Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Ben Rhodes battled an ill-handling truck all night and wound up 25th, two laps down at Kansas Speedway on Friday night. Matt DiBenedetto stormed to a third-place finish in the Kansas Lottery 200.

And yet the two Round of 10 contenders ended up on opposite sides of the elimination line as the first round of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs came to a close: Rhodes advanced to the Round of 8 by a scant five points, while DiBenedetto was ousted from the postseason grid along with Matt Crafton, who was 11 points shy of advancing.

MORE: Race results | At-track photos

Rhodes, the 2021 series champion, qualified sixth and was inside the top five early, but the handling quickly faded on his No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford before he slapped the outside SAFER barrier exiting Turn 4, hampering any chance of contending for a win.

Rhodes entered the night three points behind Nick Sanchez for the final transfer spot in the playoffs — and nine points behind teammate Crafton. But Crafton’s dismal night — a crash in practice forced him to start from the rear in a backup truck before further wall contact mid-race ended his hopes of a fourth championship — buoyed both Sanchez and Rhodes.

While Rhodes’ title hopes are alive and well, his smile and laughs through his post-race comments simply masked his disappointment.

“Realistically, I should be happy, but I said it before — the expectation’s to move on,” Rhodes said. “The expectation’s to be in the (Championship) 4. So meeting the expectation, I don’t think, is really a cause to celebrate. We’re just kind of moving to the next round. Celebrating is, I think, reserved for the championship or for a race win. Right now, we’re just heads down; we’ve got to keep grinding. Just because we made it, we can’t lose sight now.”

On the other end of the spectrum was DiBenedetto, whose third-place finish tied his season-best result. Rhodes’ points cushion was just enough to force DiBenedetto into a must-win situation heading into the final restart, which came with two laps to go.

DiBenedetto restarted as the fourth truck on the outside lane, choosing from the seventh position. He stormed to fourth as the front-runners jostled three-wide for the win ahead of him. He could clearly see the checkered flag ahead of him, but so too were trucks driven by Christian Eckes and Taylor Gray, keeping DiBenedetto from advancing to the Round of 8.

“I mean, I’m proud of the finish and the effort and the solid truck and the solid race, all the effort of my team,” DiBenedetto said. “Proud of that, but gosh, just have a lot of mixed emotions right now. Just stinks. I don’t want to look in the rear-view mirror too much, but it stinks we had our issue at Milwaukee because then we’d be in the next round, and I would’ve been like, ‘heck yeah, a strong third-place run going to Bristol.’ But what can I do? All we can do is just go try and win them now.”

DiBenedetto, who announced Aug. 30 he will not return to the No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet in 2024, said the problem at the Milwaukee Mile on Aug. 27 was a “little failure” that was found at the shop after the race that explained why they struggled en route to a 27th-place finish, two laps down.

“At least we understood why we were way off, but it stinks it happened because it set us back in points. And then we made back up a bunch of them tonight and got a third, but oh well.”

A free agent for next season, DiBenedetto admitted the past couple of years have been a “roller coaster,” one that saw him grind in the Cup Series with mid-to-back-of-the-pack organizations before an opportunity to drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford for two years before the team went another direction with driver Harrison Burton.

“I don’t know. I have a lot of mixed, odd emotions and stuff going through my head,” he said. “It’s been an interesting couple or few years in life. I’ve kind of gotten passed up on a lot of opportunities as far as when there’s a lot of seats open and people out, things like that. It’s just been a tough couple years in life and general, I would say.

“I’m very thankful here and where I’m at. It’s just been a roller coaster of emotions as far as just, I’ve had a lot of career change, life change and lots of things. But ultimately, I’m just grateful. I’ve got to be just grateful for getting to drive in circles for a living.”

For Rhodes and seven others, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs reset, with the opening slate of the Round of 8 set for Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway (9 ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Reid Spencer

KANSAS City, Kan. – Christian Eckes grabbed the lead on the final restart and stole a victory in Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 200, the Round of 10 elimination race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

In a three-wide battle for the lead against Corey Heim and Zane Smith, Eckes led only the final two laps to secure his third victory of the season, his first at Kansas Speedway and the fourth of his career.

RELATED: Race results | Weekend schedule

In a last-lap scramble that saw Smith get loose, turn sideways and fade to fifth, Taylor Gray finished second, 0.363 seconds behind Eckes. Matt DiBenedetto ran third in a valiant effort to earn a berth in the Round of 8.

