NASCAR at Kansas 2016: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
One week removed from Brad Keselowski emerging from the wild wreckage of Talladega to seize a checkered flag, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next turns its attention to Kansas.
Drama, rivalries and so much more hit the track again for the GoBowling 400 at Kansas Speedway.
It's easy to get excited for another lengthy trip around a historic track after last week's wild event. With automatic Chase bids on the line, odd placements in the standings and a rivalry that refuses to go away, the buildup suggests one of the year's best events is about to get underway.
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Before it does, let's take a look at the important details.
Viewing Details
Where: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas
When: Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox Sports 1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Sprint Cup Standings
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 351 | 1 |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 342 | 2 |
| 3 | Carl Edwards | 337 | 2 |
| 4 | Jimmie Johnson | 329 | 2 |
| 5 | Joey Logano | 316 | 0 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | 312 | 0 |
| 7 | Brad Keselowski | 300 | 2 |
| 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 279 | 0 |
| 9 | Martin Truex Jr. | 274 | 0 |
| 10 | Austin Dillon | 272 | 0 |
| 11 | Chase Elliott | 271 | 0 |
| 12 | Denny Hamlin | 269 | 1 |
| 13 | Jamie McMurray | 261 | 0 |
| 14 | AJ Allmendinger | 232 | 0 |
| 15 | Matt Kenseth | 231 | 0 |
| 16 | Trevor Bayne | 228 | 0 |
NASCAR at Kansas Lineup
| 1 | Jamie McMurray |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski |
| 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne |
| 6 | Trevor Bayne |
| 7 | Regan Smith |
| 10 | Danica Patrick |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 13 | Casey Mears |
| 14 | Tony Stewart |
| 15 | Clint Bowyer |
| 16 | Greg Biffle |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 19 | Carl Edwards |
| 20 | Matt Kenseth |
| 21 | Ryan Blaney |
| 22 | Joey Logano |
| 23 | David Ragan |
| 24 | Chase Elliott |
| 27 | Paul Menard |
| 30 | Josh Wise |
| 31 | Ryan Newman |
| 32 | Joey Gase |
| 34 | Chris Buescher |
| 38 | Landon Cassill |
| 41 | Kurt Busch |
| 42 | Kyle Larson |
| 43 | Aric Almirola |
| 44 | Brian Scott |
| 46 | Michael Annett |
| 47 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 55 | Reed Sorenson |
| 78 | Martin Truex Jr. |
| 83 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 95 | Michael McDowell |
Drivers to Watch
Trevor Bayne
Now 16th in the standings in terms of points, Trevor Bayne's season is just beginning in NASCAR.
It's technically restrictor-plate racing season, but Bayne is one of the guys who seem to benefit most from the transition.
This wasn't any more apparent than in Talladega last week when Bayne wound up leading 22 laps before finishing 10th, his second top-10 performance of the season.
“We’re in the game,” Bayne said, according to Nate Ryan of NASCAR Talk. “We’re not just out here taking up a spot. I feel like we’re in the race. We pushed Kurt [Busch] to the lead there. It’s just fun to be in the game here.”
Bayne has now led laps in two races this year—something one could call a revival of sorts after he didn't lead any at all last season. Call it a breath of fresh air for the Chase, too, with something akin to a new name now in the mix.
If Bayne can keep this current form or even build on it, he might have another top-10 finish in him Saturday while he aims to stick in the Chase.
Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano
These two haven't earned the right to get away from each other just yet, folks.
Remember last year when the feud between Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano kicked off in earnest? Well, it's back to Kansas now and just got a new dose of motivation after last weekend's events in Talladega.
Long story short, Kenseth felt Logano ran him off the track last weekend, which Logano disagreed with during their post-race altercation, as captured by NASCAR.com's Zack Albert:
Here's the thing—Kenseth isn't in a position to allow himself another costly feud. He's been one of the season's larger disappointments with just two top-10 finishes to his name and finishes of 36th or worse in two of his last three races.
Logano hasn't won, either, but one only has to glance at the leaderboard to know he's doing much better than his rival by way of four top-10 finishes.
So now the rivalry returns to where it all started last fall. It was once thought over, but last weekend seemed to reignite the whole thing. With so much at stake, it makes for the top storyline to watch this weekend.
Jimmie Johnson
Does anyone really want to bet against Jimmie Johnson at this sort of race?
Sure, he got caught up last weekend after starting fifth, didn't lead any laps and limped through the chaos to finish 22nd. Oh, and he's losing 15 minutes of practice time this week for a failed inspection flagged by NASCAR, according to Ray Slover of Sporting News.
But he's also the guy with two checkered flags to his name already this season, and one year ago he won this very race despite starting 19th. Does he need the full practice time to run well at a track he's dominated over the years? Probably not.
In fact, Johnson finds himself in the driver's seat, so to speak, with an automatic bid already punched. He won't relax, but being willing to take more risks usually trends toward a better performance.
Besides, veterans typically run this track, and guys like Logano and Kenseth feuding only makes the path wider for Johnson, who figures to be in contention until the end Saturday.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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