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By Kathy Sheldon
The low downforce package makes its debut at Kansas Speedway in Saturday night's GoBowling 400, and drivers were pleased with that.
With practice and qualifying during the day and the race at night, the event could hold some surprises. Here's everything you need to know about the event.
The low downforce package makes its debut at Kansas Speedway in Saturday night's GoBowling 400, and drivers were pleased with that.
With practice and qualifying during the day and the race at night, the event could hold some surprises. Here's everything you need to know about the event.
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At a Glance:
Where: Kansas Speedway, 1.5-mile tri-oval in Kansas City, Kansas
Green flag: 7:47 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FS1, MRN SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: Partly Cloudy, High of 85/Low of 60 (10 percent chance of precipitation)
National anthem: Mary Ann Hotaling
Grand Marshal: George Brett, MLB Hall of Famer & former Kansas City Royal
Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles
Pit road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 55 mph
Where: Kansas Speedway, 1.5-mile tri-oval in Kansas City, Kansas
Green flag: 7:47 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FS1, MRN SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: Partly Cloudy, High of 85/Low of 60 (10 percent chance of precipitation)
National anthem: Mary Ann Hotaling
Grand Marshal: George Brett, MLB Hall of Famer & former Kansas City Royal
Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles
Pit road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 55 mph
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Hometown hopes
Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray all hail from the Midwest, and none of them have a win at Kansas Speedway.
Here are their records at their home track:
Clint Bowyer: Two top fives, five top 10s in 15 Sprint Cup starts
Carl Edwards: Six top fives, 12 top 10s in 17 starts
Jamie McMurray: Three top-10 finishes in 18 starts
'Winning here would be more special to me than the Daytona 500,' Edwards said.
Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray all hail from the Midwest, and none of them have a win at Kansas Speedway.
Here are their records at their home track:
Clint Bowyer: Two top fives, five top 10s in 15 Sprint Cup starts
Carl Edwards: Six top fives, 12 top 10s in 17 starts
Jamie McMurray: Three top-10 finishes in 18 starts
'Winning here would be more special to me than the Daytona 500,' Edwards said.
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Downforce lowdown
The low downforce package comes to Kansas, and Carl Edwards is a fan. After one practice session, he is excited about what he's seen.
'I cannot thank NASCAR enough for making these changes. We went through all those tests last year, tried everything. NASCAR came back with the low downforce package, and I think it's really paid off. The racing's just more fun.'
The low downforce package comes to Kansas, and Carl Edwards is a fan. After one practice session, he is excited about what he's seen.
'I cannot thank NASCAR enough for making these changes. We went through all those tests last year, tried everything. NASCAR came back with the low downforce package, and I think it's really paid off. The racing's just more fun.'
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Sore spot for Kyle
Kyle Busch has checked a lot of boxes: Sprint Cup Champion, beater of odds, essentially locked in for 2016 Chase. But one box that still remains is a win at Kansas Speedway.
Kansas, Charlotte and Pocono are the only tracks where the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver has yet to visit Victory Lane. Busch's average finish is a mere 20.4 at Kansas. Is this the year he cracks the code?
Kyle Busch has checked a lot of boxes: Sprint Cup Champion, beater of odds, essentially locked in for 2016 Chase. But one box that still remains is a win at Kansas Speedway.
Kansas, Charlotte and Pocono are the only tracks where the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver has yet to visit Victory Lane. Busch's average finish is a mere 20.4 at Kansas. Is this the year he cracks the code?
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Test for Ganassi
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Jamie McMurray says Saturday's GoBowling 400 will be important for both his No. 1 team and Kyle Larson's No. 42 team in terms of improving their 1.5-mile program.
'This weekend will be a big weekend,' McMurray said Friday. 'We've made some really big steps, I feel like, heading into Kansas, set-up wise. They've learned quite a bit of stuff in the wind tunnel that we are going to apply this weekend that I think will make a big difference.'
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Jamie McMurray says Saturday's GoBowling 400 will be important for both his No. 1 team and Kyle Larson's No. 42 team in terms of improving their 1.5-mile program.
'This weekend will be a big weekend,' McMurray said Friday. 'We've made some really big steps, I feel like, heading into Kansas, set-up wise. They've learned quite a bit of stuff in the wind tunnel that we are going to apply this weekend that I think will make a big difference.'
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A Kansas Yankee?
Former Rookie of the Year Bruce Hill visited Kansas Speedway Friday to spend time with AJ Allmendinger, whose Darlington throwback ride will honor 66-year-old Hill.
'I was telling somebody this morning that if somebody would have told me back then that there would eventually be a speedway in Kansas I would have told them they needed a straightjacket,' Hill said on Friday. '... I came from Kansas, they called me a Yankee. I had to laugh.'
Former Rookie of the Year Bruce Hill visited Kansas Speedway Friday to spend time with AJ Allmendinger, whose Darlington throwback ride will honor 66-year-old Hill.
'I was telling somebody this morning that if somebody would have told me back then that there would eventually be a speedway in Kansas I would have told them they needed a straightjacket,' Hill said on Friday. '... I came from Kansas, they called me a Yankee. I had to laugh.'