But with Ben Rhodes finishing 25th after securing a total of 11 points in the first two stages, Rhodes claimed the final spot in the next round by five points over DiBenedetto.

DiBenedetto is out of his ride at the end of the year, too, having announced that he has decided not to return to the No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet next season. DiBenedetto added that he is looking for opportunities in all three of NASCAR’s national series.

Also eliminated from the playoffs was Matt Crafton, who had to go to a reserve truck after running over debris and wrecking in practice earlier in the day. Crafton’s No. 88 Ford slapped the wall on Lap 69 of Friday’s race, and after attempted repairs, he finished 33rd, nine laps down and 11 points out of the Round of 8.

Christian Eckes lays down a burnout on the start/finish line at Kansas Speedway
Kyle Rivas | Getty Images

Heim, who finished fourth, had the lead when the trucks of Rajah Caruth and Tanner Gray collided on the frontstretch on Lap 127 to cause the fifth and final caution.

“That was wild,” Eckes said after climbing from his truck. “I didn’t know if I was going to win it or not. We had, like, a sixth-place truck all day, but when that caution came out, I knew we had a shot at it, and here we are.

“We haven’t won in a real long time — so I wanted to set a tone. Went all the way to the Round of 10 — second, third, first (in the first three playoff races). So can’t beat that. Proud of all these guys.”

MORE: At-track photos: Kansas

DiBenedetto would have advanced with a victory but came up two positions short.

“Honestly, this team fought so hard, worked their tail off to give me a good-looking truck and a good-handling truck all night,” DiBenedetto said. “So, man, we made the most of it, for sure. Just so thankful for these guys and (sponsor) Rackley Roofing.”

Carson Hocevar came home sixth, followed by Stewart Friesen and Nick Sanchez, who took the lead from pole winner Chase Purdy and won the first 30-lap stage wire-to-wire. Hocevar edged Sanches for the Stage 2 win.

Seventeenth-place finisher Grant Enfinger and 18th-place Ty Majeski already had earned spots in the Round of 8 with victories in the first two Playoff races, and Eckes and Heim already were in on points. Hocevar clinched his place in the next round with a ninth-place result in Stage 1, with Smith, Sanchez and Rhodes advancing on points on Friday night.

Sanchez led a race-high 43 laps, followed by Heim with 40 and Hocevar with 32.

The Craftsman Truck Series’ next race is scheduled Thursday (9 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 200-lap event will open the three-race Round of 8, which will determine the final four drivers who will race for the championship in the Nov. 3 finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Note: Inspection in the Craftsman Truck Series garage was completed without major issue, confirming Eckes as the winner. The No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet, driven to a 31st-place finish by Spencer Boyd, was found with one unsecured lug nut in a post-race check, which should result in competition officials fining the team’s crew chief in next week’s penalty report.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR officials penalized the 23XI Racing No. 23 Toyota team Friday after the car failed NASCAR Cup Series pre-race inspection twice at Kansas Speedway.

RELATED: Weekend schedule | What to Watch: Kansas

Zachary Marquardt, car chief for the No. 23 team and driver Bubba Wallace, was ejected for the remainder of the race weekend. The team will also forfeit pit-stall selection for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM, NBC Sports App), the second of 10 races in the Cup Series Playoffs.

Wallace is the defending race winner for Sunday’s 400-miler. He is also ranked 13th in the 16-driver postseason grid, just one point below the provisional elimination line with two races (at Kansas and Bristol) before the field is trimmed.

Toyota teams have won three consecutive races, and six of the last eight at the 1.5-mile Kansas track.

Posted on by Cara Cooper

When Berlin Raceway wraps up its 2023 season Saturday, Limited Late Model division driver Denny Anderson will conclude his 50th year of racing.

Anderson began competing in 1970 when he was 17. Other than a two-year break in the early 2000s, he’s been behind the wheel every summer since.

Anderson’s dad started taking him to the racetrack when he was about 10, and from then on, he said, “I couldn’t stay away from the place.”

Though he was a talented baseball player in high school, his heart was at the track.

“I gave all that up just to go to the race track,” he said. “Kind of crazy, huh? “The speed, the noise, the sound, the people. It’s a lot crazier than baseball, more fun I guess. It’s hard to say.”

STREAMING: Watch Berlin’s championship night live on FloRacing

Anderson went between dirt and asphalt tracks through the early parts of his career, and he eventually found a home at Berlin in the 1980s. He won his only track title at the NASCAR Home Track located in Marne, Michigan in 1984.

