Observe: Kansas SpeedwayLocation: Kansas Metropolis, KansasTrack size: 1.5 milesWhen: Sunday, 3 p.m. ETWhere to tune in: FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioRace purse: $11,055,250Race distance: 267 laps | 400.5 milesStages: 80 | 165 | 267Defending winner:Kyle Larson, Could 2024Starting lineup:Kyle Larson nudges Chris Buescher from P1 to take Kansas pole
Crew execution amid chaos is essential to success Sunday at Kansas
If Saturday afternoon’s apply session was any indication, Sunday’s Cup Sequence race can be unpredictable.
Groups pushed the boundaries to seek out pace and have been aggressive on air strain of their tires which led to a number of points for the likes of Brad Keselowski, Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs and Zane Smith to maximise tempo through the short-run classes. Whereas groups can be extra conservative in sustaining their vehicles for potential lengthy runs Sunday afternoon, Kansas nonetheless offers treacherous moments for when drivers select to push arduous.
Throughout apply, two-time Kansas winner Kyle Larson scrubbed the wall working the highest line on the progressively banked Turns 3 and 4. Regardless of the contact, Larson nonetheless put within the ninth-best single lap of the session and was the quickest general in 10-lap consecutive averages.
MORE: Cup Sequence standings | Full 2025 schedule
In response to information from NASCAR Insights, all indicators level towards Toyota taking again the reins at a observe that they dominated in 2022 and 2023.
Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick are all listed within the high 5 in pace score through the Subsequent Gen period at Kansas, and three Toyota groups even have one of the best pit crews to this point in 2025 with the No. 23 (Bubba Wallace), No. 54 (Ty Gibbs) and No. 11 (Hamlin) groups.
Three of 23XI Racing’s eight Cup wins have come at Kansas, however each Wallace and Reddick have been snubbed from high 10s in each occasions final 12 months.
From Wallace: “We needed to offer everyone else an opportunity,” he mentioned with a smirk on Saturday throughout at-track media availabilities. “We determined to strive one thing completely different and it didn’t work for us. I, myself, was very adamant on getting again to the place we should be once we present as much as this place as a result of whenever you present as much as locations that you just’ve had success in, it breeds confidence, proper? While you go into it and you’ve got a lackluster day like my two races final 12 months have been, it hurts a bit bit. Nothing’s ever the identical. Regardless of how good you have got it going, you at all times need to proceed to evolve and someplace we acquired off the trail, however hopefully get it again.”
Each Reddick and Wallace have been high 10 in single-lap apply pace Saturday. In qualifying, Reddick posted the fourth-best time whereas Wallace will begin fifteenth for Sunday’s 400-miler.
MORE: Full Saturday recap
From atop the pit field …
What do crew chiefs have in focus to win Sunday’s race?
With Kansas’ tendency to supply nice racing from begin to end, the ultimate laps can come all the way down to a move within the last nook or who was simply thousandths of a second faster coming to the beginning/end line.
The latest spring version at Kansas gave simply that as Kyle Larson outdueled Chris Buescher by a mere 0.001-second margin within the closest Cup Sequence end in historical past. For Buescher’s crew chief Scott Graves, seeing the replays make it nearly unattainable to not dwell on.
“The half that makes it arduous is it they present it on a regular basis, proper?” Graves informed NASCAR.com. “Guys that have been on the Ricky Craven, Kurt Busch vehicles from the closest end at Darlington — there was a man that also works within the storage that was on the dropping finish of that one, and he thanked me final 12 months after that end as a result of he’s like ‘now I don’t have to have a look at it yearly.’ Those which can be that shut, you at all times have a look at and take into consideration what if, however you attempt to transfer on. You look forward and you realize that it’s a great observe for us, so we at all times circle it as one which we will be actually aggressive at.”
MORE: Energy Rankings for Kansas
Kansas has additionally been a observe that reveals a full group end result the place the driving force and pit crew have close to equal enter in how they end their race. Final 12 months’s playoff race noticed Denny Hamlin lose numerous observe place on pit highway because the No. 11 crew struggled to have a clear cease, however Hamlin was in a position to grind out a top-10 end result to internet a great factors day.
