NASCAR Vegas Guide: The stakes are high in the NASCAR playoffs in 2023. This weekend, the Round of 8 gets underway at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where the opening position in the Championship 4 is up for grabs. Any eight playoff contenders who win on Sunday will advance directly to the championship game.
In the previous two seasons, Kyle Larson in 2021 and Joey Logano in 2022, the eventual champion, won the opening race in the Round of 8. This week’s race is arguably the most significant race outside of the championship race because winning gives the team extra time to build their best possible car for the Championship 4 race.
The following information will help you prepare for the crucial South Point 400 in Las Vegas:
What is the Entry List For NASCAR in Las Vegas?
At Las Vegas, 36 drivers will compete. All 32 full-timers plus an additional four will compete.
J.J. Yeley and B.J. McLeod are two of those four veterans who compete in racing on the side. Brennan Poole of the Xfinity Series and Carson Hocevar of the Truck Series will also compete.
Following is the complete entry list for Las Vegas,
Team No. 1, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
Team No. 2, Austin Cindric, Team Penske
Team No. 3, Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
Team No. 4, Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing
Team No. 5, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports
Team No. 6, Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing
Team No. 7, Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports
Team No. 8, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Team No. 9, Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports
Team No. 10, Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing
Team No. 11, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Team No. 12, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
Team No. 14, Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing
Team No. 15, Brennan Poole, Rick Ware Racing
Team No. 16, A.J. Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing
Team No. 17, Chris Buescher, RFK Racing
Team No. 19, Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing
Team No. 20, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
Team No. 21, Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing
Team No. 22, Joey Logano, Team Penske
Team No. 23, Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing
Team No. 24, William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports
Team No. 31, Justin Haley, Kaulig Racing
Team No. 34, Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports
Team No. 38, Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports
Team No. 41, Ryan Preece, Stewart-Haas Racing
Team No. 42, Carson Hocevar, Legacy Motor Club
Team No. 43, Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club
Team No. 45, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Team No. 47, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., JTG Daugherty Racing,
Team No. 48, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports
Team No. 51, J.J. Yeley, Rick Ware Racing
Team No. 54, Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
Team No. 77, Ty Dillon, Spire Motorsports
Team No. 78, B.J. McLeod, Live Fast Motorsports
Team No. 99, Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing
This weekend’s NASCAR race in Las Vegas will take place when?
On Sunday, October 15, at 11:30 a.m. PT, the South Point 400 will take place in Las Vegas.
There will be practice and qualifying sessions prior to the race. Two groups of the 36-car field will practice for 20 minutes each on Saturday at 12:35 p.m. ET (see here).
Immediately following practice, at around 1:20 p.m. ET, qualifying will begin. In the preliminary round, each vehicle from the two practice groups will complete a lap, with the top five vehicles from each group moving on to the championship round. Positions 11 through 36 are determined using the times from the first round, while the remaining drivers each get one lap to determine the starting order for the top 10.
This weekend’s NASCAR TV schedule in Las Vegas
Saturday, October 14 (streaming on USA Network and online)
12:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBCSports.com, practice
USA Network at 1:20 p.m. ET; NBCSports.com
15th of October, Sunday (NBC, Peacock, and online streaming)
NBC, NBCSports.com, NASCAR Countdown to Green, 2 p.m. ET
South Point 400: NBC, NBCSports.com, 2:30 p.m. ET
NASCAR Post Show: Peacock, 5:45 p.m. ET
NASCAR championship standings going into Las Vegas
Following the elimination of Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, and Ross Chastain from the playoffs on Sunday, the standings were reset for the Round of 8.
The eight competitors left for the championship now have 4,000 points each in addition to the playoff points they accrued all year (based on race wins, stage wins, and regular season standings). Drivers can clinch a spot in the Championship 4 over the course of the following three races (Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, and Martinsville) by either winning a race or accruing enough points to avoid finishing in the bottom four.
