| No. | Driver | Sponsor | Make | Organization |
| 00 | Landon Cassill | University of Richmond | Chevrolet | StarCom Racing |
| 1 | Kurt Busch | Monster Energy | Chevrolet | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | Discount Tire | Ford | Team Penske |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Okuma | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | Mobil 1 | Ford | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 6 | Ryan Newman | TBA | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 8 | Daniel Hemric | Caterpillar | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | NAPA | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | Smithfield | Ford | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | FedEx Office | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney | Menards/Richmond | Ford | Team Penske |
| 13 | Ty Dillon | GEICO | Chevrolet | Germain Racing |
| 14 | Clint Bowyer | CSU / One Care | Ford | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 15 | Ross Chastain | TBA | Chevrolet | Premium Motorsports |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Fastenal | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | M&M’s Hazelnut | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Bass Pro Shops | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 20 | Erik Jones | Craftsman | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 21 | Paul Menard | Motorcraft / Quick Lane | Ford | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Shell Pennzoil | Ford | Team Penske |
| 24 | William Byron | Liberty University | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 27 | Quin Houff | TBD | Chevrolet | Premium Motorsports |
| 32 | Corey LaJoie | CorvetteParts.net | Ford | Go Fas Racing |
| 34 | Michael McDowell | Long John Silver’s | Ford | Front Row Motorsports |
| 36 | Matt Tifft | Surface Sunscreen | Ford | Front Row Motorsports |
| 37 | Chris Buescher | Kroger Fast Lane to Flavor | Chevrolet | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 38 | David Ragan | MDS Trucking | Ford | Front Row Motorsports |
| 41 | Daniel Suarez | Haas Automation | Ford | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 42 | Kyle Larson | Credit One Bank | Chevrolet | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 43 | Bubba Wallace | Victory Junction | Chevrolet | Richard Petty Motorsports |
| 47 | Ryan Preece | Kroger | Chevrolet | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Ally | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 51 | Austin Theriault | Jacob Companies | Ford | Petty Ware Racing |
| 52 | Garrett Smithley | Honest Abe Roofing | Ford | Rick Ware Racing |
| 53 | Spencer Boyd | AQRE.app | Ford | Rick Ware Racing |
| 77 | Reed Sorenson | TBA | Chevrolet | Spire Motorsports |
| 88 | Alex Bowman | Nationwide | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | Toyota Express Maintenance | Toyota | Leavine Family Racing |
With one race down in the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, the 16-driver field already has some competitors sweating their postseason positioning while others surprisingly find themselves on the right side of the bubble … for now.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw four playoff drivers finish 19th or worse, including the regular-season champion, so NASCAR.com’s Pat DeCola and Terrin Waack make their cases for which drivers are most likely to rally after a poor opener heading to Richmond Raceway (Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
RELATED: Playoff Pulse: Who’s up, down | Full Las Vegas results
DeCOLA: Martin Truex Jr. was the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver smiling after Sunday night’s Las Vegas race, but I suspect the powerhouse organization will rebound in a big way on Saturday night in Virginia. Erik Jones is the one that needs a spark the most, as our current last-place playoff driver.
The victim of some serious bad luck lately, Jones feels more like the driver who won at Darlington than the driver with a best finish of 18th in the other four of his past five races.
JGR has shown dominance at Richmond in the past and his above-average history there combined with a bit of desperation make me think he’ll be a lot closer to making the Round of 12 after the checkered flag falls this weekend.
WAACK: The fire has been lit, so watch out or get burned. Kyle Busch is going to Richmond with a vengeance. The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota ended up 19th at Las Vegas, his fourth-worst finish of the entire season. He also dropped from the top spot in the championship standings to fourth, which ties his lowest rank in 2019.
Safe to say he isn’t happy — proof can be found here, here and here — and an unhappy Busch is a motivated Busch. Kind of like the one who has won at Richmond six times and twice in the past three Cup races alone. Or the one who has averaged a 7.0 finish at the 0.75-mile track in Virginia.
Busch has made the Championship 4 every year since his championship in 2015. Las Vegas was just a bump in the road for the 2019 regular-season champion.
