What to Watch: Kansas lurks as tough challenge as playoffs roll on
Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway
(⏰ Sunday, 3 p.m. ET | 📺 USA, NBC Sports App | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)
Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas, the 28th points-paying race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.
Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | Kansas playoff race 101
📍 Location: Kansas City, Kansas
📐 Track length: 1.5 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $8,806,315
📏 Race distance: 267 laps | 400.5 miles
🔢 Stages: 80 | 165 | 267
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📋 Starting lineup: TBA
🚗 Pit stall assignments: TBA
🏆 Most recent winner: Bubba Wallace, fall 2022
Key things to watch 🔑
Big story line
Will playoff drivers avoid Kansas chaos?
At first glance, nothing about Kansas Speedway seems all that daunting: a fairly standard 1.5-mile tri-oval with considerable-but-not-extraordinary banking set in the heart of America’s Midwest. But with the NASCAR Playoffs in full swing, challenges lurk around every corner. According to Racing Insights, 56% of the 2022 postseason contenders — nine of 16 drivers — suffered some sort of an issue during the Kansas playoff race a season ago.
The NASCAR Cup Series enters Kansas after a Southern 500 at Darlington that featured 10 playoff drivers — 62.5% — experiencing some sort of adversity. The most recent race at Kansas delivered its own drama between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson — two potential favorites to advance to the Championship 4. Is more last-lap contact in store this weekend? | Recap the dramatic spring race
History tells us…
Toyotas will be tough to top in the Sunflower State.
Since NASCAR introduced the Next Gen car in 2022, Toyotas have been undefeated at Kansas Speedway. The No. 45 car from 23XI Racing’s stable swept the 2022 races with Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace behind the wheel for their respective victories, and team co-owner Denny Hamlin used a last-lap nudge on Kyle Larson to complete the pass and score the win in May.
The stats, of course, go deeper than the win column. Toyotas have also outscored Chevrolets and Fords combined in top fives (Toyota 10; Chevy and Ford five), laps led (413 for Toyota; 388 for Chevy and Ford) and stage wins (Toyota 3; Chevy and Ford 1). | Memorable moments at Kansas Speedway
He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…
Chris Buescher. Buescher’s recent surge is impossible to ignore over the past month, collecting three wins and four top fives in each of his last four oval-track starts. The No. 17 RFK Racing Ford stormed to the victory on Aug. 7 at Michigan International Speedway for his second win in that stretch after leading 52 laps.
Buescher’s soar toward top-tier contention shouldn’t be overlooked heading to Kansas. While the track is half a mile shorter than Michigan, its smooth pavement and drivers’ increased throttle time increases the notable similarities between the two facilities. After Buescher netted a third-place finish one week ago at Darlington Raceway, don’t take your eye off the No. 17 Ford quite yet. | See every driver’s odds heading into Kansas
In this installment of ‘Talkin’ Trophies,’ we explore the origins of Kansas Speedway’s ‘Soaring’ trophy, one of the most unique prizes on the circuit.
Familiar favorites ⭐️
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.
• Bubble Watch: No place like a Kansas playoff race | See the bubble
• Fantasy Fastlane: Who should you start, and who should you sit? | See fantasy tips
• Paint Scheme Preview: See the schemes for the Sunflower State | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Bubba Wallace a firm contender in 2023 playoffs | Latest driver rankings
• Stacking Pennies: The crew comments on Ryan Newman’s colorful reaction from Darlington dustup. | Listen to the podcast
💎 NASCAR 75: Learn more about the history of the sport, from pioneers to current stars | Visit NASCAR 75 hub
Get in on the action 💰
Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.
• Fantasy Live: Participate in interactive gameplay from week to week | Choose your lineup
• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to get key advice each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here
🔮 Advance to Victory Lane: Racing Insights projects the finishing order
