NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: South Point 400

The Place: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Track Type: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Sunday, October 20

The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $8,157,812

TV: NBC, 2 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 400.5 miles (267 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 80),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 165), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 267)

 

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Next Race: Ambetter Health 302

The Place: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Track Type: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Saturday, October 19

The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $1,409,745

TV: CW, 7 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 301.5 miles (201 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 201)

 

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Next Race: Baptist Health 200

The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Track Type: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Saturday, October 26

The Time: 12 p.m. ET

The Purse: $769,881

TV: FS1, 12 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 201 miles (134 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 134)

NASCAR Cup Series

Rolling the dice on the Playoffs’ Round of 8 at Las Vegas

After Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson dominated the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, four more drivers have been eliminated from the postseason – Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez and Chase Biscoe. Now, the remaining eight postseason contenders must adjust their focus as the Playoff spotlight turns to the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway for this Sunday’s South Point 400 on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90), the seventh race of the Playoffs and the first race of the Round of 8.

This season’s Round of 8 contenders include four former NASCAR Cup Series Champions (Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano), and all eight drivers have previously competed in the Round of 8 in their careers. Interestingly, seven of the eight have previously earned a spot in the Championship 4 Round in their careers, the lone exception looking to make the Championship Four for the first time, is 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick.

Heading into this weekend at Las Vegas, Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Kyle Larson sits atop the Playoff standings, up +33 points on the Championship 4 Round cutoff. In Larson’s rearview mirror are Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell in second, up +13 points on the next round’s cut line, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick in third, up +10 on the cutline and Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron is fourth, up four points on the cutoff.

The four drivers within striking distance below the Championship 4 Round cut line in the Playoff standings are Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in fourth, back four points from the cutoff, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin is ranked sixth, eight points behind the Championship 4 cutoff, Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Chase Elliott is seventh, nine points back from the cutline and Team Penske’s Joey Logano is in the eighth and final spot, just 11 points behind Byron in the final transfer spot to the Championship 4 Round.

Of the eight drivers vying for the Championship 4 Round this season, Team Penske’s Joey Logano in the eighth spot in the current standings, has the most experience in the final round. He is tied with Martin Truex Jr. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick for the series-most Championship 4 Round appearances with five each.

2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Standings Outlook
Following the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course – October 13, 2024
Round of 12 – Race No. 6 of 10
Rank	Driver	Vehicle	Points	Race Wins	Stage Wins	Playoff Pts	+/- Cutoff
1	Kyle Larson	5	4,052	6	12	52	33
2	Christopher Bell	20	4,032	3	10	32	13
3	Tyler Reddick	45	4,029	2	4	29	10
4	William Byron	24	4,023	3	2	23	4
5	Ryan Blaney	12	4,019	2	4	19	-4
6	Denny Hamlin	11	4,015	3	6	15	-8
7	Chase Elliott	9	4,014	1	1	14	-9
8	Joey Logano	22	4,012	2	2	12	-11

Since the introduction of stage racing in 2017 in the NASCAR Cup Series, drivers that move on to the Championship 4 Round average an eighth-place finish and 39.5 points per race in the Round of 8. Also, since the 2017 season, 57.1% of drivers to move onto the Championship 4 Round have won in the Round of 8. Plus, the eventual champion has won 70% of the time in the Round of 8.

Las Vegas Clinch Scenarios: First chance to earn a spot in the Championship Four

With the conclusion of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, the postseason drivers get their points reseeded once again and are now confronted with trying to earn their spot in the final round.

This weekend’s South Point 400 (Oct. 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will jump start the Round of 8; the first of three races (Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami and Martinsville) the contenders will have to navigate through for a spot in the Championship 4 Round.

Already Clinched

No drivers have clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round.

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano

 

Las Vegas Motor Speedway goes all in on the Playoffs

This season will be the seventh-time Las Vegas Motor Speedway has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race (2018-2024). And the 2024 season marks the third-time the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 has opened at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Race No. 33 of the season and seventh of the postseason).

 

In total Las Vegas Motor Speedway has occupied three different spots on the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff schedule – from 2018 to 2019 Las Vegas hosted the first race of the Playoffs, then from 2020 to 2021 the 1.5-mile track hosted the fourth race of the Playoffs, and since 2022 Las Vegas has hosted the seventh race in the Playoffs (2022-2024).

