Kyle Busch

With rain forcing the cancellation of two practice sessions Friday, the scheduled NASCAR Cup Series qualifying Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, was canceled in favor of a final practice.

As a result, the field for Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400 will be set by owner points, meaning championship contenders Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch will start first through fourth, respectively.

Here is a full rundown of the lineup, courtesy of NASCAR.com:

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Kyle Busch
5. Joey Logano
6. Kyle Larson
7. Ryan Blaney
8. Brad Keselowski
9. William Byron
10. Clint Bowyer
11. Chase Elliott
12. Alex Bowman
13. Kurt Busch
14. Aric Almirola
15. Ryan Newman
16. Erik Jones
17. Daniel Suarez
18. Jimmie Johnson
19. Paul Menard
20. Chris Buescher
21. Matt DiBenedetto
22. Austin Dillon
23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
24. Ty Dillon
25. Daniel Hemric
26. Ryan Preece
27. Bubba Wallace
28. Michael McDowell
29. Corey LaJoie
30. John H. Nemechek
31. David Ragan
32. Joe Nemechek
33. Landon Cassill
34. J.J. Yeley
35. Reed Sorenson
36. Ross Chastain
37. Drew Herring
38. Josh Bilicki
39. BJ McLeod
40. Timmy Hill

Sunday's race is the season finale, meaning the highest finisher between Hamlin, Harvick, Truex and Busch will win the 2019 points championship.

Over the past five years, Harvick, Truex and Busch have each won their first career championship. Hamlin is the only remaining contender who hasn't won a points title, but he has the advantage of starting on the pole Sunday.

Also, Hamlin won last week's race at Phoenix and has won two of the past four races overall, which means he has the hot hand.

Among the four championship contenders, Hamlin has two career wins at Homestead, while Harvick, Truex and Busch each have one. In terms of average finish, Harvick is tops at 6.6, followed by Hamlin (10.6), Truex (10.8) and Busch (17.4).

The stats point to a championship race that should come down to the wire with all four participants having a legitimate chance to win.

The 2019 NASCAR season comes down to one final race, with four drivers vying for the title at Homestead in Miami in the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday.

Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch will take the top four spots on the grid after qualifying was canceled because of the weather. Truex, Busch or Harvick could join Jimmie Johnson as one of the only two active drivers with multiple championships, while Hamlin could finally land his long overdue maiden title.

Whoever crosses the finish line first out of these four will end the year on top. It's the sixth time the Cup championship race has been held under the elimination playoff format, and in the previous five editions, the championship winner also won the race, per NBC Sports' Daniel McFadin.

Here is all you need to know ahead of Sunday's race.

                 

Schedule

• Date: Sunday, November 17

• Time: 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT

• TV Info: NBC

• Live Stream: NBC Sports App

• Tickets: StubHub

         

Bleacher Report has an affiliate marketing relationship with StubHub. We will receive revenue from your purchase.

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This will be the last year Homestead holds the championship weekend, a tradition that has existed since 2002, before the event moves to Phoenix in 2020. Rain has already affected this final edition greatly, forcing NASCAR to cancel qualifying altogether, per The Athletic's Jeff Gluck:

NASCAR announces it has *canceled* qualifying tomorrow and replaced it with a 50-minute practice session.

Lineup for championship race will be set by owner points, which makes the Championship 4 roll off 1-2-3-4.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 16, 2019

Here’s a look at the leaders in owner points, which becomes the starting lineup for Homestead championship race. pic.twitter.com/Rp43yA8xPK

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 16, 2019

Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass shared the starting lineup for Sunday's race:

Starting lineup by owner points for Cup: #nascar pic.twitter.com/DeSk0rhsaT

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 16, 2019

Hamlin―who will celebrate his birthday on Monday―will start from pole position. He's the only championship contender gunning for his first title and is coming off a big win in Phoenix, building plenty of momentum for Sunday's race.

A two-time winner at Homestead, Hamlin has enjoyed more success at the track than any of his rivals, who have one win apiece there.

Truex has been the form driver in the playoffs, with an impressive three wins this postseason. He has finished inside the top seven in all but one playoff race and also had more wins than any of his direct opponents in the regular season, with seven.

The Fox Sports crew likes his chances to win the title but named Harvick the favourite:

Harvick and his Stewart-Haas Racing Ford will be up against three Toyota cars from Joe Gibbs Racing. The 43-year-old has won four of the past 16 races.

Busch has no win in his past 21 outings, but he took second place in Phoenix and may just have found his best form at the right time.

Per NBC Sport's Nate Ryan, the stats show these four drivers are incredibly evenly matched, explaining why oddsmakers are having trouble picking their favourite. Harvick just about edged the other three from a statistical point of view, and his experience could prove vital on Sunday.

Denny Hamlin won the Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, on Sunday to advance to the championship four of the 2019 NASCAR playoffs.

