KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The NASCAR Chase heads to Kansas Speedway for a NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase race Saturday. Here is a preview of each race with the notes, odds and broadcast info to know:
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USA, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, MRN affiliates
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Last year’s winner: Chase Elliott (Spring winner: Tyler Reddick)
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Denny Hamlin led the most laps in both races
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Practice and qualifying: Saturday at 10 a.m. ET
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Kyle Larson enter Kansas with the points lead over Denny Hamlin by one point, Joey Logano by 16, Christopher Bell by 17, Ty Gibbs by 42, Ryan Blaney by 52, Tyler Reddick by 61, Carson Hocevar by 85, Chase Briscoe by 87 and Bubba Wallace by 92, in 10th.
The real battle of the Chase for the NASCAR Cup Series championship is truly shaping up. Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin not only enter 1-2 in the standings but they also rank 1-2 or in almost every statistical category in the NextGen era at Kansas:
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Top-five finishes: Denny Hamlin (7), Kyle Larson (6)
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Top-10 finishes: Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin (8 each)
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Laps led: Kyle Larson (577), Denny Hamlin (461)
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Average finish Kyle Larson (5.8), Denny Hamlin (7.1)
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Average points earned per race: Kyle Larson (46), Denny Hamlin (43.6) *weighted for new points system, rewarding 15 more points to the race winner
Flip a coin and you’ll have your favorite.
No surprise, the odds-on favorites are Kyle Larson (+400) and Denny Hamlin (+425). Then, there are four-time NextGen Kansas pole winner Christopher Bell (+575), two-time NextGen Kansas winner Tyler Reddick (+575), Ryan Blaney (+775) and Ty Gibbs (+900):
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Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick +575
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William Byron, Bubba Wallace +1400
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Joey Logano, Chris Buescher +2500
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Erik Jones, Riley Herbst +10000
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Shane van Gisbergen +12500
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Connor Zilisch, Daniel Suarez +15000
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John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Hill, Austin Dillon, Todd Gilliland, AJ Allmendinger +25000
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +30000
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Cole Custer, Noah Gragson +50000
*Odds according to Caesars Sportsbook
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The National Council on Problem Gambling help-line is also often cited at 1-800-522-4700.
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FS1, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, NASCAR Racing Network
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Last year’s winner: Carson Hocevar (No. 7 Spire Motorsports team)
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Practice and qualifying: Friday at 5 p.m. ET
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is competing on what will be just the sixth speedway race of the season – following Darlington, Texas, Charlotte, Nashville and Michigan. Riggs won at Charlotte and Nashville and leads the field in average points earned per race (51.4).
The series is coming off of a strange race for the Chase drivers at Bristol. Six of the 10 drivers earned stage points, including four who earned points in both stages. However, only four Chase drivers finished inside the top-10 and two of them didn’t earn stage points.
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Gio Ruggiero didn’t earn stage points and was the highest-finishing Chase driver (sixth). Next were Kaden Honeycutt, Ty Majeski and Grant Enfinger in eighth through 10th. While Honeycutt and Majeski finished second and fifth in each stage, Enfinger didn’t earn stage points.
Better yet, Riggs won both stages at Bristol over Honeycutt and teammate Chandler Smith. However, Smith and Riggs finished 24th and 32nd, multiple laps down, after issues in the final stage put them back there.
Meanwhile the other Chase drivers finished as follows: Ben Rhodes (11th, eighth in first stage) Daniel Hemric (12th, seventh in first stage), Tyler Reddick (13th), Christian Eckes (30th, eight laps down after early damage).
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase Standings After Bristol:
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The odds haven’t been released yet.
*Odds according to Caesars Sportsbook
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The National Council on Problem Gambling help-line is also often cited at 1-800-522-4700.
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