週末 preview: Kansas Speedway
The eight drivers who have 前進するd to this three-race 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of the NASCAR Cup Series プレーオフs likely feel a return-to-normalcy.
That feeling comes after an 前例のない season of schedule flux and the most 最近の プレーオフ 一連の会議、交渉／完成する that 含むd a superspeedway and a 比較して new road course that 軍隊d teams to compete on rain tires for the first time in the Modern 時代.
NASCAR Cup Series 正規の／正選手 season 支持する／優勝者 Kevin Harvick leads the series with nine victories but was winless in this most 最近の プレーオフ 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. He 持つ／拘留するs a 13-point 辛勝する／優位 on seven-race 勝利者 Denny Hamlin 頂上に the standings as the series moves to Kansas Speedway for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 無線で通信する).
After Hamlin, the points 分離 in the NASCAR Cup Series プレーオフ standings is far greater. Brad Keselowski is 階級d third, 32 points behind Harvick as the points reset for this penultimate group of races at Kansas, then Texas モーター Speedway, then Martinsville (Va.) Speedway before the Nov. 8 選手権 4 一連の会議、交渉／完成する at 不死鳥／絶品 Raceway.
Last week's Charlotte ROVAL race 勝利者 Chase Elliott is 現在／一般に in that fourth and final 移転 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, 40 points behind Harvick. Joey Logano (-45 points), ツバメ Truex Jr. (-50), Alex Bowman (-58) and Kurt Busch (-61) 一連の会議、交渉／完成する out the プレーオフ field. Defending NASCAR Cup Series 支持する／優勝者 Kyle Busch was の中で those who did not 前進する in the プレーオフs after the ROVAL race last 週末 場内取引員／株価 the earliest a 統治するing champ has been 除去するd from 肩書を与える 論争 in the '排除／予選-style' 判型.
Six of the プレーオフ drivers have won races at Kansas Speedway 以前, with Hamlin and Harvick part of a four-way tie (also Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson) with three Kansas 勝利，勝つs each. Hamlin won this July 辛勝する／優位ing Keselowski by a half-second 場内取引員／株価 his second straight 勝利，勝つ a the 1.5-mile speedway dating 支援する to last year's プレーオフ race.
In all, six of the 現在の eight プレーオフ drivers f inished の中で the 最高の，を越す-10 this summer at Kansas. Harvick, who has seven 最高の，を越す 10s in the last nine Kansas races (含むing a pair of 勝利，勝つs and a 走者-up finish) leads a quartet of drivers 特に good at the 跡をつける.
Hamlin has 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in six of the last eight races, 含むing 勝利，勝つs in the last two. Keselowski has a 勝利，勝つ and a 走者-up finish in the last three Kansas races and Truex has six 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in the last seven races at the Kansas 跡をつける, 含むing a pair of 勝利，勝つs and a 走者-up showing.
の中で these drivers, only Talladega, 式の. race 勝利者 Denny Hamlin owns a victory in the most 最近の three-race プレーオフ 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. Harvick has 始める，決める a career-high 示す for 選び出す／独身 season victories in a year and earned a series-best 19 最高の，を越す-five and 25 最高の，を越す-10 finishes through the 開始 32 races. He had only a 選び出す／独身 最高の，を越す-10 (10th at Las Vegas) in the last プレーオフ 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, however.
"This wasn't a 広大な／多数の／重要な 一連の会議、交渉／完成する for us, so we definitely need to do better," said Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
"We need to 陳列する，発揮する that our cars are 急速な／放蕩な and do a good 職業 on 炭坑，オーケストラ席 road and do the things we did all year. Definitely two good race 跡をつけるs coming up for us with Kansas and Texas and hopefully, we can get a 勝利，勝つ at one of those two race 跡をつけるs and go on with it."
A return to some 1.5-mile 跡をつけるs will be welcomed by many of the プレーオフ drivers. Harvick, Hamlin, Logano and Bowman are the only drivers with victories at both Kansas and next week's 発生地, Texas モーター Speedway, however, seven of the eight drivers have won at one of the 跡をつけるs. Only Bowman is still looking for his first career 勝利，勝つ at Kansas, Texas and Martinsville.