He stayed at Berlin until 2006, when he got out of the sport to help his son’s budding race career. Anderson’s son died in a boating accident in 2007, and afterwards, Anderson took two years off from the sport.

He eventually bought one of the cars his son built and decided to go racing once again.

“Those are the only two years I’ve taken off,” Anderson said. “My late wife always said I had probably 150 feature wins through my career in 50 years.”

Denny Anderson
(Photo: Berlin Raceway/Facebook)

When it was time to return to racing, Berlin was the only track Anderson considered.

“That’s my home track,” he said. “I live, like, five miles away from the place. I’ve always loved the place. A lot of good guys have come out of there. … I’m glad I’m back. The racing family here is unbelievable. A lot of good people.”

Not only is this a milestone season in Anderson’s career, but it’s also one of his best. In Berlin’s Limited Late Model division, he has two wins and 15 top fives in 21 features this summer. His worst race of the season was last Saturday when he finished eighth.

Anderson goes into this weekend’s season finale at Berlin second in the Limited Late Model division points, 136 points behind leader Tyler Rycenga and 15 points better than third-place Josh Frye.

“One of my better years,” Anderson said. “I’m just surrounded by great people right now, a great car owner, great crew guys. Just everything’s clicking right now. I’ve got a great car. Just everything is working out good.”

Anderson thanked his team, including car owner Shawn Kriesh, his crew chief, Austin, and crew members Andy, Mike, Dusty and Mark for helping him find more success at Berlin this season.

He also thanked his girlfriend LuAnn, who he called his “backbone” this year.

“She drives me and tells me all the good things I do,” Anderson added. “She gets me out of my highs and lows, because racing is so up and down with highs and lows and everything.”

Track profile: Everything to know about Berlin Raceway

Berlin Raceway
Berlin Raceway hosts racing every Saturday night from April through September. The divisions include Super Late Models, Outlaw Late Models, Limited Late Models, Sportsman, 4 Cylinders, Vintage Racing and Mini Wedges. (Photo: Eric Bronson/ARCA Racing)

With one race left in season No. 50, Anderson said he feeling confident after his team made some changes and fixes to the car this week.

Is there anything he’s looking forward to in order to cap off his final race of 2023?

“Yeah,” he said. “A checkered flag. That would be awesome. That would be good to get one more.”

Don’t think for one second, though, that Anderson has any plans of stopping before the start of season No. 51.

“Our shirts this season, the front patch says, ‘Keeping the dream alive.’ That’s for my son and my late wife,” Anderson said. “I’ve got no inclinations of quitting yet. We’re still running pretty decent, and I’m going to run until I can’t, I guess.

“As long as the owner keeps me in it I’m going to keep going.”

Berlin’s Chet Championship Night, featuring races in the Super Late Model, Limited Late Model, Sportsman, 4 Cylinders, and Vintage Racing Organization of America divisions will begin on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. local time.

All the action can be streamed live on FloRacing.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway

(⏰ Sunday, 3 p.m. ET | 📺 USA, NBC Sports App | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas, the 28th points-paying race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.

Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | Kansas playoff race 101

📍 Location: Kansas City, Kansas
📐 Track length: 1.5 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $8,806,315
📏 Race distance: 267 laps | 400.5 miles
🔢 Stages: 80 | 165 | 267
—
📋 Starting lineup: Bell on pole at Kansas
🚗 Pit stall assignments: See where drivers will pit
🏆 Most recent winner: Bubba Wallace, fall 2022

Key things to watch 🔑

Saturday’s sessions

Christopher Bell earned the pole for the second race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Kansas Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver also won the pole last week at Darlington, a race won by Kyle Larson, who lines up alongside Bell on the front row after qualifying second. Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick complete the top five for the Kansas playoff race. Eight playoff drivers qualified in the top 10. | Read the full practice, qualifying recap

Big story line

Will playoff drivers avoid Kansas chaos?
At first glance, nothing about Kansas Speedway seems all that daunting: a fairly standard 1.5-mile tri-oval with considerable-but-not-extraordinary banking set in the heart of America’s Midwest. But with the NASCAR Playoffs in full swing, challenges lurk around every corner. According to Racing Insights, 56% of the 2022 postseason contenders — nine of 16 drivers — suffered some sort of an issue during the Kansas playoff race a season ago.