To kick off Las Vegas Motor Speedway weekend and the first race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Mobil 1™ gave fans the opportunity to spin the reels on the Mobil 1 250K Mile Slot Machine inside the MGM Grand Casino last week. This unique pop-up experience also had special, surprise appearances from Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer.
To play, fans inserted a bottle of conventional motor oil into the machine, in an attempt to win one of 10 prizes valued at $250.
Harvick and Bowyer took turns hiding inside the large slot machine, signing personalized items for the winners, while a hidden camera caught the excited reactions of fans. For select $250 winners, the drivers emerged from the machine to offer congratulations and give prizes. You can watch the reactions on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @mobil1, and learn more at mobiloil.com.
PHOTOS: Go behind the scenes at the event
“The slot machine was pretty interesting and I can’t say that I’ve ever thought about stepping inside one, but there’s a first time for everything.” said Harvick. “Mobil 1 is such a good technical partner and sponsor, and it was a great way to show the benefits of synthetic oil over conventional oil. I’ve used synthetic for more than 25 years, and I’ve seen it help with my horsepower and performance.”
“We were excited to see race fans at the MGM Grand test their luck at our custom slot machine and meet Kevin and Clint ahead of the Las Vegas race weekend,” said Michele Biamonte, North America Consumer Marketing Manager North America.
The NASCAR Playoffs continue Saturday at 7 p.m. ET as the Monster Energy Series is at Richmond Raceway for the Federated Auto Parts 400 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Nashville and NASCAR are coming together for a celebration fit for a champion (literally), and you don’t want to miss it. You don’t have to miss it, either.
Music City will play host to NASCAR Champion’s Week, a celebration filled with more fan interactions than ever before, music, race cars, driver appearances and much more from Dec. 3-5.
The Champion’s Week-closing Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards will take place Dec. 5 starting at 6:00 pm CT at the Music City Center. For the first time, access to the Awards and a reserved location on the Red Carpet will be available to the general public. You can secure your exclusive fan package by visiting www.nascar.com/championsweek.
The Awards will celebrate the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion as well as honor the top drivers and performers from the season.
Prior to the Awards, fans can attend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Red Carpet at the Music City Center. There is nothing like seeing drivers and their families, as well as industry executives and celebrities, walk the walk under the lights.
The 2019 NASCAR Awards serve as the capstone of the week, but there’s plenty of fan-focused activity over three days.
• It starts on Tuesday, Dec. 3, with NASCAR Night at the Opry Hosted by PNC Bank. From 9:30 PM CT at Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry will put on a unique show infused with a NASCAR flavor.
• It wouldn’t be Champion’s Week without autograph sessions with your favorite playoff driver, either. Throughout the three-day event in Nashville, there will be various opportunities to get autographs from your favorite drivers and other NASCAR personalities.
• The streets of Nashville will host “Burnouts on Broadway” on Dec. 4 from 6-8 p.m. CT. All 16 of the Monster Energy Series Playoffs drivers will take on the neon-lit streets to put on a show you have to see to believe.
• Champion’s Week wouldn’t be complete without a Fan Fest, featuring the race cars of all 16 playoffs drivers, partner displays and activations, amplified social media engagement as well as other programming and content.
For more information, visit: www.nascar.com/championsweek.
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kurt Busch called Sunday’s hard wreck into the wall at Las Vegas Motor Speedway a “devastating blow” — and one that significantly impacts his playoff standing.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver made contact with eventual race winner Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott, which caused a tire rub and sent his No. 1 Chevrolet hard into the wall on Lap 188.
The veteran and 2004 series champion finished last in the 39-car field.
Devastating blow. But we are fighters, and if we execute the way we’re capable of, and keep the car clean, we’ll be fine.
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) September 16, 2019
RELATED: How Vegas shook up playoff picture
The poor points day dropped Busch from eighth in the standings to 14th with two races remaining in the Round of 16. Following the Charlotte Roval race on Sept. 29, four drivers will be eliminated from the postseason field.
Busch currently is 14 points behind the cutline, but as he also noted in his tweet, the entire No. 1 team “are fighters” and have produced fast race cars.
The team will have its opportunity for redemption Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, where Busch has two wins in 37 career starts.