Hamlin joined Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick, who earned victories in the round of eight, and Kyle Busch, who claimed the final championship spot on points.

DO IT FOR JD.@DennyHamlin will race for a CHAMPIONSHIP! He WINS at @ISMRaceway! #Championship4 #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/QJEKrtBm12

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 10, 2019

This is Hamlin's sixth victory of the season and his second career checkered flag at ISM Raceway.

      

Bluegreen Vacations 500 Leaderboard

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Kyle Busch

3. Ryan Blaney

4. Kyle Larson

5. Kevin Harvick

6. Martin Truex Jr.

7. Erik Jones

8. Clint Bowyer

9. Joey Logano

10. Brad Keselowski

Phoenix was the scene for one of Hamlin's biggest professional disappointments. The points leader going into the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500, he ended the race in 12th and was runner-up to Jimmie Johnson at the end of the year. That was as close as the 38-year-old has gotten to winning the NASCAR Cup championship.

It looked like a tactical gamble could doom Hamlin once again.

Inside the final 10 laps, the No. 11 car headed to pit road during a caution to prepare for the final sprint. Hamlin only took two fresh tires, which left some to wonder whether he'd be able to hold off Busch and Ryan Blaney on the restart.

Busch and Blaney went low in an attempt to pass Hamlin on Turn 2, but he remained in first on the outside.

What a move down to the inside by @KyleBusch and @Blaney!

But @dennyhamlin gets away with the lead! pic.twitter.com/59RnfFWWMY

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 10, 2019

Hamlin on that restart. Wow. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/knj714Csro

— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) November 10, 2019

From there, Busch, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, settled into second and Blaney into third as neither gained ground on the leader. Hamlin cruised to the finish line with minimal drama.

Denny Hamlin WINS his way to the #Championship4!

This winning moment at Phoenix is presented by @ToyotaRacing! pic.twitter.com/zKJwYvIFVz

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 10, 2019

The result was likely a little more satisfying for Hamlin knowing he knocked Joey Logano out of the postseason hunt.

Hamlin and Logano got into a shoving match after the First Data 500 two races ago. Logano had been frustrated after Hamlin forced him into the wall in the final stage. Dave Nichols Jr., a crew member for Logano, earned a suspension after dragging Hamlin to the ground during the altercation.

Logano led 93 laps Sunday but ended up in ninth. Knowing Hamlin denied him an opportunity to defend his points title will be a bitter pill to swallow.

Trailing Logano by 78 points for fourth place entering the event, Chase Elliott needed a victory in order to move on to the next round.

The No. 9 car experienced mechanical issues early in the race that eventually necessitated a trip to the garage. Elliott's day ended after 165 laps, ensuring a last-place finish and ending his playoff chase.

A championship will have to wait for @ChaseElliott.

He talks with @KelliStavast after wrecking out of the #NASCARPlayoffs. pic.twitter.com/4BX8EpfZYj

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 10, 2019

That left Hamlin, Logano, Busch, Blaney and Larson fighting for the final two spots.

The respective performances of Hamlin and Busch made things pretty straightforward as the day wore on. Hamlin was holding strong at the top of the field, and Busch would round out the round out the championship four barring an unforeseen catastrophe.

The restart provided some late intrigue because Hamlin would've fallen out of the top four altogether if Busch or Blaney had passed him for the lead.

But the 14-year Cup veteran remains in contention for his first title as the Cup calendar ends at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 17 for the Ford EcoBoost 400.

Hamlin has two wins in 14 tries in Miami, but Harvick's average finish of 6.56 is the best at the track among the four playoff drivers, per DriverAverages.com. 

Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney are facing a daunting challenge to avoid elimination during the 2019 Bluegreen Vacations 500 when NASCAR returns to Phoenix on Sunday.

Elliott and Blaney both set impressive speeds during Friday's final practice session on the ISM Raceway. The former paced the rest, and the 23-year-old has plenty of motivation to improve after finishing 32nd during the AAA Texas 500 earlier in November and is consequently in win-or-bust mode for this race.

Blaney has been on the winner's spot on the podium more recently, having won at Talladega in October. He's also an outside shot to secure a place in the championship four, with Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano holding those spots ahead of qualifying and the lineup for the race proper being set.

This is the last race in the Round of 8 and the final chance for the eight playoff hopefuls to put points on the board. 

                          

Schedule

Qualifying

• Date: Saturday, November 9
• Time: 2 p.m. ET/7 p.m. GMT
• TV Info: NBCSN
• Live Stream: NBC Sports App

                

Race

• Date: Sunday, November 10
• Time: 2:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. GMT
• TV Info: NBC
• Live Stream: NBC Sports App
• Tickets: StubHub

Bleacher Report has an affiliate marketing relationship with StubHub. We will receive revenue from your purchase.