The NASCAR Cup Series enters Kansas after a Southern 500 at Darlington that featured 10 playoff drivers — 62.5% — experiencing some sort of adversity. The most recent race at Kansas delivered its own drama between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson — two potential favorites to advance to the Championship 4. Is more last-lap contact in store this weekend? | Recap the dramatic spring race

History tells us…

Toyotas will be tough to top in the Sunflower State.
Since NASCAR introduced the Next Gen car in 2022, Toyotas have been undefeated at Kansas Speedway. The No. 45 car from 23XI Racing’s stable swept the 2022 races with Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace behind the wheel for their respective victories, and team co-owner Denny Hamlin used a last-lap nudge on Kyle Larson to complete the pass and score the win in May.

The stats, of course, go deeper than the win column. Toyotas have also outscored Chevrolets and Fords combined in top fives (Toyota 10; Chevy and Ford five), laps led (413 for Toyota; 388 for Chevy and Ford) and stage wins (Toyota 3; Chevy and Ford 1). | Memorable moments at Kansas Speedway

He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…

Chris Buescher. Buescher’s recent surge is impossible to ignore over the past month, collecting three wins and four top fives in each of his last four oval-track starts. The No. 17 RFK Racing Ford stormed to the victory on Aug. 7 at Michigan International Speedway for his second win in that stretch after leading 52 laps.

Buescher’s soar toward top-tier contention shouldn’t be overlooked heading to Kansas. While the track is half a mile shorter than Michigan, its smooth pavement and drivers’ increased throttle time increases the notable similarities between the two facilities. After Buescher netted a third-place finish one week ago at Darlington Raceway, don’t take your eye off the No. 17 Ford quite yet. | See every driver’s odds heading into Kansas

Talkin’ Trophies 🔍 

In this installment of ‘Talkin’ Trophies,’ we explore the origins of Kansas Speedway’s ‘Soaring’ trophy, one of the most unique prizes on the circuit. 

Familiar favorites ⭐️

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.
 • At-track photos: See the best images from Kansas playoff weekend | Photos
• Bubble Watch: No place like a Kansas playoff race | See the bubble
• Fantasy Fastlane: Who should you start, and who should you sit? | See fantasy tips
• Paint Scheme Preview: See the schemes for the Sunflower State | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Bubba Wallace a firm contender in 2023 playoffs | Latest driver rankings
• Stacking Pennies: The crew comments on Ryan Newman’s colorful reaction from Darlington dustup. | Listen to the podcast

💎 NASCAR 75: Learn more about the history of the sport, from pioneers to current stars | Visit NASCAR 75 hub

Get in on the action 💰

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.

• Fantasy Live: Participate in interactive gameplay from week to week | Choose your lineup
• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to get key advice each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here

🔮 Advance to Victory Lane: Racing Insights projects the finishing order

Posted on by Staff Report

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs roll on this Sunday at Kansas Speedway (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) in the midpoint of the Round of 16.

The Sunflower State oval has been known to create playoff drama and heartbreak and this weekend should be no different. Before another chapter in the postseason is written, take a look at playoff drivers closest to the elimination line with analysis courtesy of Racing Insights.

RELATED: Cup playoff standings | Where playoff drivers rank after Darlington

✅ DRIVERS ABOVE ELIMINATION LINE

RYAN BLANEY

Points above: 16

Trending: Hit or Miss

Kansas outlook — Mostly Cold: Blaney had a good race, points-wise, to open his 2023 playoff campaign at Darlington with a top-10 run. However, Kansas has been a hindrance for Blaney with four finishes outside the top 15 in the last five races. The last four top-10 runs for Blaney have all been ninth-place finishes, but he’s failed to score back-to-back top 10s in this stretch. You have to go back to Gateway in early June for the last time Blaney had back-to-back finishes like that. 

ROSS CHASTAIN

Points above: 13

Trending: Snapped Cold Streak

Kansas outlook — Hot: Chastain recovered for a fifth-place finish in the Cook Out Southern 500 after falling a lap down in Stage 1. Kansas has been a great track for Chastain as he’s produced three consecutive top-10 results.

JOEY LOGANO

Points above: 3

Trending: Hit or Miss

Kansas outlook — Hit or Miss: It’s hard to place faith in Logano’s chances to make a deep playoff run, but if NASCAR’s Mr. Opportunistic comes through, a turnaround likely begins at Kansas. Logano owns three wins at Kansas and finished sixth there in May.

