Posted on by Sean Montgomery

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
(⏰ 2 p.m. ET | 📺 NBC, TSN | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s Round of 8 opening race and 33rd points-paying NASCAR Cup Series event of the 2021 season.

Where: Fort Worth, Texas
Green flag: 2:08 p.m. ET
Grand Marshal: Tim Brown and Tony Dorsett, NFL Hall of Famers
Honorary Starter: Steve Rowley, president of COX Automotive
TV/Radio: NBC/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72 degrees and calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon, according to NOAA.gov
Race Distance: 334 laps, 501 miles
Stages: 105 | 210 | 334
Pit-road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 55 mph
Texas 101: Get the full lowdown
Starting lineup: See the full lineup
Pit-stall assignments: See who is pitting where | Expert breaks down pit selections

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #21 Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, gives a thumbs up on stage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway on June 13, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Five to watch

Here are five big story lines we’ll be following at Texas Motor Speedway.

1. This is it. The opening Round of 8 race sets the tone. A win could automatically lock a driver into the Championship 4 finale at Phoenix Raceway. It also guarantees a less stressful day at Martinsville Speedway and Kansas Speedway in the coming weeks. On the flip side, a disastrous day could put any driver in a must-win situation with just two Round of 8 races remaining. Cup Series playoff drivers enter Texas with a mix of experience and inexperience, historic success and struggle-filled performances. Which drivers will rise to the occasion?  Don’t forget, a non-playoff driver could very well steal the much-needed win away from a championship hopeful. See the current playoff picture.

2. If you’re still thinking Kyle Busch is an underdog, the two-time Cup Series champion might have you right where he wants you. Busch enters Sunday’s showdown at Texas just one point under the elimination line and is poised to make a push. The Round of 8 tracks are historically favorable for the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing wheelman, and he has been the best on average at 1.5-milers heading into this weekend. Busch boasts a 3.86 average finish at 1.5-mile ovals, and the next closest is teammate Denny Hamlin at 7.43. Busch’s impressive show of consistency leaves him in the company of all-time greats, currently running the sixth-best average in Cup Series history. Though the wins haven’t been too frequent for Busch this season, his consistency should carry him to a solid performance Sunday. Another Texas win for KFB shouldn’t come as a surprise.

3. Kyle Larson avoided an elimination scare at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval last weekend. Now, he’s back atop the playoff standings with a decent cushion of 35 points over second place. The No. 5 wheelman won at Texas earlier this season in the All-Star Race but has three finishes outside of the top 35 in the last five points-paying race here. He has been more dominant than ever at Hendrick Motorsports this season, and the expectations of championship favorite hang over the No. 5 pit box. Larson has seven wins this season with the most crucial races still ahead of him. We almost expect him to win every time out this season. How will he handle the pressure as he enters the final stretch of his best-ever championship run?

4. Winless in the regular season, on fire in the postseason. Denny Hamlin has saved his best for last, so far. And he’s entering the Round of 8 with 11 career wins on this slate of tracks. But there’s a catch. Hamlin has finished 20th or worse in four of the last six races at Texas and has had penalties in five of the last six. Will he keep the playoff momentum or come to a screeching halt? Hamlin has wins in the opening race in the Round of 16 and the Round of 12 this season, allowing the comfort of less pressure in the next races. If he wins again at Texas, he surpasses seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and teammate Martin Truex Jr. for most consecutive wins in round-opening races. He’s also the only driver to finish in the top six in each playoff race this season. Texas has almost been a tale of two stories for Hamlin. The question is, which one will we see Sunday?

5. A lot of commotion has been surrounding the Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick incidents throughout the Round of 12. That was two drivers from two different teams vying for a bid into the Round of 8. Moving forward, could we see more teammate competition as the season winds down? It’s almost a guarantee. Joe Gibbs Racing (Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch) and Team Penske (Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski) each have three drivers remaining, and Hendrick Motorsports (Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott) has two. They’re all fighting for four spots. Expect the playoff pressure to be higher than ever.