 

A total of six different drivers have won the six previous NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Of the six different Las Vegas Playoff race winners, three are currently in the Cup Series Playoffs this weekend – Denny Hamlin (2021 winner), Joey Logano (2022 winner) and Kyle Larson (2023 winner). A non-Playoff driver has never won a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Date	Track	Race No.	Race Winner	Crew Chief	Organization
9/16/2018	Las Vegas	27	Brad Keselowski	Paul Wolfe	Team Penske
9/15/2019	Las Vegas	27	Martin Truex Jr	Cole Pearn	Joe Gibbs Racing
9/27/2020	Las Vegas	30	Kurt Busch	Matt McCall	Chip Ganassi Racing
9/26/2021	Las Vegas	30	Denny Hamlin	Christopher Gabehart	Joe Gibbs Racing
10/16/2022	Las Vegas	33	Joey Logano	Paul Wolfe	Team Penske
10/15/2023	Las Vegas	33	Kyle Larson	Cliff Daniels	Hendrick Motorsports

Team Penske crew chief Paul Wolfe leads all NASCAR Cup Series crew chiefs in Playoff wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with two victories (with Brad Keselowski in 2018 and Joey Logano in 2022). 

 

Team Penske (2018, 2022) and Joe Gibbs Racing (2019, 2021) are tied for the most NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with two each.

 

Twice the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has gone on to win the title in the same season (Kyle Larson in 2021 and Joey Logano in 2022). Below are the finishes by the eventual champion in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Playoff race:

 

• 4th by Joey Logano in 2018 – the first race of the Playoffs.
• 19th by Kyle Busch in 2019 – the first race of the Playoffs.
• 22nd by Chase Elliott in 2020 – the fourth race of the Playoffs.
• 1st by Kyle Larson in 2021 – the fourth race of the Playoffs.
• 1st by Joey Logano in 2022 – the seventh race of the Playoffs.
• 6th by Ryan Blaney in 2023 – the seventh race of the Playoffs.

 

The worst finish by a driver in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that later went on to win the title that same season was a 22nd-place finish by Chase Elliott in 2020 – then the fourth race in Playoffs.

Make sure to tune-in for all the NASCAR Cup Series on-track action this weekend. The Cup Series will first hit the track with practice and Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday, October 19 and both will be broadcast at 4:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Playoff Race No. 7: Charting a path to a championship though the Round of 8

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is the sixth different track to host the seventh race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2022-2024); joining Atlanta Motor Speedway (2004-2008), Talladega Superspeedway (2009-2010), Martinsville Speedway (2011-2019), Kansas Speedway (2020) and Texas Motor Speedway (2021).

 

Looking through the stats of this weekend’s event, 11 different drivers have won the seventh race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson with four postseason victories at two tracks (Atlanta: 2004, 2007 and Martinsville: 2012, 2016).

 

Team Penske’s Joey Logano leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in victories in the seventh race of the Playoffs with three postseason wins at three different tracks (Martinsville in 2018, Kansas in 2020 and Las Vegas in 2022).

 

Of the 11 former winners, only two current Playoff drivers have won the seventh race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – Joey Logano (three wins) and Kyle Larson (two wins). 

 

Date	Track	Race Number	Race Winner	Crew Chief	Organization
10/31/2004	Atlanta	33	Jimmie Johnson	Chad Knaus	Hendrick Motorsports
10/30/2005	Atlanta	33	Carl Edwards	Bob Osborne	RFK Racing
10/29/2006	Atlanta	33	Tony Stewart	Greg Zipadelli	Joe Gibbs Racing
10/28/2007	Atlanta	33	Jimmie Johnson	Chad Knaus	Hendrick Motorsports
10/26/2008	Atlanta	33	Carl Edwards	Bob Osborne	RFK Racing
11/1/2009	Talladega	33	Jamie McMurray	Donnie Wingo	RFK Racing
10/31/2010	Talladega	33	Clint Bowyer	Scott Miller	Richard Childress Racing
10/30/2011	Martinsville	33	Tony Stewart	Darian Grubb	Stewart-Haas Racing
10/28/2012	Martinsville	33	Jimmie Johnson	Chad Knaus	Hendrick Motorsports
10/27/2013	Martinsville	33	Jeff Gordon	Alan Gustafson	Hendrick Motorsports
10/26/2014	Martinsville	33	Dale Earnhardt Jr	Steve Letarte	Hendrick Motorsports
11/1/2015	Martinsville	33	Jeff Gordon	Alan Gustafson	Hendrick Motorsports
10/30/2016	Martinsville	33	Jimmie Johnson	Chad Knaus	Hendrick Motorsports
10/29/2017	Martinsville	33	Kyle Busch	Adam Stevens	Joe Gibbs Racing
10/28/2018	Martinsville	33	Joey Logano	Todd Gordon	Team Penske
10/27/2019	Martinsville	33	Martin Truex Jr	Cole Pearn	Joe Gibbs Racing
10/18/2020	Kansas	33	Joey Logano	Paul Wolfe	Team Penske
10/17/2021	Texas	33	Kyle Larson	Cliff Daniels	Hendrick Motorsports
10/16/2022	Las Vegas	33	Joey Logano	Paul Wolfe	Team Penske
10/15/2023	Las Vegas	33	Kyle Larson	Cliff Daniels	Hendrick Motorsports

* Drivers that won the Championship the same season are bolded in the chart above.