CHRISTOPHER BELL

Points above: 1

Trending: Cooling Off

Kansas outlook — Hit or Miss: Bell’s Kansas results have been good for the most part. He wrecked early at the Sunflower State track in May, resulting in a last-place finish but can’t afford to suffer back-to-back mulligans if he wants to advance out of the Round of 12.

🚩 DRIVERS BELOW ELIMINATION LINE

BUBBA WALLACE

Points below: 1

Trending: Darlington Snapped Cold Streak

Kansas outlook — Hot: Wallace is the defending winner of the Kansas playoff race, which could mean this Sunday is his golden-ticket opportunity to reach the Round of 12 by defending last year’s victorious performance.  

KEVIN HARVICK

Points below: 2

Trending: Mostly Cold Recently

Kansas outlook — Cold: An unfortunate pit-road circumstance at Darlington took Harvick from a potential win and berth in the Round of 12 to still below the elimination line and heading to a track where he hasn’t scored a top-10 finish in the Next Gen car. 

RICKY STENHOUSE JR.

Points below: 4

Trending: Cold

Kansas outlook — Mostly Cold: Stenhouse recovered decently after a Stage 1 speeding penalty on pit road at Darlington to score a point in Stage 2 and finish 16th. One may not see Kansas as a Stenhouse specialty, but the No. 47 Chevrolet has had sneaky speed on the oval with a top 10 last season and a 12th-place run in May. 

MICHAEL MCDOWELL

Points below: 19

Trending: Win or Bust

Kansas outlook — Cold: Darlington was the race McDowell needed to be good at to have a fighting chance to reach the Round of 12. He’s never finished better than 13th in 24 career Kansas starts, so don’t expect to see McDowell gain on the elimination line when the checkered flag waves Sunday. 

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson’s win in last Sunday night’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs opener in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway secured his spot in the Round of 12.

Fifteen drivers are looking to join Larson in the next round by surviving and winning at the challenging 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Before the green flag drops in the Sunflower State, see who can clinch their spot in the next round without needing to worry about next Saturday night’s Round of 16 elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Already Clinched

The following driver has clinched a spot in the 12-driver field of the next round: Kyle Larson.

Can clinch via points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 11th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain or Joey Logano.

— William Byron: Would clinch with 53 points (55 points if Reddick, Buescher, Hamlin or Truex Jr. wins, needs help if Busch, Keselowski, Blaney, Chastain or Logano win)

— Tyler Reddick: Could only clinch with help

— Chris Buescher: Could only clinch with help

— Denny Hamlin: Could only clinch with help

— Martin Truex Jr.: Could only clinch with help

— Kyle Busch: Could only clinch with help

— Brad Keselowski: Could only clinch with help

— Ryan Blaney: Could only clinch with help

— Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help

— Joey Logano: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Christopher Bell or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 10th winless driver in the standings.

— William Byron: Could only clinch with help

— Tyler Reddick: Could only clinch with help

— Chris Buescher: Could only clinch with help

— Denny Hamlin: Could only clinch with help

— Martin Truex Jr.: Could only clinch with help

— Kyle Busch: Could only clinch with help

— Brad Keselowski: Could only clinch with help

— Ryan Blaney: Could only clinch with help

— Ross Chastain: Could only clinch with help

Can clinch via win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, Kevin Harvick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Already clinched

The following 10 drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver postseason field: Austin Hill, John Hunter Nemechek, Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith, Jeb Burton.

Can clinch via points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the fifth winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed or Daniel Hemric.

— Daniel Hemric: Would clinch regardless of finish

— Riley Herbst: Would clinch with 54 points

— Parker Kligerman: Would clinch with 55 points

If there is a new winner from Parker Kligerman or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the fourth winless driver in the standings.

— Daniel Hemric: Would clinch with 1 point

— Riley Herbst: Could only clinch with help

— Parker Kligerman: Could only clinch with help

Can clinch via win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

— Daniel Hemric, Riley Herbst, Parker Kligerman, Brandon Jones, Brett Moffitt, Parker Retzlaff, Kaz Grala, Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements, Anthony Alfredo, Josh Williams, Joe Graf Jr.