Race-day staples

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.Hero Texas 2021 Copy

• Power Rankings: Ryan Blaney poised to punch Championship 4 ticket? | Latest rankings
• Paint Scheme Preview: High voltage schemes | See them here
• Playoff Pulse: Round of 8 set after Charlotte Roval | Full breakdown
• Debate: How hard should non-playoff drivers race playoff drivers? | Backseat Drivers
• Bubble Watch: Joey Logano on the outside looking in — for now | See the bubble breakdown
• Fantasy Fastlane: Texas two-step with Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin | Top plays, sleepers
• Busch Pole Award: Kyle Larson leads the way at Texas | Read more

Get in on the action

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy.Ads Fantasyfastlane Hero

• What are the odds?: BetMGM betting odds for Texas | See them here
• NASCAR betting: Tempting Kyle Larson odds, value on Kyle Busch | Read more
• Back to the future: How are your futures bets looking for the Round of 8? | Updated analysis
• The Action Network: Best way to bet on Texas | Larson vs. Hamlin | Elliott vs. Harvick
• Talking playoffs: How Fantasy Live game works for the postseason | Read more
• No risk, big reward: Take a shot at winning cash prizes with the free-to-play Jackpot Races app | Hit the jackpot

Memories from Texas

Before the Cup Series races at Texas for the first points-paying time this season, take a look back at some important track history.

• Top 10: Lap leaders at Texas | See the list
• Lone Star victors: All-time wins at Texas | Who has the most?
• We remember: Most memorable moments at Texas | Relive them
• 2020 recap: Kyle Busch ends drought at Texas | Full story

Five fast facts

Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• Denny Hamlin has six top-10 finishes to start the 2021 playoffs, tied for most since Jimmie Johnson in 2009 (seven).
• Hendrick Motorsports has led 1,153 laps at 1.5-mile tracks so far this season. Joe Gibbs Racing is second with 384.
• Three organizations remain in the Cup Series title hunt: Joe Gibbs Racing (three cars), Team Penske (three) and Hendrick Motorsports (two).
• Martin Truex Jr.‘s 673 laps led without a Texas win is most all time.
• Kyle Larson has earned 36% of all playoff points on 1.5-mile tracks this season. 

Catch the pack

Read up on all the headlines from the week leading up to the race.

2021 Byron Liberty
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

• New numbers: Updated Cup Series championship odds | See them here
• Playoff pressure: Denny Hamlin focused heading into Texas | Read more
• Round of 8 breakdown: Track-by-track analysis | Read more
• Capable and ready: Martin Truex Jr. locked in for playoff push | Read more
• Back for more: Liberty University extends sponsorship deal with Hendrick Motorsports | Full details
• I AM ATHLETE: NASCAR Edition debuts on YouTube | Watch Episode 1
• Ring, ring: NASCAR calls Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick teams after on-track tension | See what happened
• Final four: Finalists for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award announced | Learn more
• Recharged: Interstate Batteries renews partnership  with Joe Gibbs Racing | Read more
• Timely response: NASCAR, GMR extend partnership of emergency response system |  More details
• Next Gen news: Updates after Charlotte Roval test | Track times | Recap | Scenes from testing
• Champion crowned: Keegan Leahy wins 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing title | Read more
• Design the future: NASCAR invited Boys & Girls Clubs kids to design a race track | Learn more

Posted on by PJ Walsh

The Action Network specializes in providing sports betting insights/analytics and is a content partner with NASCAR. Check out more NASCAR betting analysis here.

Everything that’s old is new again.

While it was just a short few weeks ago, it seemed all quiet on the Chase Elliott vs. Kevin Harvick front after their run-ins at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Well, that all changed Sunday when Harvick appeared to purposely dump Elliott at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

To make matters even more interesting, it seemed Harvick wrecked his No. 4 Ford all by his lonesome later in the race due to mirror driving as Elliott closed in for possible retribution.

This all resulted in Harvick being eliminated from the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, while Elliott drove his somewhat-repaired No. 9 Chevy back to a 12th-place finish, earning enough points to advance to the Round of 8.

So where does this all lead?

How about an Elliott vs. Harvick head-to-head driver matchup for Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC) at Texas Motor Speedway?

NASCAR at Texas Betting Pick

Harvick has a much better chance of competing with Elliott at tracks that use the 750-horsepower, lower-downforce package.

Unfortunately for Harvick, Sundays’ Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas is not one of those races.