"I don't know if we are やむを得ず taking a different approach," the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Chase Elliott said of trying to earn his first 選手権 4 適切な時期.
"I think we're just trying to build on what we've been working on over the past few years. I feel like every year we've been の近くに we just 港／避難所't bee n able to get over that hump and really 主張する ourselves の中で that 最高の，を越す group. I feel like we've been 権利 there. I feel like we're very 有能な of it.
"Just those little inconsistencies and some bad race 跡をつけるs have been our biggest problems. So we're trying to be a little more 一貫した everywhere. I think it's a goal. ... You can't have bad 跡をつけるs at this level and the guys who 勝利，勝つ often and 勝利，勝つ all the time and run 井戸／弁護士席 don't have any bad 跡をつけるs. It's certainly possible and that's just where we have to get to. The reality is that's the only way to 競う with them and I think we're 有能な of doing it."
XFINITY KICKS OFF ROUND OF 8 AT KANSAS
After a winless 開始 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series プレーオフs, 正規の／正選手 season 支持する／優勝者 Austin Cindric is eager for the three race 発生地s that 構成する this all-important semifinal countdown 部分 of the プレーオフ schedule.
Cindric 関係 Ross Chastain with nine 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in 10 races this season on 1.5-mile 跡をつけるs such as Kansas Speedway, where the series 再開するs プレーオフ 競争 Saturday night in the Kansas 宝くじ 300 (7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 無線で通信する).
In fact, eight of Cindric's nine 最高の，を越す-10 成果／努力s were 最高の，を越す-five finishes- three of them 勝利，勝つs (twice at Kentucky and once at Texas). The driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford is putting up an impressive 普通の／平均（する） finish of 4.35 on these 1.5-mile 跡をつけるs and he'll need every bit of that 信用／信任 this week as enters this プレーオフ 一連の会議、交渉／完成する second in the standings, 10 points behind the season's eight-race 勝利者 Chase Briscoe.
の中で the eight drivers who have 前進するd this far - Briscoe, Cindric, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley, Chastain and Ryan Sieg - the 1.5-mile 跡をつけるs have predominantly been the 最高潮の場面s of their season work. Seven of those drivers have earned 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in at least six of the 10 races at 1.5-milers. In 新規加入 to Cindric and Chastain, who have nine 最高の，を越す-10s, Briscoe has eight and Justin Allgaier and Justin Haley have seven each.
Brandon Jones, who has won the last two races at Kansas Speedway, 含むing a 劇の final （競技場の）トラック一周 pass for the 勝利，勝つ in July, is the only driver in the プレーオフ standings with a previous trip to Kansas' Victory 小道／航路. His 勝利，勝つ this summer was a nail-biting .405-second better than Cindric who had led a 支配するing 131 of the 175 （競技場の）トラック一周s - the most （競技場の）トラック一周s led at Kansas since Erik Jones paced the field for 186 （競技場の）トラック一周s in 2017 and finished 15th.
Jones has finished 11th or better in four of his last five Kansas starts and has been solid in the 早期に プレーオフ run with three finishes of 11th or better.
With 支援する-to-支援する 1.5-mile プレーオフ 発生地s - Kansas and then Texas モーター Speedway next week - this is the bread-and-butter of these drivers' 選手権 hopes. And the 統計（学） 示す there should be some tightly-contested races - in particular at these 発生地s - to decide which four drivers will 最終的に 前進する to earn a 発射 at the 選手権 4 in the Nov. 7 不死鳥／絶品 Raceway season finale.
With their work on the 1.5-mile 跡をつけるs, Briscoe and Cindric have to be considered the 激しい favorites coming into the 週末. Briscoe has already collected a プレーオフ 勝利，勝つ (at the Las Vegas プレーオフ opener) but didn't 得点する／非難する／２０ a 最高の，を越す-10 in the two races afterward at Talladega, 式の. and the Charlotte ROVAL. His best finish in three Kansas starts is third in last year's プレーオフ race.
"Our first trip there [to Kansas] was one of the worst races of the year," Briscoe said of his 14th-place finish in the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford at Kansas this summer. "We just 行方不明になるd the balance, but we've run 井戸／弁護士席 there in the past and we've come so far since then.