Can clinch Regular Season Championship

Additionally, the Regular Season Championship could be clinched by the following drivers:

— Austin Hill: Would clinch with 38 points

— John Hunter Nemechek: Could only clinch with help

— Justin Allgaier: Could only clinch with help

Posted on by Reid Spencer

The moment has finally arrived for full-time drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, whose playoff field will be written in stone after Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Xfinity Series standings | Kansas schedule

Ten drivers already have clinched berths in the postseason. Eight are in on wins: series leader Austin Hill, John Hunter Nemechek, Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith and Jeb Burton. Two have qualified on points: Josh Berry and Sheldon Creed.

Daniel Hemric will clinch simply by scoring one point at Kansas, even if a driver below him in the standings wins the race.

That leaves Riley Herbst and Parker Kligerman to battle for the final playoff spot, with Herbst holding a one-point lead entering the decider. Herbst surged back into the final playoff-eligible position with a sixth-place finish on Saturday at Darlington, where a late-race wreck relegated Kligerman to 24th.

Herbst, still seeking his first Xfinity Series win, will be keeping a close eye on points throughout Saturday’s race.

“At the end of the day, we show up at the race track each and every weekend to contend for the win,” said Herbst, who climbed as high as second in the standings before a rash of five DNFs (did not finish) in 10 races placed him squarely on the playoff bubble. “It’s cool to be back in the playoffs at the moment, and I’m hoping we can keep ourselves in contention.

“We never wanted to be in this position with how solid we were at the beginning of the year, but I know that we can bounce back from this. My hope is that we can go out, contend for the win and lock ourselves in the playoffs with a victory, but we’re also going to be conscious of the points. We’re in the better position right now above the cut line, so it’s about finding that balance.”

At the top of the standings, the Regular Season Championship likewise won’t be decided until Saturday. Hill holds a lead of 23 points over Nemechek and 33 over Allgaier. The regular-season winner gets a bonus of 15 playoff points, with 10 going to the runner-up and eight to the third-place driver.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

Once upon a time, Kyle Busch considered Kansas Speedway a “jinx” track.

He finished 37th in his debut race at the 1.5-mile speedway in 2004. A decade later, Busch scored his first top five at the track, and it wasn’t until 2016 that he found its Victory Lane for the first time.

Busch’s win that year marked the completion of a dramatic turnaround at a speedway he couldn’t solve early in his career. It was part of a streak of five straight top fives and eight straight top 10s, transforming Kansas from a track Busch dreaded to one he relished.

Lately, though, the track has been trending back toward the “jinx” category, leaving it a matter of conjecture as to which Kansas will greet Busch when he returns for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

KANSAS: Full schedule | Projected results

After a gritty 11th-place finish in last Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, Busch enters the second playoff race of 2023 seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, 20 points above the current elimination line for the Round of 12.

“Overall, it was just nice to get an 11th-place finish … for what looked like was going to be a 20th,” said Busch, who had to start the Darlington race from the rear after slapping the wall in practice, necessitating repairs to his car. “Definitely not a day that we wanted but just survived with what we could there.

“Really proud of everyone at RCR and ECR (Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines) for fighting hard all day long. The pit crew had some really good stops today and got us some spots on pit road. We had issues, some self-inflicted and some with our strategy with just the luck of the draw with how the cautions fell. …

“At least we get to live to fight another day.”

A 20-point margin is tenuous, however, considering that Busch has finished 26th and 35th in his last two starts at the Midwest track, the latter of which was his first run with his new Richard Childress Racing team.

Then again, Busch picked up his first victory in the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. — like Kansas, a downforce track.

And Busch’s situation is far less perilous than those of the drivers who occupy positions 11 through 15 in the playoff standings — Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, Kevin Harvick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., respectively.

Between Logano in 11th and Stenhouse in 15th, there’s a six-point spread, providing the opportunity for considerable movement at Kansas.

Having escaped Darlington with a 16th-place finish, Stenhouse feels the final two tracks in the first round (Kansas and Bristol) are more to his liking.

“If we do our job, I feel like we can transfer through rounds,” Stenhouse said. “We’re focused on the first round. We’ll see where we end up after Bristol Motor Speedway and figure it out from there on out.

“Darlington was probably the least of the best tracks for us. I’ve run good at Kansas before, and Bristol is my favorite track by far.”

Posted on by Brandon White

Tommy Baldwin Jr. and Doug Coby have unfinished business to address.

With the owner-driver duo still leading the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup presented by JDV Productions, they are bringing out the iconic No. 7NY for a one-off appearance in Saturday’s Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway with the goal of obtaining another accomplishment together.