In fact, the No. 4 Ford hasn’t been good at all on this tire combination either, ranking with just the 15th-best driver rating at those three races (Las Vegas Motor Speedway twice and Michigan International Speedway).

Elliott, on the other hand, has posted the fourth-best driver rating over that span, including the third-most laps led and the fourth-most fast laps run.

Elliott will also have a huge track position advantage over Harvick on Sunday.

The No. 9 Chevy rolls off sixth, while Harvick’s Ford will start back in 24th.

Now, I’ve spent the last few sentences explaining why Elliott has the edge over Harvick at Texas, but that’s not exactly lost on oddsmakers.

Elliott’s price of -175 in this matchup (Harvick is +132) at Barstool Sportsbook translates to an implied probability of 63.64%, meaning Elliott needs to finish ahead of Harvick 63.64% of the time to breakeven in this matchup.

Based on the data above, I do think Elliott will outrun Harvick more than the odds imply, so I’ll lay the -175 price in this matchup.

The Bet: Elliott -175 over Harvick.

Posted on by Marcus DiNitto

A couple of sportsbooks are feeling frisky, inviting action on Kyle Larson before Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, the first race of the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. At opening odds of better than 3-1, these betting shops are offering nicer prices on the No. 5 than most of the market.

RELATED: NASCAR BetCenter | Texas weekend schedule

Barstool Sportsbook, an official NASCAR partner, is dealing +325 on Larson to win this weekend. FanDuel is even more generous, listing him a relatively fat +365 to tally his eighth victory of the Cup season.

SuperBook USA, along with BetMGM and WynnBET (NASCAR’s two other betting sponsors), are all shorter than +300 on Larson.

Here are odds on the top contenders to win Sunday’s race from the five books.

Driver FanDuel Barstool BetMGM WynnBET SuperBook
Kyle Larson +360 +325 +275 +275 +250
Denny Hamlin +650 +650 +600 +600 +600
Kyle Busch +800 +700 +700 +700 +600
Chase Elliott +850 +700 +700 +700 +700
Martin Truex Jr +1100 +800 +750 +750 +800
Ryan Blaney +1100 +900 +900 +900 +1000
Brad Keselowski +2100 +1400 +1400 +1500 +1400
Joey Logano +1400 +1400 +1400 +1400 +1600
Kevin Harvick +1700 +1400 +1400 +1600 +2000
William Byron +1900 +1600 +1600 +1600 +1600
Kurt Busch +3100 +2800 +3300 +2800 +2500
Alex Bowman +2300 +2800 +2500 +2500 +3000
Tyler Reddick +3500 +3500 +3300 +3500 +4000

At better than +300, Larson is enticing, as he has been a shorter-priced favorite at all five races employing the 550-horsepower, high-downforce package since the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A bettor can’t be blamed for taking a shot against him, though – he has failed to reward his backers with a victory in any of those races.

Joe Gibbs Racing

The first stop for bettors looking to beat the No. 5 this weekend is probably the Gibbs garage, whose drivers occupy the next two spots on the oddsboard.

Denny Hamlin’s late-season momentum has included a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the most recent Cup race on a 1.5-mile track. His history at Texas, though, has been spotty. While he won here in March 2019 for the third time in his Cup career, his last three finishes at the track are ninth, 20th and 28th. Over the six Texas races since 2018, Hamlin has a 20.33 average finish and 81.7 driver rating, not exactly statistics that will prompt a mad rush to the betting window.

Kyle Busch, on the other hand, seems to love Texas, winning here for the fourth time last year and tallying a 6.67 average finish and 114.5 rating since 2018. He has also won 10 Xfinity and five Truck Series races here.

Busch’s two wins this season came at Kansas Speedway and Pocono Raceway, 550-horsepower tracks, and in the two most recent races on 1.5-mile tracks, he has been second (Atlanta Motor Speedway) and third (Vegas). In the 10 550-horsepower races this season, Busch has compiled a sparking 3.7 average finish.

Our friend, Jim Sannes, over at numberFire puts Busch’s chances to win Sunday at 13.0%, which translates to +669 odds. Per this analysis, the No. 18 is worth a play at +700 or better.

Martin Truex Jr. tends to hang around on these 1.5-milers, finishing sixth or better in five of the seven races on such layouts this season, but he has failed to break through with a win. He has won four times this year, all at 750-horsepower tracks.