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Round of 8 Standings

1. Martin Truex Jr. (4,133)

2. Kevin Harvick (4,113)

3. Kyle Busch (4,113)

4. Joey Logano (4,111)

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5. Denny Hamlin (4,091)

6. Ryan Blaney (4,088)

7. Kyle Larson (4,088)

8. Chase Elliott (4,033)

               

Elliott and Blaney made statements with their drives ahead of qualifying, per the NASCAR official website. However, the same source also noted how Harvick was third-fastest in the final session, an ominous sign for the rest given his decorated history at Phoenix.

He's won nine times at the venue, most recently in 2018. The 43-year-old also has momentum on his side following his win in Texas last time out.

Retweet to congratulate @KevinHarvick on the win at @TXMotorSpeedway!#NASCARPlayoffs | @StewartHaasRcng pic.twitter.com/FoQ0HRo7ID

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 4, 2019

Harvick looks strong in the championship slots, while Busch will also be confident about his chances, having won on the ISM Raceway at the TicketGuardian 500 in March.

Like Harvick, Busch has his destiny in his hands thanks to a healthy tally in the standings. It's a different story for Elliott, though, who needs to get on the summit position on the podium Sunday to force his way into the final four.

8th in the standings.
-78 points below the cutline.

It's win or wait 'til next year for @chaseelliott. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/OeoDwnItLj

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 7, 2019

His 138.627 mph speed showed Elliott is in the mood to make the most of his final chance. Racing like he's got nothing to lose will help, and so will the desire to banish memories of 12 months ago, when a collision with Hamlin and Busch wrecked Elliott's qualification hopes.

While pressure can spur on Elliott, racing without it could ease Blaney's task. He doesn't have as much ground to make up, just 33 points below the line, and he remains confident with qualifying looming:

Ryan @Blaney was the polesitter earlier this year at @ISMRaceway.

The @Team_Penske driver has found some speed in the two Friday practice sessions, and is gearing up for Saturday's qualifying. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/SChV8xhdBC

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 9, 2019

Even so, it will take a lot for either Elliott or Blaney to stay in the mix, making it more likely the four drivers primed to race for the Cup retain their places.

This preview includes schedule and ticket information, with links to StubHub. Bleacher Report has an affiliate marketing relationship with StubHub. We will receive revenue from your purchase.

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Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, hosts the first of three races in the Round of 8 in the 2019 NASCAR season on Sunday.

A victory for any of the play-off drivers in the First Data 500 would put them into the Championship 4.

Martinsville is the shortest track on the NASCAR circuit, which invariably makes for intense and exciting action.

                       

Date: Sunday, October 27

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. BST

TV Info: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports App

Tickets: StubHub

                   

Denny Hamlin has the momentum going into the First Data 500 after triumphing last time out in Kansas for his fifth win of the season.

He has a fine record in Martinsville, winning five times at the track in his career, although his most recent victory at the track was back in 2015.

In last year's corresponding race, Hamlin came second, and he was fifth at the STP 500 in March. The 38-year-old is a firm contender for his first championship win, and he will be relishing the opportunity of booking his spot in the Championship 4 by winning the First Data 500 again.

Reigning champion Joey Logano, meanwhile, is battling for form:

The "War Room" is going with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott in the Championship 4. Discuss. pic.twitter.com/VaZkQcgqUY

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) October 24, 2019

He won last year's race in a stunning finish, but he is without a podium place since early September, a run of six races, and he has finished outside the top 10 in the past three.

A win on Sunday for the Team Penske driver is far from out of the question, though, and it would propel him back into contention for another title win.

Among Logano's key rivals will be Kyle Busch, who is on a good run.

The 34-year-old was third in Kansas, has three top-10 finishes in the past five races and has not finished outside of the top five at Martinsville in 10 starts since 2015.

The Dover International Speedway will host the first race of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 on Sunday.

After a number of drivers battled to make their way into the final 12 last time out in Charlotte, North Carolina, thoughts will begin to turn to winning the title, with just seven races left on the calendar.

Despite a disappointing performance at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch is seeded first, with Joe Gibbs Racing team-mates Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin in second and third place, respectively. Defending champion Joey Logano sits in fourth as things stand.

Here are the key details for the race weekend, as well as ticketing information, the broadcast schedule and a preview of what to expect from Delaware.

                   

Schedule (ET)

Saturday, October 5

12:05 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying

1:35 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

3 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series, Use Your Melon Drive Sober 200

          

Sunday, October 6

2:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Drydene 400

        

Tickets are available to buy on Stubhub. 

Broadcast information: In the United States, the race will be available to watch on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM, as well as the NBC Sports app.

             

Preview

The pressure will be starting to build on the drivers, as only 12 remain in the hunt for the NASCAR Cup Series title.

