The Round of 8 Cup playoffs begins Sunday with a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2 p.m. ET on NBC).
Sunday will mark the 32nd Cup race at Las Vegas since the track’s inaugural event in 1998, which Mark Martin won. This is the first of two consecutive races at 1.5-mile tracks in the Round of 8.
Joey Logano is the defending winner of the Las Vegas playoff race. William Byron won this season’s spring race. Logano and Brad Keselowski are the active leaders in Las Vegas wins with three each.
Byron leads the standings after the points reset for the Round of 8. He is 20 points above the cutline. Chris Buescher (-3), Christopher Bell (-8), Tyler Reddick (-8) and Ryan Blaney (-10) are the four drivers below the cutline.
Details for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas
(All times Eastern)
START: The command to start engines will be given Stanley Cup champions Adin Hill and William Carrier at 2:39 p.m. ... The green flag will wave at 2:50 p.m.
PRERACE: Cup garage opens at 11:30 a.m. ... Drivers meeting is at 1:45 p.m. … Driver introductions are at 2:05 p.m. ... The invocation will be given by MRO Chaplain Billy Mauldin at 2:31 p.m. ... The national anthem will be performed by country music artist Annie Bosko at 2:32 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 267 laps (400.5 miles) on the 1.5-mile tri-oval.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 80. Stage 2 ends at Lap 165.
STARTING LINEUP: Las Vegas starting lineup.
TV/RADIO: NBC will broadcast the race at 2:30 p.m. ... Countdown to Green will begin at 2 p.m. on NBC. ... Post-race show will be on Peacock. ... Performance Racing Network coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. … SiriusXM NASCAR Radio coverage begins at 2:30 p.m.
STREAMING: NBC Sports App
FORECAST: Weather Underground — Sunny skies with a high of 78 degrees and no chance of precipitation at the start of the Cup Series playoff race.
LAST TIME: Tyler Reddick started from the pole and led 32 laps. He finished sixth. Bubba Wallace won stage 1 but finished last after a crash. Ryan Blaney won stage 2 but finished 28th after spinning into the inside wall on Lap 228. Ross Chastain led 68 laps but finished second after Joey Logano passed him with three to go. Logano won and locked up a spot in the Championship 4.
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