NASCAR Nationwide Series at Kansas 2014: Full Schedule, Standings and Preview
When it comes to domination at nearly every level of NASCAR, Kyle Busch is the man to watch any time he takes the track. The Joe Gibbs driver blistered the field at Dover to sweep the Nationwide races at the track.
Despite Joey Logano's consistency at the track, it was Busch who wound up in Victory Lane. Heading into Kansas, Busch, Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick are all in the entry list again and looking to hold off the Nationwide talent.
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Of those drivers, Chase Elliott continues to prove he's the top contender for a title. The rookie finished third at Dover to separate further from teammate Regan Smith and claim a 26-point lead over his fellow JR Motorsports racer.
In anticipation of the 29th race of the season, here's a look at the schedule, standings and a preview for the Kansas Lottery 300.
Race Information
Where: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas
When: Saturday, Oct. 4, 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Motor Racing Network
| 1 | Chase Elliott | 1034 | 3 | 14 | 22 |
| 2 | Regan Smith | 1008 | 1 | 7 | 24 |
| 3 | Ty Dillon | 988 | 1 | 5 | 21 |
| 4 | Brian Scott | 975 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
| 5 | Elliott Sadler | 970 | 1 | 6 | 20 |
| 6 | Trevor Bayne | 935 | 0 | 5 | 18 |
| 7 | Chris Buescher | 857 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| 8 | Brendan Gaughan | 814 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 9 | Ryan Reed | 759 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | James Buescher | 756 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Race Preview
Busch may have controlled the pack at Dover, but his recent woes at Kansas are cause for concern. Many of those issues have come at the Sprint Cup level, as he's failed to finish three of the last four races in the premier series.
Prior to this weekend's race, Busch spoke about trying to find his groove at the track, per Dustin Long of MRN.com.
"I think there are a lot of unknowns with the day race at Kansas," he said. "We didn’t see as many as cautions with the night race earlier this year at Kansas, but the day race, I think, is going to be a lot slicker. So you’re going to see, I think, more cautions with that."
As the Busch train rolls into Kansas looking for yet another Nationwide victory, he might have some stiff competition from another Sprint Cup regular. Matt Kenseth, who won the Nationwide race last season, will also be in the running.
Kenseth has failed to collect a checkered flag at the Nationwide or Sprint Cup level, but recent success at Kansas should lead to a corner being turned Saturday. In order to do that, he'll have to hold off the hard-charging Elliott.
The 18-year-old driver might not have the same experience as other drivers at Kansas, but he's looked like a veteran on the track, as Nascarcasm notes:
Excluding the slight jab at his age, Elliott has been a rock at the top of the leaderboard nearly every week. Elliott dwarfs any other racer, with 14 top-10 finishes, having twice as many as the next closest driver.
Slowly building a championship resume that looks more promising by the week, Elliott has a chance to distance himself again at Kansas. Expect him to drive yet another brilliant race despite the skill of others at the track.
Kansas presents a unique chance for the Nationwide regulars to cut their teeth, but it could be a veteran-led race yet again. Between the Sprint Cup drivers looking for a tuneup before Sunday's race and the teammates contending for a title, Saturday will be an intriguing event.
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