 

NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Chad Knaus leads all crew chiefs in the Cup Series in wins in the seventh race of the Playoffs with four victories (all with driver Jimmie Johnson – Atlanta: 2004, 2007 and Martinsville: 2012, 2016). Crew chiefs Alan Gustafson (2013, 2014), Paul Wolfe (2020, 2022) and Cliff Daniels (2021, 2023) lead all active crew chiefs in victories in the seventh race of the Playoffs with two each. 

 

Hendrick Motorsports leads all organizations in the NASCAR Cup Series in wins in the seventh race of Cup Playoffs with nine victories (2004, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2023). 

 

Three times a non-Playoff driver has won the seventh race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – 2006, 2009 and 2010.

 

• In 2006, Tony Stewart won the seventh race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he was 11th in points at the time of the win.

 

• In 2009, Jamie McMurray won the seventh race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway, he was ranked 22nd in the points at the time of the win.

 

• In 2010, Clint Bowyer won the seventh race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway, he was 12th in the points at the time of the win. 

 

Six times the winner of the seventh NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race has gone on to win the championship later that same season – 2007, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2022. 

 

• In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the sixth starting position at Atlanta Motor Speedway and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was the second of four consecutive Playoff victories he put up en route to the title (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix).

 

• In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the fourth starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his third NASCAR Cup Series championship. The victory was his third of a record setting five Playoff wins season en route to the title. 

 

• In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won from the third starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his record tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship. The victory was his second of three Playoff wins en route to the title.

 

• In 2018, Joey Logano won from the 10th starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. It was his first of two Playoffs wins that season (Las Vegas, Miami).

 

• In 2021, Kyle Larson won from the pole at Texas Motor Speedway and went on to win his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship. The victory was his third of a record tying five Playoff wins season en route to the title. 

 

• In 2022, Joey Logano won from the fifth starting position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and went on to win his second NASCAR Cup Series championship (2018, 2022). It was his first of only two Playoffs wins that season (Las Vegas, Phoenix).

 

The worst finish by a driver in the seventh NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race that later went on to win the title that same season was at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2004-2008) when Kurt Busch posted a 42nd-place finish in the 2004 Atlanta race, then the seventh race in the Playoffs, and went on to win the title that same season. The finish was due to an engine failure.

 

Las Vegas Motor Speedway: A diamond in the desert

Las Vegas is a great city with tons to do, but nothing on the ‘The Strip’ this weekend will compare to the drama that Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be dishing-up as the 1.5-mile track serves as the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 with the South Point 400 on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Eight Playoff contenders will begin their hunt for one of the four spots in the Championship 4 Round and a shot at this season’s title this weekend at Las Vegas – the second-to-last 1.5-mile track on the schedule.

The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was held on March 1, 1998. NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett won the pole for the inaugural event driving a Ford for Robert Yates Racing, and NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin won the race driving a Ford for RFK Racing.

 

In total there have been 33 NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1998-2024). The 1.5-mile track has hosted one race per season from 1998 to 2017. The 2018 season marked the first time Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted two Cup Series events in a single season (2018-2023) and the first season the track joined the Playoff schedule.

 

Outside Front Row is the place to start at Las Vegas

A total of 18 different starting positions in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have resulted in race wins, but the second starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field producing more winners (seven) than any other starting position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – with a winning percentage of 21.2% – including the last three races at the 1.5-mile track.

 

A total of eight of the 33 NASCAR Cup Series Las Vegas races (24.2%) have been won from the front row. 

 

The deepest in the field that a race winner has started in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004 driving for RFK Racing. The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Las Vegas is 24th, by Martin Truex Jr. in 2019 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

 

A total of five of the 33 NASCAR Cup Series Las Vegas races (15.2%) have been won from outside the top-20. 

 

Who to watch during Busch Light Pole Qualifying at Las Vegas

A total of 19 different drivers have won the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Kasey Kahne leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Las Vegas with three (2004, 2007, 2012). Kyle Busch (2008, 2009) and Joey Logano (2014, 2023) lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with two each.

 

Of the 19 NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Las Vegas, seven are active this weekend, and four are current Playoff drivers – Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano.

 

Las Vegas Active Pole Winners	Poles	Seasons
Joey Logano	3	2024, 2023, 2014
Christopher Bell	2	2023, 2022
Kyle Busch	2	2009, 2008
Tyler Reddick	1	2022
Erik Jones	1	2018
Ryan Blaney	1	2018
Brad Keselowski	1	2017

 

Worth noting, Las Vegas native, Kyle Busch, is the only driver to win consecutive NASCAR Cup Series poles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2008 and 2009. Busch is also the only driver in series history to win from the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and did so in 2009, his lone win at his home track.