Looking for long shots

Ryan Blaney, available for double-digit odds for the diligent betting line shopper, has finished in the top six in five 550-horsepower races in a row. He won at the 1.5-mile Atlanta and at Michigan International Speedway, although we’re not sure how useful a comparison that 2-miler is for Texas.

Brad Keselowski, Blaney’s Team Penske garage-mate, has a solid 9.9 average finish with the 550-horsepower engine this season, and FanDuel’s rogue +2100 on the No. 2 Ford jumps off the page. In eighth place in the standings, Kes figures to be aggressive going for the win to secure a spot in the Championship 4.

RELATED: See how remaining playoff drivers fare at Texas

While he has been eliminated from the NASCAR Playoffs, William Byron won at Homestead-Miami Speedway and has four top fives and seven top 10s on 550-horsepower tracks this year.

Alex Bowman hasn’t been a model of consistency, but an offer close to 30-1 odds is awfully tempting for “The Showman” to rack up his fourth win of the year.

Tyler Reddick has been getting some love within some NASCAR betting circles this week. He had a few early-season clunkers, but he has five finishes of ninth or better — including a second at Homestead-Miami — on 1.5-mile tracks this season, and he finished second at Texas last July. Barstool Sports offers +400 on a top five for the No. 8 Sunday and a fair +115 for a top 10.

Marcus DiNitto is a writer and editor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been covering sports for nearly two-and-a-half decades and sports betting for more than 10 years. His first NASCAR betting experience was in 1995 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he went 0-for-3 on his matchup picks. Read his articles and follow him on Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Posted on by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C. – Liberty University and 13-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Hendrick Motorsports have reached a new five-year agreement to extend the school’s support of driver William Byron and his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Byron, 23, will continue to carry primary sponsorship from Liberty in 12 Cup races annually through 2026. This season, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native earned his third consecutive Cup Series playoff berth and second career points-paying win while already setting personal bests in top-five finishes, top 10s and laps led with four events remaining. He has led in 16 of 32 points races in 2021.

RELATED: William Byron’s career through the years

“We are honored to partner with and support Hendrick Motorsports, William Byron and the No. 24 team,” said Jerry Prevo, president of Liberty University. “William is a tremendous young man and has been an excellent ambassador for Liberty as a unique type of ‘student-athlete.’ Our relationship with the Hendrick organization already benefits our students and school in many ways, and we feel there is potential to do much more over the next five years.”

Byron is currently a junior working toward an undergraduate degree in strategic communications via Liberty University’s online program. Founded in 1971, Liberty offers more than 700 unique programs of study from the certificate to the doctoral level, including more than 450 available online. The school began its support of Byron in 2014 when he drove late model stock cars and has been a 12-race primary sponsor since his 2018 Cup Series rookie of the year season with Hendrick Motorsports.

“Liberty has made a huge impact on me,” Byron said. “I was able to experience college life while living on campus and then continue to pursue a degree while driving full time. The support Liberty has provided – both in academics and in my career – has helped make so much possible. I’m proud they’ve chosen to extend with us another five years, which is a big vote of confidence in our team.”

In addition to raising awareness of Liberty University’s educational opportunities, the sponsorship has touched a variety of student programs. Examples include Hendrick Motorsports supporting the School of Engineering’s Formula SAE effort, which focuses on electric car technology, and Hendrick Automotive Group helping develop a degree specialization in automotive dealership management.

“We’re delighted to continue our work with Liberty University,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “The partnership impacts so many different areas, and I believe we’re just scratching the surface of the value we’re able to deliver. We look forward to working together over the next five years to take it to the next level.”

Posted on by PJ Walsh

The Action Network specializes in providing sports betting insights/analytics and is a content partner with NASCAR. Check out more NASCAR betting analysis here.

Between the Chase Elliott vs. Kevin Harvick drama and the Next Gen car testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway this week, Kyle Larson’s win at the Roval and massive points advantage in NASCAR’s Round of 8 playoffs seems to be flying under the radar.

With the win, Larson now sits a commanding 42 points above the playoff cutoff line.

To put that in perspective, Denny Hamlin, who currently ranks second in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings, is just seven points above the cutoff.