"I'm 確信して we we'll be good this time going 支援する. We know we need to 勝利，勝つ 早期に in this 一連の会議、交渉／完成する and lock ourselves into 不死鳥／絶品, but we can't make any 抱擁する mistakes to give away our points lead, so we went 支援する and 設立する some things to work on for this race. We're taking the car we won with at Vegas, so I feel really good about our chances of taking our Ford 業績／成果 Racing School Mustang to Victory 小道／航路 again."
Cindric finished sixth at both Las Vegas and on the ROVAL road course, but 34th at Talladega. His last 勝利，勝つs were 支援する-to-支援する in August at the Daytona Road Course and Road America. His best showing in three Kansas starts was that 走者-up 成果／努力 in July.
Although Briscoe's 勝利，勝つ at Las Vegas and Haley's 勝利，勝つ at Talladega earned them (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃 寝台／地位s to this part of the プレーオフ schedule, JR Motorsports driver Noah Gragson has 現実に put together the best three-race run の中で the 選手権 競争相手s. Gragson shows up in Kansas 階級d fourth, 35 points behind Briscoe, but he 得点する／非難する／２０d 最高の，を越す-five finishes at every race in this 開始 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of プレーオフ 競争.
The 22-year old was 走者-up to A.J. Allmendinger at the ROVAL last week and also second to Briscoe at Las Vegas. He finished third in the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet at Talladega. He has finishes of 13th and 15th in two previous Xfinity Series starts at Kansas and is still looking for his first career 最高の，を越す 10 at Texas.
Gragson's 退役軍人 JR Motorsports チーム仲間 Justin Allgaier, who sits third in the 選手権, 27 points behind Briscoe, 誇るs seven 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in 10 Kansas starts, 含むing three career-best fifth-place finishes at the 跡をつける. He has 10 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in 20 Texas starts with a career-best of third there in July.
GANDER TRUCKS RETURN AT KANSAS
The penultimate 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors トラックで運ぶ Series プレーオフs begins Saturday afternoon at Kansas Speedway with the Clean Harbors 200 (4 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 無線で通信する). It features a tightly-階級d field of 選手権-適格の drivers ready to earn an (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃 ticket into the 選手権 4 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to 決定する who hoists that season トロフィー.
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors トラックで運ぶ Series 正規の／正選手 season 支持する／優勝者 Austin Hill and three-race 勝利者 Sheldon Creed are tied in the points standings 長，率いるing into this 週末's race at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. Two-race 勝利者, 新人 Zane Smith and three-race 勝利者, 退役軍人 認める Enfinger are six and nine points behind, the 主要な pair それぞれ.
Brett Moffitt, the 2018 series 支持する／優勝者, is 階級d fifth only 12 points 支援する from the series lead, followed by Ben Rhodes (-14 points), 統治するing series champ Matt Crafton (-19) and 新人 Tyler Ankrum (-25 points). Moffitt and Ankrum are the only two drivers の中で the eight who have not won a race in 2020.
Of the プレーオフ drivers, Crafton has 多重の 勝利，勝つs at all three 跡をつけるs in this プレーオフ 一連の会議、交渉／完成する (Kansas Speedway, Texas モーター Speedway and Martinsville Speedway). He is the only driver の中で those eight 選手権 適格の competitors with victories at all three stops.
Crafton has an かつてない series best 示す of three victories at Kansas - the last coming in July. Hill won the 開始 half of the July doubleheader 週末 and is the only other racer の中で the プレーオフ eight who has a previous 勝利，勝つ at one of the 近づいている 跡をつけるs in this 一連の会議、交渉／完成する.
Both Hill, driver of the No. 16 Hattori Racing 企業s Toyota, and Creed, driver of the No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet, would like to raise their プレーオフ game. Hill - who leads the series in 最高の，を越す 10s (15) and 最高の，を越す fives (nine) - won at Las Vegas to 保証（人） his 位置／汚点／見つけ出す in this 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. But it was the only 最高の，を越す-10 finish he earned in the three races. He 衝突，墜落d out of the last プレーオフ race - in Talladega, 式の. two weeks ago - and finished 19th. Kansas Speedway has been good to him, however. He is the most 最近の 勝利者 and has 蓄積するd three 最高の，を越す-10 finishes at in four starts there, 主要な 85 （競技場の）トラック一周s.