 

Hitting the Victory Lane jackpot at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

A total of 18 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and nine of the 18 drivers have won more than once at the 1.5-mile track.

 

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with four victories (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010).

 

Of the 18 NASCAR Cup Series race winners at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, nine of them are active this weekend at Las Vegas, and four are current Playoff contenders – Kyle Larson (2021, 2023, 2024), Joey Logano (2019, 2020, 2022), William Byron (2023) and Denny Hamlin (2021).

 

Active Las Vegas Race Winners	Wins	Seasons
Jimmie Johnson	4	2010, 2007, 2006, 2005
Kyle Larson	3	2024, 2023, 2021
Joey Logano	3	2022, 2020, 2019
Brad Keselowski	3	2018, 2016, 2014
Martin Truex Jr	2	2019, 2017
William Byron	1	2023
Alex Bowman	1	2022
Denny Hamlin	1	2021
Kyle Busch	1	2009

 

Best of The Best: Current Playoff contender’s performances at Las Vegas  

Only eight drivers left in the Playoffs to decide who will win the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship, and of those eight, four are former winners at this weekend’s Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Byron, Hamlin, Logano and Larson). With so much on the line heading into this Sunday, here is a look at the career performances of the eight Playoff drivers at Las Vegas.

1 – Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)

• Ranked 1st in Playoff standings, up +33 points on the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has advanced to the Championship 4 Round twice (2021, 2023)

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.1
• Six wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s, five poles
• Led 1,614 laps
• Average Finish of 13.6

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Three wins, eight top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average Finish of 9.313, series-best
• Average Running Position of 10.016, series-best
• Driver Rating of 105.4, series-best
• 3,310 Laps in the Top 15 (77.2%), fourth-most

2 – Christopher Bell (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

• Ranked 2nd in Playoff standings, up +13 points on the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has advanced to the Championship 4 Round twice (2022, 2023)

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.8
• Three wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s, two poles
• Led 844 laps
• Average Finish of 13.4

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Two top fives, four top 10s, two poles
• Average Finish of 19.111, 17th-best
• Average Running Position of 16.416, 13th-best
• Driver Rating of 80.3, 13th-best
• 1,281 Laps in the Top 15 (53.0%), 13th-most

3 – Tyler Reddick (No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota)

• Ranked 3rd in Playoff standings, up +10 points on the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has not advanced to the Championship 4 Round in his career

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.6
• Two wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s, two poles
• Led 491 laps
• Average Finish of 12.5

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• One top five, five top 10s, one pole
• Average Finish of 13.556, ninth-best
• Average Running Position of 13.807, 11th-best
• Driver Rating of 84.2, 11th-best
• 1,579 Laps in the Top 15 (65.4%), 10th-most

4 – William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)

• Ranked 4th in Playoff standings, up +4 points on the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has advanced to the Championship 4 Round once (2023)

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.7
• Three wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s, one pole
• Led 286 laps
• Average Finish of 14.0

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• One win, two top fives, six top 10s
• Average Finish of 15.077, 10th-best
• Average Running Position of 11.692, eighth-best
• Driver Rating of 93.7, seventh-best
• 2,514 Laps in the Top 15 (72.1%), seventh-most

5 – Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Team Penske Ford)

• Ranked 5th in Playoff standings, back -4 points from the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has advanced to the Championship 4 Round once (2023)

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.6
• Two wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s, one pole
• Led 472 laps
• Average Finish of 16.0

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Six top fives, 10 top 10s, one pole
• Average Finish of 11.438, fifth-best
• Average Running Position of 10.600, fifth-best
• Driver Rating of 97.8, sixth-best
• 3,315 Laps in the Top 15 (77.3%), third-most

6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

• Ranked 6th in Playoff standings, back -8 points from the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has advanced to the Championship 4 Round four times (2014, 2019, 2020, 2021)

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.6
• Three wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s, four poles
• Led 918 laps
• Average Finish of 14.8

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• One win, six top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average Finish of 12.480, eighth-best
• Average Running Position of 12.189, ninth-best
• Driver Rating of 91.8, eighth-best
• 4,459 Laps in the Top 15 (66.4%), ninth-most

7 – Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)

• Ranked 7th in Playoff standings, back -9 points from the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has advanced to the Championship 4 Round three times (2020, 2021, 2022)

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.7
• One win, nine top fives, 16 top 10s
• Led 214 laps
• Average Finish of 11.7

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average Finish of 18.643, 16th-best
• Average Running Position of 11.559, seventh-best
• Driver Rating of 91.2, ninth-best
• 2,828 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4%), sixth-most

8 – Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford)

• Ranked 8th in Playoff standings, back -11 points from the Championship 4 Round cut line
• Has advanced to the Championship 4 Round five times (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022)

2024 Rundown

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.2
• Two wins, five top fives, ten top 10s, three poles
• Led 301 laps
• Average Finish of 18.0

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Three wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s, three poles
• Average Finish of 9.909, third-best
• Average Running Position of 10.073, second-best
• Driver Rating of 100.0, fourth-best
• 4,779 Laps in the Top 15 (80.9%), series-most

NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.