RELATED: Cup Series playoff standings

Interestingly, oddsmakers have put these two drivers against one another in matchup markets for Sunday’s NASCAR Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC) at Texas Motor Speedway, with Larson at -157 and Hamlin +120 at Barstool Sportsbook.

NASCAR at Texas Betting Pick

Larson is favored in this matchup, which isn’t all that surprising, but these two have been much more evenly matched than the odds imply.

The tire combination that teams will win on Sunday has been used three other times this season: twice at Las Vegas and once at Michigan.

Over those three races, Larson leads all NASCAR Cup Series drivers in driver rating, with the most laps led and most fast laps run as well.

However, Hamlin is right on his heels, ranking second in each of those categories.

In fact, Hamlin has the best average finish over those three races, including a win at Las Vegas in September, the most recent of those events.

In general, I like Larson a bit more than I do Hamlin for Sunday’s race at Texas, but not enough to justify his price in this instance.

At the time of writing, BetMGM is offering Hamlin at +130, the best number I’ve found across the market and one I very much like.

The Bet: Hamlin (+130) over Larson

Posted on by Staff Report

Earlier this month, NASCAR launched its first racing-themed activity on MyFuture, Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s digital engagement platform for club youth. Before beginning the activity, members are invited to learn about the different elements of race track design through an informational video hosted by Mamba Smith (see below). These include the various track types, surfaces and degrees of banking.

Boys & Girls Club kids are then tasked with sketching out their own track designs and can use digital design tools such as TinkerCad or AutoDraw. Once complete, members can upload their designs to MyFuture and share with others on the platform.

See below a sampling of initial submissions.

Image003Image001Image002

NASCAR is planning to launch its first full badge of digital experiences and activities on MyFuture leading into the 2022 race season.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America was announced as the Official Youth Community Partner of NASCAR this past April, and last week the non-profit was presented with the Institution Award at the 2021 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards in Charlotte.

 

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced Friday a multi-year extension of its partnership with the world’s largest medical transportation provider, Global Medical Response. GMR, the parent company of American Medical Response, will continue to provide medical support and enhance NASCAR’s on-track incident response with its AMR safety team.

“The safety of our competitors is paramount and through our collaboration with AMR, we’ve been able to develop a leading safety model that’s enabled us to strengthen our at-track safety teams and incident response,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “We look forward to our continued partnership with AMR as we find new ways to set the standard for safety in motorsports.”

The Official Emergency Medical Services Partner of NASCAR since 2017, AMR provides a doctor and paramedic to the on-track safety team for each NASCAR Cup Series weekend, further strengthening NASCAR’s medical response capability. The AMR team, along with NASCAR Track Services team members, provide immediate response, assessment, and care to on-track incidents using a chase vehicle. Following the success of the enhanced safety model developed in NASCAR, GMR and AMR have gone on to apply the same approach throughout motorsports, extending services to the International Motor Sports Association, IndyCar and Superstar Racing Experience.

AMR will also continue to provide a physician to serve as the national medical director for the AMR Safety Team. The medical director is responsible for oversight of all care provided by AMR and works directly with the NASCAR team of physicians and medical liaisons.

“We are honored to continue to serve as the Official Emergency Medical Services Partner of NASCAR,” said Ted Van Horne, GMR’s chief operating officer. “Our dedicated team members are extensively trained in motorsports safety and on-track response, and we have a demonstrated record of success in working with the outstanding Track Services and medical teams at NASCAR. We look forward to continuing to share best-practices and providing the highest-quality care to the NASCAR organization.”

AMR is the largest provider of emergency medical transportation services in the U.S. and a leader in pre-hospital care and treatment.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs continue Saturday, as four races remain in the seven-race battle for the championship.

Last weekend, the Round of 12 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval – concluded, and the four contenders eliminated were Jeb Burton, Myatt Snider, Jeremy Clements and Riley Herbst.

Up next is the Round of 8, which includes Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. Afterward, the Championship 4 will be set and head to Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 6 in a straight-up race for the ultimate trophy.

Here are the eight drivers (and how they advanced) still vying for the title, in order of their seeding: AJ Allmendinger (win), Austin Cindric (points), Justin Allgaier (points), Noah Gragson (points), Daniel Hemric (points), Justin Haley (points), Harrison Burton (points) and Brandon Jones (points).

