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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (October 13, 2020) – The intensity in the NASCAR Playoffs typically increases with each subsequent round, and the stakes become greater as the playoffs get deeper. That will certainly be the case this weekend as NASCAR’s three national series – Cup, Xfinity and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck – all commence their respective Rounds of 8. A win by any of the drivers still in the playoff picture will propel them into the Championship 4, which will be held at Phoenix Raceway the weekend of November 6-8.
The drivers who have advanced to the Round of 8 in each series will not just be competing against the other seven drivers, but a full field, all of who would like nothing more than to notch a win at Kansas Speedway and play the role of spoiler.
In addition to the three national series, the ARCA Menards Series Speediatrics 150 presented by The NASCAR Foundation, will serve as the championship race for that series. It will kick off the weekend on Friday, October 16 at 7:30 pm CT.
The following is a synopsis of the drivers who have advanced to the Round of 8 in each series.
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Hollywood Casino 400 – Sunday, October 18, 1:30 pm CT (NBC)
Kevin Harvick (4067 points) – Driver of the No. 4 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing… Compiled a series-best nine wins… Added seven stage wins… Finished among top-10 in 25 of 32 races this year… Won the NCS title in 2014, the first year of the Championship 4 format for the Cup Series… Has compiled 58 career victories and appeared in the Championship 4 all but one year (2016)… In 29 career starts at Kansas has three wins, 16 top-10 and nine top-5 results.
Denny Hamlin (4054 points) – Driver of the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing… Secured seven race wins, second-most in NCS this year, while his nine stage wins are the most… A top-10 finisher in 19 of 32 races… Has recorded 44 career victories… Seeking first career title, has been in Championship 4 twice previously (2014, 2019)… In 24 career starts at Kansas has three wins, nine top-10 and eight top-5 finishes.
Brad Keselowski (4035 points) – Driver of the No. 2 Ford for Team Penske… Has four victories thus far in 2020, most recently at Bristol (9/19) in the final race of the Round of 16… Has 10 top-5 and 20 top-10 results, along with seven stage wins this year… The 2012 NCS champion… In 21 starts at Kansas Speedway has two wins (June 2011, May 2019)… Also has five top-5s and 11 top-10s.
Chase Elliott (4027 points) – Driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports… Recorded three race wins and eight stage wins in ’20, compiling 19 top-10 finishes this year… Winner of last week’s race on Charlotte ROVAL… In fifth full-time NCS season, was Xfinity Series champion in 2014… Looking for first Championship 4 appearance… At 24 years of age, is youngest of Round of 8 drivers… In nine career starts at Kansas has one win (Oct. 2018), five top-10s and four top-5s.
Joey Logano (4022 points) – Driver of the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske… In 2020, has posted two wins, most recently at Phoenix (3/8)… Has recorded nine top-5 and 17 top-10 finishes… Also has six stage wins… His second-place showing last at Charlotte ROVAL was his best since that Phoenix win… A two-time winner at Kansas (Oct. 2014, Oct. 2015) among 22 starts at the 1.5-mile venue.
Martin Truex Jr. (4017 points) – Driver of the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing… Lone win of the year came at Martinsville (6/10)… Amassed five stage wins as well…Posted 20 top-10 and 13 top-5 finishes in 32 races… Since 2016 has amassed 24 NCS wins… A Championship 4 participant four times (2016, 2017-19), coming away with the title in 2017… In 24 career starts at Kansas has two wins (both in 2017), 11 top-10s and nine top-5s.
Alex Bowman (4009 points) – Driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, will take over the No. 48 ride from Jimmie Johnson in 2021… One win this year (Auto Club, 3/1)… Recorded top-10 finishes in six of the last eight races, including an 8th-place showing last week on Charlotte ROVAL… In 10 career starts at Kansas has four top-10 finishes and one top-5.
Kurt Busch (4006 points) – Driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing… His victory at Las Vegas (9/27) to open the Round of 12 locked him in the Round of 8…. The 2004 premier series champion has six top-5 efforts to go with 17 top-10 results in 2020, including a fourth-place finish last week on Charlotte ROVAL… Seeking his first triumph at Kansas where he has made 29 career starts at Kansas with four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Kansas Lottery 300 – Saturday, October 17, 6:00 pm CT (NBCSN)
Chase Briscoe (3060 points) – Driver of the No. 98 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing with Fred Biagi… Secured a series-high eight wins, tied for second with 10 stage wins… Amassed 19 top-10 finishes and 15-top 5s in 29 races… Has won two of the last four races.
Austin Cindric (3050 points) – Driver of the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske… Second on the circuit with five victories and tied for second with 10 stage wins… All five victories came within a six-race span (July 10 – August 15)… Finished in top-10 on 23 occasions in 29 races with 17 in the top-5.
Justin Allgaier (3033 points) – Driver of the No. 7 for JR Motorsports… Posted three victories in 2020, along with nine top-5 and 16 top-10 efforts… Leads the series with 12 stage wins… An Xfinity Series Championship 4 participant in three of the last four years (2016-17, 2019).