WWE Superstars Rey Mysterio and Braun Strowman named honorary starters for South Point 400 – WWE Superstars Rey Mysterio and Braun Strowman have been named honorary starters for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race.

Mysterio, a southern California native and Las Vegas resident, is known as one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time. He will get the honors of dropping the green flag to start the South Point 400. Strowman, known as The Monster of All Monsters, will join Mysterio in the flag stand as the cars come to life.

Race fans can meet the two WWE Superstars on Sunday from 9:30-9:50 a.m. in the Fan Zone, where they will have a Q&A session on the South Point stage. Fans attending this Sunday’s race will also have the opportunity to buy pre-sale tickets for WrestleMania 41, hosted at Allegiant Stadium on April 19-20, 2025.

UNLV football coach Barry Odom to be Grand Marshal for South Point 400 – On most fall days, UNLV coach Barry Odom is giving direction to his UNLV football team. But on Sunday, Oct. 20, he will be commanding the greatest stock car drivers in the world to start their engines.

Odom, who has guided the Rebels to a record-breaking start to their season, has been named Grand Marshal for this year’s South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“I have been a NASCAR fan for quite some time and have been to many races at other tracks,” Odom said. “But this will be my first time doing ‘Drivers Start Your Engines!’ and to do it here in Las Vegas where our family has made our home will be extra special.”

In just his second season overseeing UNLV football, Odom has energized the program. Under his leadership, the Rebels earned a spot in the national rankings for the first time in school history and appeared in their first ever Mountain West Conference Championship game last year. Odom also was named Mountain West Coach of the Year and was a finalist for national coach of the year in 2023.

Odom joins a list of distinguished guests who have also delivered the command at LVMS, including Las Vegas Raider A.J. Cole, Vegas Golden Knights Adin Hill and William Carrier, Legendary car builder Carroll Shelby, actor Mark Wahlberg, comedian Tim Allen, former Raiders Marcus Allen and Derek Carr, actor Cole Hauser, socialite Kim Kardashian, country music group Rascal Flatts, noted broadcaster Brent Musburger and UFC President Dana White.

NASCAR Cup Series milestones to watch for this season – Below is a look at some of the anticipated NASCAR Cup Series milestones to watch for this season.

 

Driver Starts (300 or more)

Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in career starts with 710 starts, followed by Jimmie Johnson (696), Martin Truex Jr. (689), Denny Hamlin (682), Joey Logano (575), Brad Keselowski (553), Michael McDowell (497), A.J. Allmendinger (445), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (432), Austin Dillon (404), Kyle Larson (362), Ryan Blaney (338), Chris Buescher (325), Alex Bowman (321) and Chase Elliott (318).

• William Byron is expected to make his 250th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

• Michael McDowell is expected to make his 500th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Martinsville Speedway.

Driver Wins (10 or more)

Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in career wins with 83 victories, followed by Kyle Busch (63), Denny Hamlin (54), Brad Keselowski (36), Martin Truex Jr. (34), Joey Logano (34), Kyle Larson (29), Chase Elliott (19), William Byron (13) and Ryan Blaney (12).

• Denny Hamlin currently has 54 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace for 11th on the all-time wins list with 55 victories each.

• Brad Keselowski currently has 36 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Bobby Isaac for 23rd on the all-time wins list with 37 victories each.

Driver Poles (10 or more)

Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in career wins with 63 victories, followed by Denny Hamlin (54), Brad Keselowski (36), Martin Truex Jr. (34), Joey Logano (34), Kyle Larson (29), Chase Elliott (19), William Byron (13) and Ryan Blaney (12).

 

• Kyle Busch currently has 34 NASCAR Cup Series poles, if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett for 21st on the all-time pole winners list with 35 poles each.

• Joey Logano currently has 31 NASCAR Cup Series poles (tied with Kevin Harvick), if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famers Fireball Roberts and Fred Lorenzen for 24th on the all-time pole winners list with 32 poles each.

• Martin Truex Jr. currently has 23 NASCAR Cup Series poles (tied with Ken Schrader and Jack Smith), if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki for 33rd on the all-time pole winners list with 24 poles each.