RELATED: Hub page for NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs

Now, a Round of 8 track-by-track breakdown:

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

(📅 Saturday | ⏰ 3 p.m. ET | 📺 NBC | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Length: 1.5 miles
Distance: 200 laps, 300 miles
Previous winner: Kyle Busch (June 12, 2021)

NASCAR Cup Series regular Kyle Busch led a race-high 94 of the 171 laps to steal the checkered flag from any NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor. Seven of the top-10 finishers, however, were current playoff drivers – Justin Allgaier (second), Austin Cindric (third), Daniel Hemric (fourth), Brandon Jones (fifth), AJ Allmendinger (sixth), Noah Gragson (seventh) and Justin Haley (ninth). Harrison Burton, meanwhile, was back in 30th after crashing out early.

Allgaier tops all postseason contenders in career starts and top 10s at Texas. Cindric and Burton are the only ones with wins, though. Cindric then pulls through with the most top-five finishes and the best average finish, too.

Screen Shot 2021 10 14 At 12.59.20 Pm

KANSAS SPEEDWAY

(📅 Oct. 23 | ⏰ 3 p.m. ET | 📺 NBC | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Length: 1.5 miles
Distance: 200 laps, 300 miles
Previous winner: Chase Briscoe (Oct. 17, 2020)

Now a regular in the NASCAR Cup Series, Chase Briscoe won the Kansas playoff race last season to qualify for the Championship 4. There were four current title-eligible drivers in the top 10 – Daniel Hemric (second), Justin Haley (fourth), Brandon Jones (ninth) and Justin Allgaier (10th). Haley, Jones and Allgaier were active in the 2020 playoffs at the time, too.

Allgaier once again has notched the most career starts at Kansas out of the postseason field. He also carries the most top fives and 10s, but no wins. Jones is the only driver with Kansas victories to his name. Haley then has the best average finish.

Screen Shot 2021 10 14 At 12.59.28 Pm

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

(📅 Oct. 30 | ⏰ 6 p.m. ET | 📺 NBCSN | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Length: 0.526 miles
Distance: 250 laps, 131.5 miles
Previous winner: Josh Berry (April 11, 2021)

Part-timer Josh Berry won the Martinsville event earlier this year, leading a race-best 95 of the 250 laps. Seven of the title options fell in the top 10 — Noah Gragson (second), Daniel Hemric (third), Brandon Jones (fifth), Austin Cindric (sixth), Harrison Burton (seventh), Justin Haley (eighth) and Justin Allgaier (ninth). The only driver outside that group was AJ Allmendinger, but he was just in 13th.

Everyone besides Hemric owns two starts at Martinsville; he has just one. Burton is the sole winner and matches Allgaier, Gragson and Jones in most top 10s. Gragson is the only driver to score a top five in both his starts, and he also has the best average finish.

Screen Shot 2021 10 14 At 2.35.12 Pm

Posted on by Terrin Waack

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continue Sunday, as four races remain in the 10-race battle for the championship.

RELATED: Cup Series point standings

Last weekend, the Round of 12 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval – concluded, and the four contenders eliminated were Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, William Byron and Alex Bowman.

Up next is the Round of 8, which includes Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. The Championship 4 will then finally be determined and compete at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 7 in a straight-up race for the iconic Bill France Cup trophy.

Here are the eight drivers (and how they advanced) still vying for the title, in order of their seeding: Kyle Larson (win), Denny Hamlin (win), Martin Truex Jr. (points), Ryan Blaney (points), Kyle Busch (points), Chase Elliott (points), Joey Logano (points) and Brad Keselowski (points).

RELATED: Cup Series playoffs hub page

Now, a Round of 8 track-by-track breakdown:

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

(📅 Sunday | ⏰ 2 p.m. ET | 📺 NBC | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Name: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Length: 1.5 miles
Distance: 334 laps, 501 miles
Previous winner: Kyle Busch (Oct. 28, 2020)

RELATED: Texas race results

Kyle Busch, who is still in the running for the 2021 championship, won last season’s playoff race at Texas, leading a race-high 90 of the 334 laps. Along with Busch, there were five other current title contenders in the top 10 – Martin Truex Jr. (second), Ryan Blaney (fourth), Brad Keselowski (sixth), Denny Hamlin (ninth) and Joey Logano (10th).

