The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway this weekend as the Chase presented by Mobil 1 continues with the Hollywood Casino 400. The 1.5-mile Kansas track will host the fourth race of the 10-race postseason, putting even more pressure on drivers trying to position themselves for the championship fight.
The green flag is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, with coverage on USA Network.
‘Krazy Kansas’ Is Back
Kansas has developed a reputation for producing some of the most dramatic finishes on the NASCAR schedule.
The winning pass has come in the final two laps in five of the last seven Kansas races, including four last lap passes. Four of the last six races at the track have also gone to NASCAR Overtime.
That recent history makes Kansas particularly interesting as the Chase continues. Drivers can run near the front for most of the afternoon only to see everything change during the closing laps.
The spring race provided another example when Tyler Reddick passed Kyle Larson between Turns 3 and 4 on the final lap to take the victory.
Larson and Hamlin Lead the Chase
Kyle Larson enters Kansas with a one-point advantage over Denny Hamlin after the first three Chase races. Joey Logano sits third, 16 points behind Larson, while Christopher Bell is fourth, 17 points back.
Larson has three career victories at Kansas and has led more than 1,000 laps at the track. Hamlin has four Kansas wins, the most among active drivers.
With the championship standings so tightly packed at the top, every stage point and late-race position could become important.
Several Drivers Need a Strong Weekend
Kansas could also provide an opportunity for drivers further down the Chase standings to gain ground.
Tyler Reddick enters the weekend seventh, while Carson Hocevar, Chase Briscoe and Bubba Wallace occupy positions eight through 10. Chase Elliott, William Byron, Ryan Preece, Chris Buescher and Daniel Suárez are all outside the top 10 and looking to close the gap.
Reddick has already shown how well his team can perform at Kansas, while Briscoe has finished fourth or better in each of his three Kansas starts since joining Joe Gibbs Racing. Wallace also has a Kansas victory and has four top five finishes in his last eight starts at the track.
A Three Race Intermediate Stretch Begins
Kansas also marks the beginning of three consecutive races at 1.5-mile tracks, followed by Las Vegas and Charlotte.
That stretch could become important for the Chase field because teams will have to make the transition from the short-track racing of Bristol to the intermediate-track setup required at Kansas.
For the drivers chasing the championship, Kansas represents another opportunity to collect points, avoid mistakes and put themselves in position for a strong finish.
With the Chase standings already tightening at the top and Kansas’ history of late race drama, Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 has plenty of storylines heading into the green flag.