Dylan Lupton placed 10th in the World of Westgate 200 on Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Austin Hill earned the checkered flag in the race, with Ross Chastain finishing second, and Christian Eckes crossing the finish line third. Sheldon Creed took fourth place, followed by Todd Gilliland to round out the top five.
Chastain swept the first two stages in the race.
Lupton qualified in 17th position at 175.473 mph.
The second-year driver still is looking for career win No. 1, but owns one top-five finish and three finishes in the top 10.
There were 32 cars in the field and the race endured six cautions and 32 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 21 lead changes.
With Hill finishing out front in Shigeaki Hattori’s Tundra, Toyota added 40 points to its season totals. Overall, Toyota ranks No. 1 with 710 points, followed by Chevrolet in the No. 2 spot with 696. Ford sits at No. 3 with 628 points on the season.
Ryan Truex finished 14th in the Rhino Pro Truck Outfitters 300 on Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Tyler Reddick earned the checkered flag in the race, with Christopher Bell finishing second, and Brandon Jones placing third. Cole Custer took fourth place, followed by Justin Allgaier in the No. 5 spot.
Bell won both Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Truex qualified in 22nd position at 173.628 mph.
The sixth-year driver still is looking for career victory No. 1, boasts four top-five finishes and 23 finishes in the top 10.
Truex battled 37 other cars in the field and the race saw four cautions and 20 caution laps. There were 13 lead changes before the checkered flag.
With Reddick driving to victory in Richard Childress’ Camaro, Chevrolet added 40 points to its season totals. Overall, Toyota ranks No. 1 with 933 points, followed by Chevrolet in the No. 2 spot with 933. Ford sits at No. 3 with 919 points on the season.
Elliott Sadler finished 10th in the Rhino Pro Truck Outfitters 300 on Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Tyler Reddick earned the checkered flag in the race, with Christopher Bell finishing second, and Brandon Jones placing third. Cole Custer took fourth place, followed by Justin Allgaier in the No. 5 spot.
Bell won both Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Sadler qualified in eighth position at 179.146 mph.
The 22nd-year driver has tallied 13 career victories, 106 top-five finishes and has placed in the top 10 in 227 races.
There were 38 cars in the field and the race endured four cautions and 20 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 13 lead changes.
With Reddick driving to victory in Richard Childress’ Camaro, Chevrolet added 40 points to its season totals. Overall, Toyota ranks No. 1 with 933 points, followed by Chevrolet in the No. 2 spot with 933. Ford sits at No. 3 with 919 points on the season.
Brandon Jones crossed the finish line third in the Rhino Pro Truck Outfitters 300 on Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
It’s Jones’ fourth top-five finish of the season.
Tyler Reddick finished out front in the race, with Christopher Bell taking second. Cole Custer brought home fourth place, followed by Justin Allgaier in the No. 5 spot.
Bell won each of the first two stages.
Jones qualified in sixth position at 180.313 mph.
The fifth-year driver still is looking for career victory No. 1, but owns seven top-five finishes and 47 finishes in the top 10.
There were 38 cars in the field and the race endured four cautions and 20 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 13 lead changes.
With Reddick driving to victory in Richard Childress’ Camaro, Chevrolet added 40 points to its season totals. Overall, Toyota ranks No. 1 with 933 points, followed by Chevrolet in the No. 2 spot with 933. Ford sits at No. 3 with 919 points on the season.
Austin Dillon placed 12th in the South Point 400 on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Martin Truex Jr. earned the checkered flag in the race, with Kevin Harvick taking second, and Brad Keselowski placing third. Chase Elliott took fourth place, followed by Ryan Blaney in the No. 5 spot.
Joey Logano picked up 10 bonus points by winning Stage 1, and Truex finished out front in Stage 2.
Dillon qualified in seventh position at 177.317 mph.
The ninth-year driver has tallied two career victories, 11 top-five finishes and has placed in the top 10 in 38 races.
Dillon battled 38 other cars in the field and the race endured four cautions and 22 caution laps. There were 24 lead changes before the checkered flag.
With Truex driving to victory in Joe Gibbs Racing’s Camry, Toyota added 40 points to its season totals. Overall, Toyota ranks No. 1 with 988 points, followed by Ford in the No. 2 spot with 958. Chevrolet sits at No. 3 with 916 points on the season.
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