Truex has competed in the most races at Texas but by only one. Busch carries the best marks in wins, top fives, top 10s and average finish, only being equaled by Truex in top 10s.

Screen Shot 2021 10 14 At 2.53.44 Pm

KANSAS SPEEDWAY

(📅 Oct. 24 | ⏰ 3 p.m. ET | 📺 NBCSN | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Name: Hollywood Casino 400
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Length: 1.5 miles
Distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles
Previous winner: Kyle Busch (May 2, 2021)

RELATED: Kansas race results

Kyle Busch won the regular-season race at Kansas earlier this year after holding the No. 1 spot just 20 of the 267 laps. In addition to Busch, three other playoff drivers fell in the top-10 finishing order – Brad Keselowski (third), Chase Elliott (fifth) and Martin Truex Jr. (sixth). All of them led laps. Kyle Larson finished 19th but led a race-best 132 laps.

Busch has the most experience at Kansas, but not by much whatsoever. Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano are tied for the highest win total, while Truex and Busch match for the best top-five and top-10 count. Keselowski also matches them in top 10s. Elliott, meanwhile, sneaks in with the strongest average finish.

Screen Shot 2021 10 14 At 2.53.33 Pm

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

(📅 Oct. 31 | ⏰ 2 p.m. ET | 📺 NBC | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Name: Xfinity 500
Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Length: 0.526 miles
Distance: 500 laps, 263 miles
Previous winner: Martin Truex Jr. (April 11, 2021)

RELATED: Martinsville race results

Martin Truex Jr. pulled through in the regular-season event at Martinsville with 16 of his 20 laps led overall closing out the race. He was one of six title-eligible drivers to finish in the top 10 – Chase Elliott (second), Denny Hamlin (third), Kyle Larson (fifth), Joey Logano (sixth) and Kyle Busch (10th). Hamlin was out front for a race-best 276 of the 500 laps.

Busch once again has the highest start tally at Martinsville, but not by much. He also has the best top-five mark, but Hamlin matches Busch there en route to sweeping wins, top 10s and average finish.

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Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

Only eight drivers head into Texas Motor Speedway with their 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship hopes still alive.

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and that includes the stakes entering the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 to kick off the Round of 8 on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App/Peacock, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Texas weekend schedule | Cup Series standings

EYES FORWARD

Thanks to his series-high seventh win one week ago at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Kyle Larson will start on the pole Sunday alongside championship rival Denny Hamlin. Behind them will be Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. For the full starting lineup, click here.

SOMETHING OF SUBSTANCE

In a shift from recent races at Texas Motor Speedway, Speedway Motorsports will prepare the track with resin in each set of corners opposed to the previously-used PJ1 traction compound. NASCAR officials believe the resin cooperates better with both the racing surface and the cars to provide an additional groove on track without needing to heat the compound as necessary with PJ1.

TEXAS HISTORY

— Texas Motor Speedway hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race in April 1997, the product of a project that began in August 1995 on a 1,500-acre property.

— In the track’s initial configuration, the turns had variable banking of 8º on the bottom and 24º on the top. That created difficulty for the drivers and vehicles on corner exit, necessitating a change to a constant 24º banking following the track’s first two NASCAR weekends.

— Water drainage plagued Texas Motor Speedway early on as the track suffered notable “weeping” issues in 1998. New, large systems were introduced that year, but the track was quickly repaved in 2001 with a granite-based asphalt which was designed to dry quickly.

— TMS’ backstretch boasts “Big Hoss,” the largest video screen in the state of Texas and second-biggest in the United States and features a staggering 20,633.64 square feet of HD display – nearly a half-acre – with dimensions of 218 feet wide and 94.6 feet tall.

— The track was reconfigured and completely repaved once again in 2017, the product of continued weeper and track-drying issues that plagued Texas’ NASCAR and IndyCar events in 2016. While Speedway Motorsports added an extensive French drainage system to assist in water removal, the company also altered Turns 1 and 2, decreasing banking to 20º and widening the track from 60 feet to 80 feet.

Source: Racing Insights

GOODYEAR TIRES

While Texas Motor Speedway’s repave took place four years ago, its surface still doesn’t wear tires aggressively. That means Goodyear brings a tire to Texas meant for similar, low-wear tracks like Michigan International Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where teams used this tire compound just three weeks ago.