Creed, who 誇るs the most 行う／開催する／段階 勝利，勝つs (seven) in the series this season, has struggled in the last month with only a 選び出す／独身 最高の，を越す 10 in the last five races (走者-up to Hill at Las Vegas). His best finish in three previous Kansas starts was eighth-place in the race Hill won this summer.
If Crafton is looking to make a bold 声明 in his 追求（する），探索（する） to tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. as the series' only four-time 支持する／優勝者s, this may 井戸／弁護士席 be the 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of プレーオフs he does that.
Not only does the driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford easily 誇る the best 跡をつける 記録，記録的な／記録する の中で the プレーオフ drivers for these 近づいている three 跡をつけるs, he shows up in Kansas this 週末 riding a four-race streak of 最高の，を越す-10 finishes, 含むing a 走者-up at Richmond Raceway. He's finished 最高の，を越す-10 at Kansas in eight of the last nine races there, 地位，任命するing three victories and another two 走者-up finishes in that （期間が）わたる.
の中で the eight with a 選手権 on the line, Enfinger is enjoying a stellar season - his three 勝利，勝つs in 2020, a career high. He's earned 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in the last six races in the No. 98 ThorSport Ford and has four 最高の，を越す-10 finishes in five Kansas Speedway races. His best work - third place - （機の）カム at both races this July.
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Hollywood Casino 400
The Place: Kansas Speedway
The Date: Sunday, October 18
The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 2 p.m. ET
無線で通信する: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR 無線で通信する
Distance: 400.5 miles (267 （競技場の）トラック一周s); 行う／開催する／段階 1 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 80),
行う／開催する／段階 2 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 160), Final 行う／開催する／段階 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 267)
What To Watch For: The 2020 season 示すs the first time Kansas Speedway has hosted the seventh race of the NASCAR Cup Series プレーオフs and the first race of the 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of 8. ... Since the inception of the プレーオフs in 2004, Kansas Speedway has 占領するd five different positions on the プレーオフ schedule - from 2004, 2005, 2011, 2013 and 2014 Kansas hosted the fourth race in the プレーオフs, from 2006-2010 Kansas hosted the third race in the プレーオフs, from 2015 to 2016 Kansas hosted the fifth race of the postseason and from 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Kansas hosted the sixth race of the プレーオフs. ... Kansas Speedway is the fourth different 跡をつける to host the seventh race in the NASCAR Cup Series プレーオフs; joining Atlanta モーター Speedway (2004-2008), Talladega Superspeedway (2009-2010) and Martinsville Spee dway (2011-2019). ... A total of 11 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series プレーオフ races at Kansas Speedway. Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2011), Kevin Harvick (2013, 2016), Joey Logano (2014, 2015), Greg Biffle (2007, 2010) and Tony Stewart (2006, 2009) lead the series in プレーオフ 勝利，勝つs at Kansas Speedway with two each. ... Twice the 勝利者 of the NASCAR Cup Series プレーオフ race at Kansas Speedway has gone on to 勝利，勝つ the 肩書を与える that same season: 2008 (Jimmie Johnson) and 2017 (ツバメ Truex Jr.). ... The worst finish in a プレーオフ race at Kansas Speedway by a driver that went on to 勝利，勝つ the 肩書を与える later that same season was 15th by Tony Stewart in 2011. Last season's 支持する／優勝者, Kyle Busch, finished third in the Kansas プレーオフ race. ... In total Kansas Speedway has hosted 29 NASCAR Cup Series races dating 支援する to 就任の event on September 30, 2001. The race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon 運動ing a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. ... The 29 Cup Series races at Kansas have produced 16 different 政治家 勝利者s and 15 different race 勝利者s. Stewart-Haas Racing's Kevin Harvick leads the series 政治家s at Kansas with five (プレーオフ race 2013, 2014 sweep, spring 2018 and spring 2019). ... Four drivers are tied for the series-most 勝利，勝つs at Kansas Speedway with three 勝利，勝つs each - Jeff Gordon (2001, 2002, 2014), Kevin Harvick (2013, 2016, 2018), Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2011, 2015) and Denny Hamlin (2012, 2019, 2020).
