Why Rick Hendrick’s 3 playoff stars are firm favorites for the upcoming NASCAR playoff race at Kansas
Hendrick Motorsports is poised to make a significant impact at NASCAR’s upcoming stop at Kansas Speedway this weekend. The race is especially crucial for the team’s three playoff drivers—Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron—who are all striving to secure their spots in the Round of 8.
Chase Elliott, the driver of the #9 Chevrolet Camaro, enters the Hollywood Casino 400 with the best average finish among active drivers at Kansas Speedway, posting an impressive 10.4. Elliott’s best finish at this track was a victory in 2018, his third season competing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Kyle Larson, meanwhile, holds the second-best average finish on the list with a 12.4, tied with fellow playoff contender Christopher Bell. Larson has an edge over Bell, however, due to his three wins in the #5 Chevy at the Kansas tri-oval, also known as The Sunflower State. William Byron, driving the #24 car, ranks seventh with an average finish of 14.5. Despite 15 starts at Kansas, Byron is still seeking his first victory at this venue.
Overall, Hendrick Motorsports leads the field with 10 wins at the 1.5-mile track. The team also holds several all-time track records, including seven pole positions, 49 top-5 finishes, 90 top-10 finishes, 2,462 laps led, and 11 stage wins, underscoring their strong performance history at Kansas.
Heading into the race, Byron and Larson sit second and third in the playoff standings, with comfortable cushions of 47 and 41 points above the cutline, respectively. They trail Ryan Blaney, who secured his spot in the Round of 8 last weekend after winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Elliott, the 2020 NASCAR champion, is seventh in the standings with a 14-point buffer above the cutline. Following him is Chase Briscoe, at +12 points. Drivers currently below the cutline include Ross Chastain (-12), Austin Cindric (-19), Tyler Reddick (-23), and Bubba Wallace (-27).
The Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway is scheduled for September 28 at 3:00 p.m. ET. This race marks the second event of the Round of 12, preceding the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course, where four drivers will face elimination from the playoffs.
### Kyle Larson Reflects on New Hampshire Performance, Eyes Improvement
Though Hendrick Motorsports had a strong showing last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson expressed a desire for even better results. Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, was optimistic about the #5 Chevrolet Camaro’s performance early on but noted the car struggled in the later stages of the race.
“I thought it was a good day for the #5 Chevrolet team,” Larson said. “At times, I thought we were the third- or fourth-best car, and then just on cycled tires and right-sides, I just wasn’t as good on those runs. We’ll just look at that and see what we can learn from it. But all-in-all, it was a great day. It was a great points day with getting points in both stages. We want more, but it was a pretty solid day and start to the Round of 12.”
Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag at New Hampshire, with Josh Berry finishing second, followed by William Byron, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, and Christopher Bell. Larson ended up seventh, and the top 10 was rounded out by Michael McDowell, Ross Chastain, and Chase Briscoe.
With Kansas Speedway on the horizon, Hendrick Motorsports looks ready to leverage its track success and playoff momentum to make a strong push toward advancing deeper into the championship rounds.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/why-rick-hendrick-s-3-playoff-stars-firm-favorites-upcoming-nascar-playoff-race-kansas
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