STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 26, 2024 – The first Round of 12 playoff race begins with NBC Sports’ presentation of the NASCAR Cup Series’ Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet live from Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., – this Sunday, Sept. 29, at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network. A 30-minute Countdown to Green Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network leads into live race coverage.
Kyle Larson dominated last week’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, leading 462 of 500 laps and winning by over seven seconds at the famed track. The 2021 Cup Series champion enters the Round of 12 as the top overall seed, with Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney rounding out the top five. Last week’s cutoff race saw Ty Gibbs, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, and Harrison Burton eliminated from playoff contention.
Five of the 12 remaining playoff drivers have won at Kansas Speedway in their careers, including Reddick, Larson, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Joey Logano, who’s won a record-three separate times since the track’s opening in 2001. In last season’s Kansas race, Reddick took the win in a thrilling overtime finish that pushed him to second in the playoff standings.
Below is a chart outlining the drivers on the border of playoff contention heading into the first of three Round of 12 races:
Pos. | Driver | Point Differential |
6. | Denny Hamlin | +7 |
7. | Chase Elliott | +6 |
8. | Joey Logano | +4 |
ON THE BUBBLE | ||
9. | Austin Cindric | -4 |
10. | Daniel Suarez | -6 |
11. | Alex Bowman | -7 |
12. | Chase Briscoe | -7 |
Coverage from Kansas begins this Saturday with Xfinity Series qualifying at 11 a.m. ET followed by Cup Series qualifying at 1 p.m. ET, with both windows on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
21-time Cup Series race winner and “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton and Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte will serve as analysts this weekend from Kansas Speedway with Leigh Diffey serving as play-by-play. Marty Snider, Kim Coon, and Parker Kligerman will serve as pit reporters.
Snider will host pre- and post-race coverage alongside Burton, Letarte, and former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty.
BROADCAST TEAM
- Play by Play: Leigh Diffey
- Analyst: Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte
- Reporters: Marty Snider, Kim Coon, Parker Kligerman
STUDIO COVERAGE TEAM
- Host: Snider
- Analysts: Burton, Letarte, Petty
HOW TO WATCH
- TV – USA Network
- Streaming – NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
Date | Coverage | Platform(s) | Time (ET) |
Sat., Sept. 28 | NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app | 11 a.m. |
| NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app | 1 p.m. |
Sun., Sept. 29 | Countdown to Green – NASCAR Cup Series | USA Network | 2:30 p.m. |
| NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet | USA Network | 3 p.m. |
| NASCAR Cup Series – Post-Race | USA Network | 6 p.m. |
--NBC SPORTS--
