NASCAR Beginning Lineup for Sunday’s Hollywood On line casino 400 at Kansas Speedway

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 20^th 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

Frontstretch podcast hosts Dustin Albino and Mike Neff talk to NASCAR Xfinity Series Charlotte ROVAL winner A.J. Allmendinger about racing in the rain. Then, they roll the dice to preview how the Round of 8 will fare in this weekend’s Hollywood Casino 400.