 

Active Organization Wins

Hendrick Motorsports leads all active NASCAR Cup Series organizations in wins with 312, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing (214), Team Penske (144), RFK Racing (143), Richard Childress Racing (117), Wood Brothers Racing (100), Stewart-Haas Racing (70), Trackhouse Racing (8), 23XI Racing (7), Front Row Motorsports (4), JTG Daugherty Racing (3), Kaulig Racing (2), Spire Motorsports (1).

Manufacturer Wins

In total 16 different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Chevrolet with 865 victories, and followed by Ford (732), Dodge (213), Plymouth (189), Toyota (188), Pontiac (154), Oldsmobile (96), Mercury (93), Buick (65), Hudson (58), Chrysler (54), American Motor Company (5), Lincoln (3), Studebaker (2), Jaguar (1) and Nash Motor Company (1).

• Toyota currently has 188 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if a Toyota driver were to win this weekend, the manufacturer would tie Pontiac (189 wins) for the fourth-most wins in NASCAR Cup Series history with 189 each.

 

NASCAR Xfinity Series

 

Unleashing the Xfinity Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 on Las Vegas

After wrapping up the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs’ Round of 12 last weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course and eliminating four drivers from the postseason – Shane van Gisbergen, Sheldon Creed, Riley Herbst and Parker Kligerman – it’s time to unleash the eight contenders that advanced on Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Ambetter Health 302, this Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. ET on the CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the fourth event of the seven-race Playoffs and the first of the Round of 8.

Heading into this weekend at Las Vegas, JR Motorsport’s driver Justin Allgaier ranks first in the Playoff standings, up +18 points on the Championship 4 Round cutoff. In Allgaier’s tire tracks are Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer in second, up +11 points on the next round’s cut line, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill in third, up +9 on the cutline and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith is fourth, up eight points on the cutoff.

The four drivers just below the Championship 4 Round cut line in the Xfinity Playoff standings are JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer in fourth, back eight points from the cutoff, Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love is ranked sixth, -12 points behind the Championship 4 cutoff, Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger is seventh, -18 points back from the cutline and JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith is in the eighth and final spot, just 19 points behind Chandler Smith in the final transfer spot to the Championship 4 Round.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Playoff Projection Following The Charlotte Road Course – 10/12/2024
Rank	Driver	Vehicle	Points	Race Wins	Stage Wins	Playoff Pts	+/- Cutoff
1	Justin Allgaier	7	3,035	2	15	35	18
2	Cole Custer	00	3,028	2	3	28	11
3	Austin Hill	21	3,026	3	4	26	9
4	Chandler Smith	81	3,025	2	7	25	8
5	Sam Mayer	1	3,017	3	2	17	-8
6	Jesse Love #	2	3,013	1	4	13	-12
7	AJ Allmendinger	16	3,007	0	2	7	-18
8	Sammy Smith	8	3,006	1	0	6	-19

Interestingly, seven of the eight contenders in the Playoffs have advanced to the Round of 8 previously in their careers, the lone exception is rookie Jesse Love.

Of the eight contenders, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier has the most experience navigating this round, as this is his ninth appearance in the Round of 8 (series-most) – 2024, ’23, ’22, ’21, ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16.

Worth noting, four of the current eight Xfinity Playoff contenders in the Round of 8 have advanced to the Championship 4 Round in their careers previously – Justin Allgaier (2023, ’22, ’20, ’19, ’17, ’16), Cole Custer (2023, ’19, ’18), A.J. Allmendinger (2021) and Sam Mayer (2023).

Clinch Scenarios: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

This weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, marks the first of three chances (Las Vegas, Homestead, Martinsville) for the Round of 8 drivers to earn their spot in the Championship 4 Round, and compete for the title in Phoenix. Here are this weekend’s clinch scenarios in the Xfinity Series Playoffs.

Already Clinched

No drivers have clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round.

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, AJ Allmendinger, Sammy Smith

Vegas is shining bright for the Xfinity Series this weekend

The 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway has hosted 34 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, producing 25 different race winners and 20 different pole winners. Six races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Chase Briscoe in 2020.

JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier, who is a Round of 8 contender, has gotten pretty lucky at the Las Vegas track, having posted the most top fives (10), top 10s (17), lead lap finishes (18) and laps completed (3,930).

Three previous winners are entered in this weekend’s Ambetter Health 302 – Riley Herbst (2023) and Playoff contenders A.J. Allmendinger (2021) and Austin Hill (2023).

This will be the third time (2022, 2023, 2024) that Las Vegas Motor Speedway kicks off the Round of 8 in the Xfinity Series Playoffs. In the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the track was the first race in the post season – Chase Briscoe won in 2020, and Josh Berry won in 2021. The Las Vegas, Nevada track was not a postseason track from 2016-2019.

The Xfinity Series will kick off the weekend with practice on Friday, October 18 at 6:35 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 7:05 p.m. ET on the USA Network and the NBC Sports App.

