel Suárez (177.177) topping the leaderboard. Chevrolet drivers accounted for seven of the eight fastest drivers. In the consecutive 10-lap averages category, Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman went 1-2.
RELATED: Watch NASCAR video highlights
Come qualifying time, Christopher Bell led a 1-2 sweep by Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota drivers, putting his No. 20 Toyota on the Busch Light Pole and slipping by Ty Gibbs with a best lap of 179.336 mph. Playoff drivers took 10 of the top 12 starting spots, but Chase Elliott will start at the rear of the 38-car field after an engine issue developed on the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy in practice. | Full Saturday recap
Big story line
Tight margins at Kansas will dictate tone of Round of 12
NASCAR’s most recent visit to Kansas Speedway produced Cup Series history with the closest finish ever. That theme may persist Sunday afternoon.
The 1.5-mile tri-oval just over the Kansas-Missouri border has delivered nail-biting drama over the years with dare-devilish moves sure to take your breath, whether it was Kyle Larson’s dash to the high side in April to set up the 0.001-second triumph or Tyler Reddick’s three-wide send in overtime last fall to propel him into the next round of the playoffs. It’s those tight confines where opportunity lives — inches away from the wall on the high line or rubbing fenders with your competition for each ever-important point.
Expect more of the same this weekend. Only 39 points separate top-seeded Kyle Larson from the provisional elimination line, with past champions Chase Elliott and Joey Logano hovering just above it. And with Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course lingering ahead, those beneath the advancement line — Austin Cindric, Daniel Suárez, Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe — know stacking points at Kansas will be pivotal if they wish to advance.
To score maximum points means running at the front of the field all day, from the green flag to each stage finish and through to the checkered flag. To get there requires either an excellent qualifying run Saturday or brave moves through the pack to work forward. Daring moves will pay off — unless disaster strikes.
So who will be willing to put it all on the line when it matters most? Larson? Reddick? Or perhaps another contender lurking in the shadows waiting to strike Kansas gold?
History tells us…
Toyotas should be fast this weekend. Until Kyle Larson’s Chevrolet and Chris Buescher’s Ford hit the stripe in a near-dead-heat back in April, Toyota had won four straight races at Kansas, with three of those wins courtesy of 23XI Racing.
With one 23XI Toyota (Reddick) in the postseason chase and two from JGR (Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell), Kansas provides ample opportunity for the manufacturer’s best weapons to strike first and land a spot inside the Round of 8. But couple that with the statistic that each of the past five Kansas races has featured a different winner and predicting success Sunday may not be as simple as it seems.
He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…
Alex Bowman. A strong showing through the Round of 16 has the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet moving in the right direction entering what has historically been a good track for Bowman. Opening at 35-1 odds on DraftKings, Bowman has three top fives and nine top 10s in 17 starts at the 1.5-miler with a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes there in his back pocket.
In the fall of 2022, Bowman led 107 of 267 laps en route to a fourth-place finish, his most recent top five there. Surely it doesn’t hurt that his Hendrick teammate Larson is the most recent winner either. Maybe the No. 48 Chevy works its way back to the front of the field Sunday in Kansas. | Kansas odds
Speed reads
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.
• Flipping the script: Tyler Reddick aims to shift momentum in Round of 12 | Read article
• Roster revision: Ty Dillon back to Cup Series, replacing Hemric at Kaulig Racing | Read article
• All in on SVG?: What the numbers say heading into the rookie’s first postseason | Read article
• Xfinity Playoffs notebook: Custer seeks back-to-back titles; Creed wants to win; Kligerman on one last run | Read article
• Is 2024 Allgaier’s year?: Dale Jr. would be ‘surprised’ if Allgaier ends career without title | Read article
• Byron looking for a turnaround: No. 24 driver: “We’re not where we need to be” | Read article
• First look for 2025: See William Byron’s sharp Axalta, Raptor schemes for next season | Photo gallery
• Closest finishes in Cup Series history: Relive the tightest margins of victory | Photo gallery
• Bubble Watch: Past champions enter Round of 12 just above elimination line | Photo gallery
• Power Rankings: Can Briscoe mirror another improbable run? | Photo gallery
• Turning Point: At this point, is there anything Kyle Larson can’t do? | Read article
• Racing Insights: Full finishing order projections for Sunday’s Round of 12 opener | Read article
• 36 for 36: Check out this week’s survivor pool picks | Read article
• Fantasy Update: Hendrick, Toyotas quick as expected | Read article
• Memorable moments: Relive the best moments from the heartland | Photo gallery
• NASCAR Classics: Rewind with full-race Kansas replays from the vault | Read article
• Paint Scheme Preview: Fresh looks at paint traded for Kansas | Pick your favorite
Fast facts
Race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.
• The final lead change at Kansas came in the last two laps in the last three races, including two last-lap passes.
• The Kansas winner has scored Stage 1 points in 14 of 15 races with stages.
• There have been seven or more cautions in 10 of the last 11 Kansas races.