NASCAR at Kansas 2017: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
With Brad Keselowski as the latest major name to pull in a playoff win, the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series next heads to Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400.
Like many new factors this year, Kansas Speedway landing in the middle of this three-race stretch has altered the outlook and expectations from both drivers and fans.
While not a great thing for drivers, fans benefit from the unpredictable—which went down a week ago in Talladega when only 14 cars were running at the finish after the brutal track claimed most of the field.
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Kansas Speedway might be tamer from a wreck perspective, but there is just as much at stake with two races remaining before another cutoff and some major names residing in dangerous spots.
Viewing Details
Where: Kansas Speedway
When: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET
Watch: NBCSN
Live Stream: NBC Sports
Tickets: StubHub
1. Martin Truex Jr. (78)
2. Kevin Harvick (4)
3. Ryan Blaney (21)
4. Matt Kenseth (20)
5. Denny Hamlin (11)
6. Daniel Suarez (19)
7. Erik Jones (77)
8. Kyle Busch (18)
9. Jamie McMurray (1)
10. Clint Bowyer (14)
2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Standings
| 1. Martin Truex Jr. | 3120 |
| 2. Brad Keselowski | 3101 |
| 3. Kyle Larson | 3096 |
| 4. Kevin Harvick | 3089 |
| 5. Denny Hamlin | 3088 |
| 6. Chase Elliott | 3087 |
| 7. Ryan Blaney | 3076 |
| 8. Jimmie Johnson | 3074 |
| 9. Kyle Busch | 3067 |
| 10. Matt Kenseth | 3066 |
| 11. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 3052 |
| 12. Jamie McMurray | 3045 |
| 13. Kasey Kahne | 2104 |
| 14. Ryan Newman | 2103 |
| 15. Austin Dillon | 2099 |
| 16. Kurt Busch | 2089 |
Drivers to Watch
Brad Keselowski
Keselowski taking a checkered flag was a welcome surprise and about what fans should have expected from a veteran who waited until the right moment to capitalize and assure his ticket deeper into the postseason.
What a wait, though. Talladega was only Keselowski's third win of the season, the last coming at Martinsville all the way back at the start of April. He's hung around quietly, clearly waiting for a moment.
Here's a look at the devastation Keselowski had to clear before taking a trip to Victory Lane:
Then again, maybe Keselowski taking home the checkered flag wasn't a shock despite his quiet season, because he's now won at the track five times. Maybe it was the (risky) plan all along.
"As we tried to understand what we need to do in each round and look at our strengths and weaknesses ... I looked at Talladega and this round as an opportunity," crew chief Paul Wolfe said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "This was going to be our path to make it to Homestead, and that was going to be winning Talladega."
Now? All Keselowski has to do is keep the momentum going, if not try to influence who has an easy ride to the next round.
Kevin Harvick
Here's another driver boasting a quiet season yet doing well enough to hang around by a thread.
Kevin Harvick's lone win of the season came back at Sonoma in mid-June. More recently, he's finished 17th or worse in three of his last four outings, the exception a third-place slotting at Charlotte two weeks ago.
Still, Harvick has a little history to grasp here after winning this exact event a year ago, leading 74 laps on the way to what would be his last checkered flag of the season. The order is different this year, but the fact Harvick does well on tracks like Kansas hasn't changed.
To add to this, Harvick pulled off his feat a year ago while sitting 12th in the standings.
"Last year we didn't have any options," Harvick said, according to Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star. "We had to win the race, and we were able to do that. That says a lot about the backbone of this team and how much grit they have in them to perform when our backs are against the wall."
Harvick isn't outright in danger right now, but rest assured he'll go into the weekend with the same mindset as last year.
If he does, the rest of the series might have a rejuvenated problem on its hands.
This is probably dangerous to write, but here goes—Jimmie Johnson rests on the brink of disaster.
Then again, he'd probably agree, to an extent:
Johnson is close to the outside looking in at this point, sitting on two finishes outside of the top 10 over his last four appearances. He hasn't won since the start of June at Dover, and the rigors of Talladega saw him finish 24th despite starting eighth.
ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass added to this when asked if Johnson, Kyle Busch or Matt Kenseth should be worried: "No. Johnson should be worried. The Toyotas like their 1.5-mile tracks. Busch should advance—he sits just seven points behind Johnson and should already catch him in points once the second stage ends."
It's hard to disagree with Johnson looking like he has the smallest shot at advancing. These Toyotas are built for the upcoming tracks, and Busch has consistently looked like one of the best drivers out there.
Johnson overcoming these odds would certainly classify as a championship-caliber move.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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