Cliff Daniels, crew chief for Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, famous that their group has additionally had its pit-road woes on the 1.5-mile oval however that Larson has been in a position to make up for it.
“You’ll be able to run so many various lanes,” Daniels informed NASCAR.com. “Obtained vehicles which can be good across the backside, then you definately’ve form of acquired a lane off the wall, then you definately’ve acquired a lane on the wall. It simply makes for a extremely, actually enjoyable and thrilling race. While you do have the observe place, the essential elements of maintaining it are the main points of the pit cease and being adequate on pit highway and executing these couple restarts which can be actually essential to take care of your day.”
Kansas has been the house to essentially the most dashing penalties at intermediate ovals within the Subsequent Gen automobile with 37 because the spring race in 2022.
“We’re conscious of it. It’s a part of what we evaluation each week, which I’m positive everyone does,” Graves mentioned. “There’s scorching spots on pit highway that we’re conscious of, and when you’re in a spot, you’ll be able to decide in that space on pit highway so it form of takes these out of play. If not, then you definately simply, you bought to pay attention to them and watch out. There definitely are some right here. For the profit you get from pushing pit highway, it’s simply not well worth the penalty of getting to go to the again of the sphere.”
RELATED: See the place drivers will pit for Sunday’s race
Historical past tells us …
Dominating Kansas doesn’t assure a win. The motive force main essentially the most laps did not win the final 5 Kansas races, the longest streak ever on the observe. Furthermore, the pole sitter has not received at Kansas within the Subsequent Gen automobile and has solely received as soon as since 2018 (Kyle Larson, fall 2021).
He is probably not the favourite to win, however be careful for …
ROSS CHASTAIN. A 23.5 common beginning place by 11 races this season has been by far the worst for the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing driver since becoming a member of the group in 2022, nevertheless it hasn’t stopped the 32-year-old journeyman from grinding out high 10 after high 10. He’s tallied 5 of them within the final seven races and enters Kansas, the place he received final fall, coming off a runner-up end result at Texas Motor Speedway final weekend.
Fantasy replace
NASCAR Fantasy Stay professional Dustin Albino offers perception in your race-day lineup.
For the second straight 12 months by apply and qualifying within the spring Kansas weekend, Chris Buescher leads the cost of drivers difficult Hendrick Motorsports and Toyota. Buescher had threatening tempo over the lengthy haul, rating second on 10-lap averages and fourth over a 20-lap run. I‘ve added the No. 17 automobile to my lineup instead of Kyle Busch, who had pace in apply however slapped the skin wall throughout his qualifying run. An early qualifying draw dropped Alex Bowman to twenty first within the beginning lineup, however the No. 48 automobile is lots quick to have obtainable come Sunday.
Lineup: Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher.
Storage: Alex Bowman.
MORE: Get lineup recommendation in Fantasy Fastlane
Pace reads
Our largest items of the week — get coated for race day from all angles.• NASCAR at Kansas: Key data, hyperlinks, outcomes by the weekend | Learn extra• Welcome again, Miami: Homestead returns as Championship Weekend host in 2026 | Learn extra• Clearing the air: Hocevar particulars midweek dialog with Preece after Texas feedback | Watch video• Rebound on the best way?: JGR has cooled over the previous few weeks, however is reignition on the horizon? | Learn extra• Blaney’s finest: The place can the 2023 Cup champ get to Victory Lane earlier than playoffs start? | View gallery• Racing Insights: Full ending order projections for Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 | Learn extra• Turning Level to Kansas: The place chaos turns into the usual | Learn extra• At-track photos: Finest photographs, scenes from Kansas doubleheader | View gallery• NASCAR Classics: All of the thrills and intense finishes from the Sunflower State | Watch races• Paint Scheme Preview: Recent designs able to deal with Kansas | View gallery