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Kansas 宝くじ 300
The Place: Kansas Speedway
The Date: Saturday, October 17
The Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 6:30 p.m. ET
無線で通信する: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR 無線で通信する
Distance: 300 miles (200 （競技場の）トラック一周s); 行う／開催する／段階 1 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 45),
行う／開催する／段階 2 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 90), Final 行う／開催する／段階 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 200)
What To Watch For: Since the inception of the NASCAR Xfinity Series プレーオフs in 2016, Kansas Speedway has hosted the fourth race in the postseason, the first race of the 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of 8. The previous four NASCAR Xfinity Series プレーオフ races at K ansas have produced four different 勝利者s - three of the four were 非，不，無-プレーオフ drivers: Kyle Busch in 2016 (Cup 競争相手), Christopher Bell in 2017 (トラックで運ぶ 競争相手), John H. Nemechek was 階級d 16th in Xfinity points on a part-time schedule in 2018. Last season's 勝利者 was a プレーオフ driver, but Brandon Jones was 階級d 10th in the points at the time of the 勝利，勝つ after 存在 除去するd in 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of 12. Jones is the only active driver this 週末 at Kansas with a previous 勝利，勝つ at the 1.5-mile 施設. ... Jones is not only looking to 勝利，勝つ this 週末 to get the (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃 企て，努力，提案 to the 選手権 4 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, but also because he would like to join his fellow JGR チーム仲間 Kyle Busch (2014, 2015, 2016) as just the second driver in series history to 勝利，勝つ three 連続した races at Kansas Speedway. ... In total Kansas Speedway has hosted 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series races producing 15 different 政治家 勝利者s and 15 different race 勝利者s. ... Kyle Busch leads the series in 勝利，勝つs (four), 最高の，を越す fives (eight), 最高の，を越す 10s (10) and （競技場の）トラック一周s led (544). ... Matt Kenseth leads the series 政治家s at Kansas with three.
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors トラックで運ぶ Series
Next Race: Clean Harbors 200
The Place: Kansas Speedway
The Date: Saturday, October 17
The Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 3:30 p.m. ET
無線で通信する: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR 無線で通信する
Distance: 201 miles (134 （競技場の）トラック一周s); 行う／開催する／段階 1 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 30),
行う／開催する／段階 2 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 60), Final 行う／開催する／段階 (Ends on （競技場の）トラック一周 134)
What To Watch For: The 2020 season 示すs the first time Kansas Speedway has hosted the fourth race in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors トラックで運ぶ Series プレーオフs. Kansas is the third different 跡をつける to host the fourth race in the Gander トラックで運ぶs プレーオフs joining Martinsville Speedway (2016-2018) and Talladega Superspeedway (2019). ... The fourth race in the プレーオフs has produced three different 勝利者s led by ThorSport Racing's Johnny Sauter, who was a プレーオフ driver at the time of the two victories (Martinsville 2016, 2018). The other two Playof fs races were won by 非，不，無-プレーオフ drivers - Noah Gragson won the 2017 Martinsville Speedway プレーオフ race and he was 17th in points at the time, and Spencer Boyd won the Talladega Superspeedway プレーオフ race in 2019 and he was 17th in points at the time of the 勝利，勝つ. ... In total Kansas Speedway has hosted 21 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors トラックで運ぶ Series races dating 支援する to the 就任の event on July 7, 2001 - the race was won by Ricky Hendrick, son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. ... The 21 Gander トラックで運ぶ races at Kansas have produced 15 different 政治家 勝利者s and 18 different race 勝利者s. ... NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. leads the series in 政治家s at Kansas with three. ... 2020 プレーオフ 競争相手 and ThorSport Racing 退役軍人 Matt Crafton leads the series in 勝利，勝つs (three), 最高の，を越す fives (seven) and 最高の，を越す 10s (12). ... Johnny Sauter (2010), Austin Hill (2020) and Matt Crafton (2013, 2015, 2020) are the only former 勝利者s entered this 週末 at Kansas Speedway.
--By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service, special to Field Level マスコミ
