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Everything to Know about NASCAR’s Hollywood Casino 400: Schedule, How to Watch
The NASCAR Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway marks the first race in the Round of 12.
Whenever you’re one of the best athletes in your particular sport, from time to time, a subtle reminder to the competition is warranted. That said, what Kyle Larson did during the NASCAR Cup Series Night Race at Bristol was anything but subtle. Yung Money torched the competition in one of his most dominant wins of his career, sweeping both stages with a whopping 462 laps led during the 500-lap contest – the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977. The victory marks his fifth of the season but, more importantly, it advanced him directly into the Round 12 and gives him some runway to throw a little shade toward the naysayers.
On the other hand, when you’ve been statistically one of the worst, reminding folks of that scarlet letter is the last thing you want to do. Just ask former Cup Series champions Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski who joined Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton in being the first four contenders eliminated from the playoffs’ 16-driver field. Though the latter three can wash the bad taste out of their mouths while preparing for next season, sadly, that cannot be said for Truex Jr. as his unceremonious departure from the playoffs also marks the end of his career.
RELATED: Where to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
And yet, while Truex Jr. and his many accomplishments will be celebrated in due time, we’ve got a playoff race to preview, people! As the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs shifts back into gear this Sunday, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet.
Location
First held in 2001 with Jeff Gordon reigning supreme the 24th running of the Hollywood Casino 400 will take place at Kansas Motor Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Tyler Reddick claimed the top spot in 2023 with a running time of three hours, 12 minutes and 38 seconds. Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin own the record with the most wins at the track with three apiece.
When is the Hollywood Casino 400?
The Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet takes place Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Prior to the Cup Series race on Sunday, Kansas Motor Speedway will host the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the Kansas Lottery 300, on Saturday, September 28 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Where to watch the Hollywood Casino 400
You can watch all the high-octane action from the postseason race at Kansas Motor Speedway live on USA Network as well as the earlier qualifying heats.
If you’re unable to tune into that broadcast, the NBC Sports App will offer NASCAR fans a streaming option for the event.
Key Storylines
The shakeup in the NASCAR Cup Series standings after Kyle Larson dominated last week’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race in Bristol jettisoned two former Cup Series champs, Truex Jr. and Keselowski, from the postseason in the final leg of the Round of 16. While those bastions of NASCAR’s Old Guard are out, there’s plenty of familiar faces revving up for Kansas. With that in mind, here are a couple key storylines for Sunday’s Cup Series race.
Hendrick and Penske Advance
Hendrick Motorsports’ entire four-driver roster – Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman – will move on to the Round of 12 as will Team Penske’s trifecta of Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric.
Kyle Larson Seeks Repeat at Kansas
Not only does he carry the keys to currently the fastest set of wheels in NASCAR’s top flight, Larson won at Kansas Motor Speedway the last time the Cup Series raced there, albeit by an extremely close margin. Historically speaking, his five top-5 finishes in his last six races on the 1.5-mile track should be pump him full of confidence.
Reddick on the Ready
Though Tyler Reddick may have skidded during the races at Bristol and Watkins Glen, Michael Jordan’s quietly tenacious driver can right the ship this weekend at Kansas Motor Speedway. Last year, the Toyota wheelman punched his ticket into the Round of 8 by winning the playoff race there in Kansas, so the ability’s there. Whether he can conjure a similar performance this time around is the question.
Denny Hamlin Bounces Back
Trailing only Kyle Busch as the second-winningest active driver, Denny Hamlin, also considered the greatest Cup Series wheelman to never win a title, showed more than a few signs of life during the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol. In a race where passing was anything but a given, his fourth-place finish resulted in 46 points, vaulting him from six points below the cutoff line to 15 points over it. Looking ahead to Kansas where he has an average finish of 4.4 in seven races, Hamlin could very well write his own destiny this weekend. With one win and six top-5’s, the driver with a quartet of trips to the Championship 4 – the most of any active driver – could very well find himself on the precipice of another deep postseason journey. Perhaps the elusive ending he’s yearned for is within reach.
Kansas Kryptonite for Blaney, Suárez
For Daniel Suárez and Ryan Blaney, Kansas Motor Speedway’s track remains a riddle … wrapped in a mystery … inside an enigma. Suárez, who’s counting his lucky stars after limping into the Round of 12 with a 31st-place finish at Bristol, sports only a pair of top-10 finishes at Kansas out of 15 starts. For Blaney, multiple struggles there have resulted in him pocketing only one top-10 finish in KC, which won't instill much confidence for a driver who’s currently sitting just 11 points above the cutoff line.
Playoff Standings
After the culmination of the Round of 16 in Bristol, Tennessee, here is the current breakdown of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs standings.
- Kyle Larson, +39
- Christopher Bell, +24
- Tyler Reddick, +20
- William Byron, +14
- Ryan Blaney, +11
- Denny Hamlin, +7
- Chase Elliott, +6
- Joey Logano, +4
ON THE BUBBLE
- Austin Cindric, -4
- Daniel Suárez, -6
- Alex Bowman, -7
- Chase Briscoe, -7