“Texas has begun to age a little bit, but it is still grouped in with some of the more ‘low-wear’ tracks that NASCAR goes to,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “We were able to make a compound change to the right-side tire here last fall to give the cars more grip. We have seen some good results from this tire set-up since then, having run it at Texas, Michigan and Las Vegas already this season. We want tires to wear at Texas because of the speeds these cars are running. Speed generates heat, and as this tire wears, it runs a little cooler and performs well over a long run.”

Teams will also use this same right-side tire next weekend at Kansas Speedway.

RULES PACKAGE

NASCAR Cup Series cars will be outfitted with the 550-horsepower, high-downforce package this weekend, which features taller spoilers and longer front splitters in an effort to create closer side-by-side racing at ovals larger than 1.4 miles in length.

STORYLINES IN THE LONE STAR STATE

— The eight drivers still fighting for the 2021 Cup Series championship are Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

— Denny Hamlin has won each of the two opening-round races so far in this year’s Playoffs (Round of 16 – Darlington; Round of 12 – Las Vegas) and is the only driver with top 10s in each of the six Playoff races so far this season.

— Ford is winless in the last nine Playoff races.

— All eight drivers in the Round of 8 have a win on at least one of the three tracks in the round (Texas, Kansas, Martinsville).

— Kevin Harvick won at least one Playoff race each of the last nine seasons (2012-2020), the longest active streak. The longest streak all-time is 13 seasons by Jimmie Johnson.

— This is the first time in the elimination format that Kevin Harvick has not made the Round of 8.

— Kyle Larson won the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year, the only Cup event held at Texas prior to this weekend’s race.

— Kyle Larson’s seven victories this season are more than his career total entering 2021.

— Two of Kyle Busch’s three most recent wins came on tracks in this round (Texas 2020, Kansas 2021).

— In seven events at 1.5-mile tracks this year, Kyle Larson is the only multi-race winner (Las Vegas 1, Charlotte Oval). The other winners are William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin.

— Kyle Busch holds the best average finish at mile-and-a-half tracks this season at 3.86. Teammate Denny Hamlin holds the second-bet at 7.43.

— Hendrick Motorsports has dominated the laps-led categories on mile-and-a-half facilities in 2021 with 1,153 laps out front. Joe Gibbs Racing is second with 384 laps led.

Source: Racing Insights

BIG BETS IN FRONT OF BIG HOSS

Kyle Larson is the odds-on favorite to win at Texas Motor Speedway, with BetMGM listing the No. 1 Playoff seed at 11-4 (+275) odds. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has yet to win a points race at Texas but was victorious in the spring All-Star Race.

Behind him sit Denny Hamlin at 6-1, Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch at 7-1 and Martin Truex Jr. at 15-2 (+750).

RELATED: BetMGM’s odds for Texas Playoff race

Kyle Busch appears to be the safest bet as his worst finish on the last six 1.5-mile tracks this season is fifth in addition to winning this race a year ago. Busch, the lone multi-time champion of the current field, also has four straight top 10s at Texas.

Hamlin, meanwhile, has finished 20th or worse in four of the last six Texas races and netted points in just two of the last 10 Texas stages.

An interesting sleeper pick might be the No. 3 of Austin Dillon at 50-1 odds. A winner at Texas in July 2020, Dillon has finished 13th or better in each of his last nine mile-and-a-half starts. He’s also finished 14th or better in each of his last five Texas races.

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out the playoff version of NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now and offers a fresh start for those of you who played the regular-season contest. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts, and there is a $10,000 prize for the winner.

The 2021 Fantasy Live points leaders are Denny Hamlin (1,288) Kyle Larson (1,254), and Chase Elliott (1,065).

This year, NASCAR.com also has the Playoffs Grid Challenge game, presented by Ruoff Mortgage, where you can pick the winners for each round of the playoffs right up through the Championship 4. First prize is $10,000.

How to play: Playoffs Grid Challenge | Playoff Fantasy Live

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

New for this season, NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

And finally, head over to the NASCAR Mobile App for AR Racing presented by Mobil 1, where you can design your own car and race the playoff drivers at the playoff tracks in augmented reality.