NASCAR‘s touring circus hits the Midwest for the 2020 Hollywood On line casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. The 1.5-mile oval is celebrating its 20th yr of Cup Collection competitors with a fall playoff race that is now the primary contained in the Spherical of 8.
Its sister observe, Chicagoland Speedway, is now off the schedule for not less than 2021, an indication of how a lot of a wrestle at instances it may be for these cookie-cutter ovals to be aggressive. However Kansas has all the time been the quirkier of the 2, producing bizarre endings like Greg Biffle profitable in 2007 regardless of failing to cross the end line first. One yr later, Carl Edwards slammed into the wall off flip Four in his desperation bid to beat Jimmie Johnson to the end line.
Like with the opposite intermediate ovals, NASCAR will run its low-horsepower, high-downforce bundle this weekend. Observe place will likely be essential as passing can show troublesome over lengthy green-flag runs.
Meaning all eight drivers nonetheless in title rivalry will start with a serious benefit. Persevering with below COVID-19 protocols, they’ll begin up entrance routinely as NASCAR will not have on-track apply or qualifying. As an alternative, the sphere is about in accordance with the metrics outlined beneath.
25% of the metric would be the driver’s ending place from the earlier race.
25% of the metric would be the proprietor’s ending place from the earlier race.
35% of the metric would be the proprietor’s present place within the NASCAR Cup Collection level standings.
15% of the metric will likely be their quickest lap in the course of the earlier race.
All drivers remaining in championship rivalry (8) routinely begin forward of all others.
That quirk within the guidelines means reigning champion Kyle Busch, after getting eradicated from the postseason final week, can begin no higher than ninth the following three weeks. Ditto for Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and Austin Dillon, all of whom noticed their title hopes come to an finish on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
Forty groups are touring to Kansas for 40 spots on the grid, which means everybody who entered will begin the race. 4 “open” groups not assured a spot are trying the occasion: Gaunt Brothers Racing (No. 96), whose automobile is pushed by Daniel Suarez, MBM Motorsports (Nos. 49 & 66) getting into automobiles run by Chad Finchum and Timmy Hill, plus Tommy Baldwin Racing (No. 7) and driver Josh Bilicki.
1. Chase Elliott (P)
2. Joey Logano (P)
3. Kurt Busch (P)
4. Kevin Harvick (P)
5. Martin Truex Jr. (P)
6. Alex Bowman (P)
7. Denny Hamlin (P)
8. Brad Keselowski (P)
9. Ryan Blaney
10. William Byron
11. Erik Jones
12. Clint Bowyer
13. Cole Custer (R)
14. Jimmie Johnson
15. Tyler Reddick (R)
16. Aric Almirola
17. Austin Dillon
18. Matt DiBenedetto
19. Ryan Preece
20. Kyle Busch
21. Chris Buescher
22. Christopher Bell (R)
23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
24. Bubba Wallace
25. Ty Dillon
26. Michael McDowell
27. Daniel Suarez
28. Ryan Newman
29. Corey Lajoie
30. Matt Kenseth
31. Quin Houff (R)
32. John Hunter Nemechek (R)
33. James Davison
34. JJ Yeley (i)
35. Brennan Poole (R)
36. Reed Sorenson
37. Timmy Hill (i)
38. Joey Gase (i)
39. Josh Bilicki (i)
40. Chad Finchum (i)
(P) – Playoff Driver
(R) – Rookie
(i) – Ineligible to gather Cup Collection factors
QUALIFYING NOTES
- Chase Elliott (1st) will begin up entrance in his Chevrolet for the second time in the course of the 2020 playoffs. A win Sunday would give him the primary Championship Four bid of his five-year Cup profession.
- Joey Logano (2nd) is the best-qualifying Ford driver.
- Kevin Harvick (4th) has his sixth straight top-5 begin. He enters the Spherical of Eight because the NASCAR level chief with a 45-point lead over the cutline.
- Martin Truex Jr. (fifth) is the highest-qualifying Toyota driver.
- Denny Hamlin (seventh) is the race’s defending winner.
- Cole Custer (13th) has the very best beginning spot amongst rookie drivers.
- JJ Yeley (34th) steps into the No. 27 Rick Ware Racing Ford this weekend, changing Grey Gaulding who didn’t have sponsorship for this occasion.
- Reed Sorenson (36th) will race the No. 77 Spire Motorsports automobile for the primary time since Bristol Motor Speedway final month, changing JJ Yeley.
- Josh Bilicki (39th) will run the No. 7 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet, making a part-time Cup look for the primary time since Bristol final month.
- Chad Finchum (40th) will make simply his second Cup begin of the yr for MBM Motorsports and first since Las Vegas Motor Speedway final month (39th).
NASCAR RACE BREAKDOWN
Race: Hollywood On line casino 400
Observe: Kansas Speedway (Kansas Metropolis, Kan.)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 18
TV: NBC, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 267 laps (400 miles)
Stage 1: 80 Laps
Stage 2: 80 Laps
Remaining Stage: 107 Laps
PRE-RACE PREVIEW