A playoff run is expected, and a former champion has clinched a spot in the second round – Kyle Larson, who won the opening of Darlington Raceway last week.
Now the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs move to the Midwest and a second chance at Kansas Speedway, but this time there will be more than just a winner’s trophy on the line. The remaining 15 drivers in the playoffs look to joining Larson in the round of 16 before the first heat race next Sunday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Ten of the top 12 finishers in May’s race at Kansas earned a playoff berth at the end of the regular season, and there’s a good chance the playoff drivers will hold the top spots again Sunday afternoon on the 1.5 mile oval.
Who will reach victory lane on Sunday? Here’s all the information you need to prepare for Hollywood Casino 400:
What time does the Cup race start in Kansas?
The Hollywood Casino 400 begins at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local) at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.
What TV channel is the Cup race in Kansas on?
USA Network is broadcasting the Hollywood Casino 400 and has a pre-race show starting at 2:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. local), while USA and Peacock will have a post-race show at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. : 30 p.m. local time).
Will there be a live stream of the Cup race in Kansas?
The Hollywood Casino 400 can be streamed live on the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app.
NASCAR Playoffs UPDATE: Where are the drivers after the opening of the playoffs
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What is the playoff seeding for Kansas?
(*-former champion; X-secured a place in the second round):
- X-Kyle Larson*Hendrick Motorsports — 2,074 points
- William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports – 2,075 points
- Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing – 2,060 points
- Chris Buescher, RFK Racing – 2,057 points
- Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing — 2,057 points
- Martin Truex Jr.*Joe Gibbs Racing — 2,055 points
- Kyle Busch*Richard Childress Racing — 2,050 points
- Brad Keselowski*RFK Racing — 2,048 points
- Ryan Blaney, Team Penske — 2,046 points
- Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing – 2,043 points
- Joey Logano*Team Penske — 2,033 points
- Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing – 2,031 points
- Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing – 2,030 points
- Kevin Harvick*Stewart-Haas Racing — 2,029 points
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr., JTG Daugherty Racing — 2,027 points
- Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports – 2,012 points
How many laps is the Cup race at Kansas?
The Hollywood Casino 400 makes 267 laps around the 1.5-mile oval for a total of 400.5 miles. The race will consist of three segments (laps per stage): stage 1: 80 laps; Step 2: 85 rounds; Step 3: 102 rounds.
Who won the most recent races in Kansas?
Denny Hamlin led 33 laps early in the race before passing Kyle Larson, who led a record 85 laps, on the final lap while making contact on the home stretch and pulling away to win by 1.307 seconds.
And a year earlier, in the 2022 playoff race, Bubba Wallace, who was not a playoff driver last year, led 58 laps, including the final 43, before holding off Hamlin from a second on September 11, 2022.
What is the program at Hollywood Casino 400?
(Car number in parentheses; P-playoff driver)
1. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota
2. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet
3. (19) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota
4. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
5. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota
6. (1) Ross Chastain (P), Chevrolet
7. (34) Michael McDowell (P), Ford
8. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
9. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet
10. (23) Bubba Wallace (P), Toyota
11. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford
12. (6) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford
13. (17) Chris Buescher (P), Ford
14. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota
15. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
16. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (P), Chevrolet
17. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford
18. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
19. (43) Erik Jones, Chevrolet
20. (4) Kevin Harvick (P), Ford
21. (42) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
22. (16) A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet
23. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
24. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet
25. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford
26. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford
27. (51) Cole Custer, Ford
28. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford
29. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford
30. (31) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
31. (15) J. J. Yeley, Ford
32. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford
33. (77) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
34. (78) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet
35. (8) Kyle Busch (P), Chevrolet
36. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
