The NASCAR Cup Series teams head out west this weekend to kick off the Round of 8 of the playoffs. First up is a date with Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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This race is the first opportunity for one of the remaining eight playoff drivers to win their way into the Championship 4. A playoff driver has accomplished this every season since the Round of 8 opener moved to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Cup Series playoff race information
Weather: The WeatherUnderground forecast calls for mostly sunny skies throughout the day. A high of 76 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the playoff race.
Green flag time: The grand marshal, Glen Powell, will give the command to fire engines at 5:24 p.m. ET. The starter will wave the green flag at 5:35 p.m. ET.
Starting lineup: Denny Hamlin won the pole as Joe Gibbs Racing took the top three spots in qualifying.
Pre-race: The garage opens at 2:30 p.m. ET. Driver introductions will take place at 4:50 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage begins with "Countdown to Green" on USA Network at 5 p.m. ET. Race coverage continues at 5:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.
The invocation will be at 5:16 p.m. ET. The national anthem will be at 5:17 p.m. ET.
Stages: The race will consist of three stages. The first stage ends at Lap 80. The second stage ends at Lap 165. The scheduled end of the race is Lap 267.
Playoff picture: The Cup Series playoff drivers have completed two rounds of the playoffs. Only eight drivers remain in contention for the championship.
Denny Hamlin leads this group with an eight-point cushion. The other three drivers above the cutline include Ryan Blaney (+6), Kyle Larson (+4), and William Byron (+4).
The four drivers below the Championship 4 cutline are Christopher Bell (-4), Chase Elliott (-14), Chase Briscoe (-14), and Joey Logano (-24).
Photo credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography
Past winners: Several active drivers have won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Logano, the three-time champion, leads this group with four wins (2019, 2020, 2022, 2024). Larson (2021, 2023, 2024) and Brad Keselowski (2014, 2016, 2018) each have three wins at the 1.5-mile track.
The drivers with one Las Vegas Motor Speedway win include Josh Berry (2025), Byron (2023), Alex Bowman (2022), Denny Hamlin (2021), and Kyle Busch (2009).