Here are the playoff standings as of the reset, with four drivers already under pressure because they are below the cut line:
1.Byron, William – 4,041 points
2. Martin Truex Jr. is second with 4,036 points.
3. Denny Hamlin is third with 4,032 points.
4. Kyle Larson with 4,024 points
5. Chris Buescher scored 5,021 points.
6. Christopher Bell with 4,016 points
7. Tyler Reddick with 4.016 points
8. Ryan Blaney with 4,014 points
Here is a detailed explanation of the NASCAR playoff structure.
Past race winners for NASCAR Las Vegas
Four of the 36 drivers competing this weekend have multiple victories in Las Vegas: Logano (2019, 2020, 2022), Keselowski (2014, 2016, 2018), Harvick (2015, 2018), and Truex (2017, 2019). Nine of the 36 drivers competing this weekend have won in Las Vegas.
Busch (2009), Larson (2021), Hamlin (2021), Bowman (2022), and Byron (2023), who won the race in March, are the other five drivers with a victory in Las Vegas. Favorite drivers from NASCAR in Las Vegas to watch
Order should return to Las Vegas after several weeks of wild-card tracks.
The 1.5-mile tri-oval speedway frequently produces predictable champions. With the exception of Bowman (seven wins), every driver who has ever won a Cup race in Las Vegas has at least 10 career victories. Since the track received permission to hold a playoff race in 2018, a driver who qualifies for the championship has won every time.
Even though the favorites frequently prevail, some drivers and manufacturers are still superior to others. Ford teams have a strong track record, having won 13 of the first 25 races in Las Vegas. Chevrolet has won four times in the last six races going back to 2020, though.
Logano, the defending South Points 400 champion, has made 20 career starts and leads all drivers with a 9.9 average finish, three victories, and a 101.4 driver rating. The sole issue? The Round of 16 eliminated Logano from title contention, so a victory this weekend would be historic.
Truex (10.0 average finish in 23 starts), Larson (10.5 in 14 starts), Blaney (12.4 in 14 starts), and Hamlin (12.8 in 14 starts) are the playoff drivers with the best track records in Las Vegas. Bell, who has made seven starts with a 19.6 average finish, might have trouble in the playoffs.
How will it be in Las Vegas this weekend?
This weekend will be hot and sunny in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to NBC Los Angeles. Both Saturday and Sunday will have sunny skies and light winds, with no chance of precipitation. On Saturday and Sunday, the temperature may reach 84 and 87 degrees, respectively.
Also read: NASCAR Revival Roars to Life at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Our Reader’s Queries
Who is favored to win the NASCAR race in Las Vegas?
BetMGM has Larson as the top pick for the Las Vegas race, with playoff drivers occupying the top five spots in the odds.
What’s the starting lineup for the NASCAR race in Las Vegas?
The South Point 400 lineup includes some of the top drivers in the industry. Christopher Bell (P) will be driving a Toyota, while Kyle Larson (P) will be behind the wheel of a Chevrolet. William Byron (P) will also be driving a Chevrolet, and Martin Truex Jr. will be joining the race as well. Other notable drivers include Chris Buescher (P) in a Ford, Kyle Busch in a Chevrolet, Bubba Wallace in a Toyota, and Tyler Reddick (P) in a Toyota. With such a talented lineup, this race is sure to be an exciting one.
What time does the NASCAR race start at Las Vegas?
Get ready for the Las Vegas race with the starting lineup! Tune in to NBC at 2:30 p.m. to catch all the action. Don’t miss Countdown to Green, starting at 2 p.m. on NBC. After the race, catch the post-race show on Peacock.
What NASCAR driver is good at Las Vegas?
Las Vegas Motor Speedway has seen some impressive performances from NASCAR drivers over the years. Kyle Busch leads the pack with an average finish of 5.0, followed closely by Martin Truex Jr. with 6.8. Kyle Larson and William Byron also have strong averages, coming in at 8.5 and 8.7 respectively. These drivers have proven their skills on the track and are sure to continue impressing fans with their performances at this iconic venue.