Noah Gragson – (3025 points) – Driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports… Compiled a pair of victories, most recently June 1 at Bristol… Has amassed 22 top-10 finishes on the year, including seven straight races and 11 of the last 12… Has also finished the top-3 each of the last three races… Amassed eight stage wins on the year, fourth-most on circuit.
Justin Haley (3023 points) – Driver of the No. 11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing… Won three races in ’20 – all at superspeedways (Daytona, Talladega – 2)… 18 top-10 showings in 29 races.
Brandon Jones (3020 points) – Driver of the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing… Recorded three wins in ’20, tied for third-most on circuit… This included the Kansas Lottery 250 on July 25… Also won at Kansas in 2019… Amassed 16 top-10s and nine top-5s in 29 races in 2020.
Ross Chastain (3010 points) – Driver of the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing… While he doesn’t have a win thus far in 2020, has 25 top-10 efforts, the most of any driver… Also has amassed 14 top-5s… Has finished in the top-6 in nine of the last 10 races… A Championship 4 participant in the Gander Truck Series in 2019 who will pilot the No. 42 Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Cup Series in 2021.
Ryan Sieg (3002 points) – Driver of the No. 39 Chevrolet for RSS Racing … Has posted 10 top-10 finishes in 29 races, and placed in the top-5 in two of the last three.
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Clean Harbors 200 – Saturday, October 17, 3:00 pm CT (FOX)
Austin Hill (3028 points) – Driver of the No. 16 Toyota for Hattori Motorsports… Winner of two races in 2020, including once in playoffs (Las Vegas, 9/15)… First win of year came in July 24 race at Kansas Speedway… Posted 15 top-10s and nine top-5s in 19 races.
Sheldon Creed (3028 points) – Driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet for GMS Racing… Tied for series-best three wins….Posted a series-high seven stage wins as well.
Zane Smith (3022 points) – Rookie and driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet for GMS Racing…Posted pair of victories in 2020 with 10 top-10 showings in 19 races… Compiled five stage wins.
Grant Enfinger (3019 points) – Driver of No. 98 Ford for ThorSport Racing… Tied for series-lead with three wins… Has amassed 11 top-10 finishes in 19 races… Finished third in both Gander Truck Series races at Kansas Speedway in July.
Brett Moffitt (3016 points) – Driver of the No. 23 Chevrolet for GMS Racing…Winless in ’20 but six stage wins are second-most on circuit… Has finished in top-10 in 13 of 19 races, including eight of the last nine… Championship 4 participant in Truck Series each of the last two years, including 2018 when he captured the championship.
Ben Rhodes (3014 points) – Driver of the No. 99 Ford for ThorSport Racing… One win on the year (Darlington, 9/6)… Has amassed 12 top-10 finishes and eight top-5s.
Matt Crafton (3009 points) – Driver of the No. 88 Ford for ThorSport Racing… Won the July 25, 2020 race at Kansas Speedway, his lone win this year… Also has eight top-5s and 12 top-10s in 19 races… Championship 4 participant in three of last four years (2016-17, 2019)… Three-time Gander Truck Series champion (2013-14, 2019).
Tyler Ankrum – (3003 points) – Driver of the No. 26 GMS Racing Chevrolet…Recorded three top-five finishes along with nine top-10s this year… Has one stage win… Winner at Kentucky in 2019.
ARCA Menards Series Speediatrics 150 presented by The NASCAR Foundation – Friday, October 16, 7:30 pm CT (FS1 or FS2)
The battle for the ARCA Menards Championship comes down to two drivers – points leader Bret Holmes and Michael Self, who trails by only nine heading into the season’s final event.
Holmes has one win this year, which came at Kanas in July during the Dawn 150 when he led the final 82 laps. He also has 13 top-five and 18 top-10 results in 19 starts. Self has similar statistics, notching two triumphs, along with 11 top-five and 18-top 10 finishes.
The following is the complete schedule for Kansas Speedway’s 2020 fall NASCAR weekend:
Friday, Oct. 16: ARCA Menards Series Speediatrics 150 presented by 7:30 pm (FS1 or FS2)
The NASCAR Foundation (150 miles)#
Saturday, Oct. 17: NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Clean Harbors 200 (200 miles)* 3:00 pm (FOX)
Saturday, Oct. 17: NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 300 (300 miles)* 6:00 pm (NBCSN)
Sunday, Oct. 18: NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 (400 miles)* 1:30 pm (NBC)
Times are CT
*Denotes first race in Playoffs Round of 8 #Denotes Championship race
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About Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a premier motorsports facility in the Midwest. The track, which opened in 2001, hosts two NASCAR Cup Series weekends each year, along with approximately 200 other event days each year. The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, which opened in 2012, overlooks Turn 2 of the track.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
Kansas Speedway Media Contact:
Neal Gulkis, Director of Track Communications, Midwest Region, NASCAR
[email protected]; 305-224-3189