“After winning at Monadnock in May and leading the Cup standings heading into Saturday, we really wanted to make this event happen,” Baldwin said. “The team will be ready to roll into Monadnock to chase the Cup title, but also another win for Mayhew Tools and everyone involved with Doug and our team.”

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Doug Coby and Tommy Baldwin Jr. (Photo: Nick Grace/NASCAR)

Baldwin was forced to step away from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in August after he was diagnosed with cancer. He is progressing well in his treatments and is determined to be back with the series on a more regular basis once his cancer is in remission.

Despite the setback, there were plenty of incentives for Baldwin to finish out the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup with Coby. Not only can the team earn a $5,000 championship payout, but they are also eligible for $6,400 in bonuses stemming from leading the most laps and recording the best average finish across the three-race series.

Coby started the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup on the right note by earning a dominant win at Monadnock after leading 188 of 200 laps. He followed that performance with a sixth at Lee USA Speedway, giving him a narrow, three-point lead in the standings.

Confidence is on Coby’s side as he makes final preparations for Saturday’s Winchester Fair. He is thrilled to be back in the No. 7NY after a two-race hiatus and is willing to help Baldwin in any way possible as he continues his recovery.

“We had a great car last time at Monadnock,” Coby said. “This will be a little bit of a different race being at night compared to the daytime back in May.

“As far as Tommy wanting to go to the track, it’s good for him to have something different to focus on, and he feels good enough to make it happen, which is great to hear.”

Baldwin Strong stickers can be purchased at TommyBadlwinRacing.com. All proceeds will be donated to the Matheny School, a hospital for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities.

The Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway is set to take place Saturday evening at 8 p.m. ET. FloRacing will provide coverage of all the on-track action.

Austin Beers looks to continue stellar sophomore campaign by claiming a Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup title. (Photo: Dakota Moyer/NASCAR)

Austin Beers within striking distance of Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup

With Jon McKennedy and Matt Hirschman not expected to compete in the Winchester Fair, Austin Beers is the closest to overtaking Doug Coby for the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup crown.

Currently trailing Coby by just six points, Beers’ position in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup standings is one of many highlights from what has been a successful sophomore campaign on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

Beers broke through for his first pole and victory in the second race of the 2023 season at Richmond Raceway. He has followed that win up with four more poles and another win, which he obtained at Lancaster Motorplex last month.

The speed Beers has shown throughout the 2023 season has been prevalent in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup. He has not finished outside the top five in either event, with a third-place run at Lee USA Speedway being his best showing in the three-race series.

Beers will need to be perfect in Saturday’s Winchester Fair if he wishes to usurp Doug Coby and become the second Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup champion.

Sam Rameau is only nine points back from a potential Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup championship. (Photo: Rachel O’Driscoll/NASCAR)

Sam Rameau looks to finish Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup on a high note

Part-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Sam Rameau also finds himself in the mix for the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup with just a nine-point deficit.

Rameau opened the three-race series with a solid sixth-place finish at Monadnock Speedway in May. His fourth-place performance at Lee USA Speedway is what has him in contention for the championship heading into Saturday’s Winchester Fair at Monadnock.

Rameau last competed full-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2020. Since then, he has made infrequent appearance with the series but has mixed it up with the series regulars by recording a top-five finish in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The top five Rameau obtained at Lee USA matched his career-best finish at Monadnock the year before. Having found a comfort zone in the first two legs of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, Rameau enters the final leg as a legitimate contender for the crown.

Coby stands in the way of Rameau pulling off a potential upset, but the Westminster, Massachusetts native can still end the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup with a top-five points finish if he finishes strong in the Winchester Fair.

NOTES:

  • Current NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour points leader Ron Silk sits fifth in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup standings. Silk enters the Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway with momentum on his side, as he is fresh off his fourth win of the year at Oswego Speedway.
  • The second leg of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup at Lee USA Speedway saw rookie Brian Robie qualify on the outside pole before finishing 11th. Robie earned a lead-lap finish of 13th in the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Monadnock this year and is seeking his second career top 10 on Saturday night.
  • After running five races in the No. 46 for Russell Goodale, Anthony Nocella is back in his family-owned No. 92 for Saturday’s Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway. Nocella is looking for a much better showing at Monadnock on Saturday after a broken rear end relegated him to 27th in May.
  • Monadnock Speedway regular Nathan Wenzel is set to make his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut Saturday. A four-time winner in Monadnock’s weekly division this year, Wenzel looks to carry over that efficiency into Saturday’s Winchester Fair.