 

Déjà vu for JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer

In the last two seasons JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer has found himself in a must-win situation heading into the Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, and in back-to-back years he has managed to pull off the unthinkable and win his way into the next round of the postseason.

Mayer now heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to kick off the Playoffs Round of 8 – his third time making it to the second round of the Playoffs – looking to keep his momentum going. Last season, Mayer was able to earn a spot in Championship 4 Round, a feat he hopes to accomplish again this season.

Mayer has made six Xfinity Series starts at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway posting one top-five and three top-10 finishes. Mayer will be looking to rebound from his 38th-place finish at Las Vegas earlier this season.

Field Is Set: All bets are off on this Round of 8

The competition just tightened up for the race to the championship as four drivers were eliminated last weekend – Shane van Gisbergen, Sheldon Creed, Parker Kligerman and Riley Herbst – leaving eight drivers in the hunt for the 2024 title.

These eight drivers – Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, A.J. Allmendinger and Sammy Smith – now head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to kick off the Round of 8.

Let’s take a look at how they have performed at the 1.5-mile track:

Justin Allgaier: 20 starts, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s, 288 laps led

 

Cole Custer: Eight starts, four top fives, six top 10s, 116 laps led

 

Austin Hill: Six starts, one win (2023), two top fives, four top 10s, 40 laps led

 

Chandler Smith: Three starts, three top fives, 215 laps led

 

Sam Mayer: Six starts, one top five, three top 10s, 26 laps led

 

Jesse Love: One start (2024), 17th-place finish

 

A.J. Allmendinger: Five starts, one win (2021), one top five, four top 10s, 103 laps led

 

Sammy Smith: Three starts, one top 10

 

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

 

Bubba Pollard to run at Martinsville – Sam Hunt Racing announced that Andrew “Bubba” Pollard will make his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series start on Saturday, Nov. 2, competing in the National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

The 37-year-old Senoia, Georgia, native made his Xfinity Series debut earlier this season at Richmond Raceway where he finished sixth after starting at the tail of the field. Pollard has over 100 late model wins and has collected 15 championship trophies from various late model championships.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to race at Martinsville with SANY and SHR,” Pollard said. “I really enjoyed the experience racing at Richmond earlier this season. Thanks to SANY, I’m excited to be back in an Xfinity car and can’t wait to hit the track again.”

NASCAR Xfinity Series Milestones to watch for – Below are some milestones to take note of in the NASCAR Xfinity Series:

Starts

• Sheldon Creed will make his 100th NASCAR Xfinity Series career start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, becoming the 169th different driver to reach 100 or more starts in the series.

• Brandon Jones will attempt to make his 300th NASCAR Xfinity Series career start at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

• Cole Custer will attempt to make his 175th NASCAR Xfinity Series career start at Martinsville Speedway.

Driver Wins (5 or more – series regulars)

Justin Allgaier leads all active drivers in career wins with 25 victories, followed by A.J. Allmendinger (17), Cole Custer (15), Austin Hill (9), Sam Mayer (7) and Brandon Jones (5).

 

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

 

Approaching Miami: Playoffs Contender’s Career Performances

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competitors have one more week to prepare before heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the second race of the Round of 8 on Saturday, October 26 at 12 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio.

As Homestead-Miami Speedway looms closer, the pressure to advance to the coveted Championship 4 Round increases. A win at the 1.5-mile oval by a Playoff contender would guarantee their spot in the next round.

Looking at the Truck Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 contenders, only one is a former winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway – Ty Majeski (2022).

Here’s a look at how our eight Playoff drivers have performed at the 1.5-mile oval previously.

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish
1	Grant Enfinger (P)	7	1	0	2	4	0	10.7
2	Corey Heim (P)	2	0	0	2	2	0	4.0
3	Christian Eckes (P)	4	0	0	1	3	0	9.5
4	Ty Majeski (P)	3	0	1	1	3	0	6.7
5	Rajah Caruth (P)	1	0	0	0	1	0	8.0
6	Taylor Gray (P)	1	0	0	0	0	0	13.0
7	Nick Sanchez (P)	1	1	0	0	0	0	17.0
8	Tyler Ankrum (P)	4	0	0	1	1	0	15.0

On-track activity for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway kicks off with practice at 2:35 p.m. ET followed by Cometic Gasket Pole Qualifying at 3:05 p.m. ET on Friday, October 25.

 

Enfinger has sights set on redemption in Phoenix

With his win at Talladega, Grant Enfinger will compete in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship 4 Round for the third time in his career (2020, 2023, 2024).

“Obviously we can start focusing on Phoenix right away and that’s a huge advantage I think,” Enfinger said. “The way I look at it, we don’t have to worry about points for the next two races.’ … very, very proud of what this win means, but realistically, we still have a lot to do to prepare for the championship.”

The 2024 season marks the sixth time the driver of the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet has competed in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs (2018-2020, 2022-24). Of those six appearances, the Fairhope, Alabama native has five wins – Las Vegas (2018), Martinsville (2020), Indianapolis (2022), Milwaukee (2023), and now, Talladega (2024).

Last season, Enfinger could almost taste the championship with arguably the truck to beat until a late-race caution involving two of the four championship contenders came out.

The veteran driver had to go survive not just one, but four overtimes and had to make an unfortunate stop on pit road. Enfinger made a valiant charge through the field on fresh tires in the final two laps, but ultimately couldn’t pass championship competitor Ben Rhodes.

Looking for redemption, the 39-year-old will head to Phoenix Raceway in three weeks with hopes to earn CR7 Motorsports their first championship.

 

Playoff Bubble: Caruth, Gray, Sanchez, and Ankrum outside Championship 4 cutline

With one spot in the Championship 4 secured by Grant Enfinger, the rest of the competitors are certainly starting to feel the heat. As the Round of 8 finale looms closer, the drivers sitting below the cut line are Rajah Caruth, Taylor Gray, Nick Sanchez, and Tyler Ankrum.

Spire Motorsport’s Rajah Caruth, in his first Playoff appearance, finished fourth at Talladega Superspeedway and left the 2.66-mile paved oval five points back from the Championship 4 Round cutline.

Another driver in his first Playoff appearance below the cutline is TRICON Garage’s Taylor Gray. Despite finishing second at Talladega, the 19-year-old is 13 points back from the final transfer position.

Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez had a rough day at Talladega finishing 22nd after starting on the front row. The 23-year-old now sits 20 points back from the cutline. The driver of the No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet made it to the Round of 8 for a second consecutive season.

McAnally-Hilgemann’s Tyler Ankrum heads to Homestead-Miami ranked eighth in the Playoff standings, -23 points back from the fourth and final spot in the Championship 4 Round.

Currently, ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski is in the fourth and final position to transfer to the next round. Just ahead of Majeski in third is McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver Christian Eckes, up +29 points on the Championship 4 cutline.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Outlook Following Talladega Superspeedway (October 4, 2024)

Rank	Driver	Points	Starts	Race Wins	Stage Wins	Playoff Pts	+/- Cutoff
1	Grant Enfinger (P)	3,066	20	1	2	7	In On Win
2	Corey Heim (P)	3,078	20	6	8	48	30
3	Christian Eckes (P)	3,077	20	3	9	39	29
4	Ty Majeski (P)	3,053	20	2	6	24	5
5	Rajah Caruth (P)	3,048	20	1	1	10	-5
6	Taylor Gray (P)	3,040	20	0	0	3	-13
7	Nick Sanchez (P)	3,033	20	2	1	18	-20
8	Tyler Ankrum (P)	3,030	20	0	2	7	-23

 

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.

 

2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Statistical Season Update – As we get closer to the end of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season, the last 20 races have certainly passed the eye-test producing some intense side-by-side, action-packed competition, and the stats are in to back it up.

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series has produced nine different winners this season, tied with 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2010 and 2019 for the sixth-most different winners through the first 20 races of a season (1995-2024). The series record is 14, set in 2012 and 2022.

Eight different organizations have won a race, led by TRICON Garage with six victories.

The Love’s RV Stop 250 at Talladega Superspeedway produced 27 lead changes – the second-most at the track. The Truck Series record for lead changes at Talladega is 29, set in 2013.

The 2024 season has amassed 374 lead changes through the first 20 points-paying races on the schedule with an average per race of 10.0, the sixth-most in series history (1995-2024), behind 2019 (12.0), 2021 (11.9), 2018, (11.7), 2020 (11.6), and 2015 (11.15).

This season is up 13.4% in average lead changes compared to the 2023 average of 9.40 through the first 20 races.

2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Manufacturers Championship breakdown – Following 20 races, Chevrolet leads the OEMs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Manufacturers Championship with 10 wins and 745 points on the season.

Manufacturers Championship Standings
OEMs	Wins	Points
Chevrolet	10	745
Toyota	6	703
Ford	4	670

 

2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year update – Layne Riggs continues to dominate the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings following 20 races in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

The driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford has two wins on the season (Milwaukee, Bristol) and has mathematically clinched the Sunoco Rookie of The Year honors this season with a 358-point lead over Connor Jones in second and 387-point lead over Thadd Moffitt in third.

Per the Rule Book, Riggs must finish out the season in good faith to be awarded the Sunoco Rookie of The Year Award at the end of the season.

NCTS Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings
Rookies	Points	Awards
Layne Riggs	515	13
Connor Jones	157	4
Thadd Moffitt	128	3