The playoff format has made even the best competitors edgy too. Busch, who has earned the top seeding spot based on his performances throughout the year, finished in 37th last time out. That will be a concern for the Joe Gibbs star, especially on a track that should have suited his style.

In North Carolina, Busch cut a particularly disconsolate figure as he came into the pits under a red flag with seven minutes remaining. After the race, the playoff top seed explained his thinking:

Because of the damage from the incident n turn 1 n the flat tire, we had a broken sway bar. Our race was over b4 the red flag came out. We decided to not risk tearing up our car anymore. Others had more on the line. Better to call it a day n move on to Dover for the round of 12👊🏻

— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 30, 2019

Given his inconsistent form, there are some doubts about whether Busch is a serious contender for the title this year, with his average placing at 19.3 through the three postseason races. 

The NASCAR Twitter account noted it's been a long time since the regular-season champion was on the top step of the podium:

It's been 15 races since @KyleBusch last visited Victory Lane.

Will he return to the top at the @MonsterMile? pic.twitter.com/XR4JV3qCrO

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 4, 2019

However, he's proved himself to be a strong competitor when it comes to the clutch moments of a season and has won three times at Dover previously.

Chase Elliott was the man who capitalised on a difficult day for Busch, Truex Jr. and others in Charlotte and has a sixth-place seeding

Kevin Harvick has also started to pick up results at an opportune time, with two podium finishes in the postseason, including a third-placed finish at Charlotte. The Stewart-Haas racing driver said he relishes this rapid racetrack too, per Pete Pistone of Motor Racing Network:

"Dover is the racetrack where you feel the sensation of speed more than anything. It's a place where you drop off into the corner and slam into a lot of banking and then, as you come out of the corner, it's kind of like jumping out of a hole and up onto the straightaway. It's a really fun place to race.

He's seeded fifth, while Brad Keselowski, who has three top-five finishes in a row, is seventh and a potential dark horse for the overall prize.

Truex Jr. may well be the man to beat again, though. Not only has he shown the best form in the playoffs—he won the first two races of the postseason—but he also clinched victory at this circuit in the regular season.

Martin Truex Jr. earned his second straight win to open the 2019 Monster Energy Cup Series playoffs after holding off Kyle Busch to take the Federated Auto Parts 400 in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday. 

RETWEET to congratulate @MartinTruex_Jr on sweeping the season at @RichmondRaceway! pic.twitter.com/IdM4U1I6mi

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 22, 2019

CHECKERED FLAG: Break out the brooms! @MartinTruex_Jr sweeps @RichmondRaceway and goes back-to-back to open the #NASCARPlayoffs!

Results: https://t.co/RMpI3HyfhQ pic.twitter.com/QMpD5H5byY

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 22, 2019

Truex, who won the South Point 400 in Las Vegas last Sunday, also won Stage 1. He is atop the Monster Energy Cup Series leaderboard with six wins and first in the playoff standings.

Busch paced the field by leading for 202 laps and won Stage 2. He's first in laps led and stages won this season.

Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones finished third and fourth, respectively, giving Joe Gibbs Racing the top four Richmond finishers.

Here's a look at the top-10 results, the latest playoff standings, a quick recap and some highlights and reaction.

                   

Top-10 Results

1. Martin Truex Jr.

2. Kyle Busch

3. Denny Hamlin

4. Erik Jones

5. Brad Keselowski

6. Ryan Newman

7. Kyle Larson

8. Kevin Harvick

9. Clint Bowyer

10. Daniel Suarez

Full results can be found on NASCAR.com.

        

Top-16 Playoff Standings Post-Richmond:

1. Martin Truex Jr.

2. Kevin Harvick

3. Kyle Busch

4. Denny Hamlin

5. Brad Keselowski

6. Joey Logano

7. Chase Elliott

8. Kyle Larson

9. Ryan Newman

10. Ryan Blaney

11. Aric Almirola

12. William Byron

13. Alex Bowman

14. Erik Jones

15. Clint Bowyer

16. Kurt Busch

Results via NBC Sports Network broadcast.

     

The evening didn't look particularly promising for Truex after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun him out in the final stage:

🚨 @MartinTruex_Jr gets spun by @StenhouseJr! 🚨

The No. 19 was the leader! pic.twitter.com/aTN7mElH1O

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 22, 2019

Aaron Bearden of Motorsports Beat provided some context behind the spin:

https://twitter.com/aaronbearden93/status/1175592724810088448

However, Truex lined up third when he returned to the track:

Despite all that, @MartinTruex_Jr will line up in third!

A sigh of relief from the 19 team. pic.twitter.com/Cz5ft42mWO

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 22, 2019

By that point, Busch held the lead, but Truex drove his way back into contention and eventually passed him with 25 laps left:

He's there!@MartinTruex_Jr | @KyleBusch pic.twitter.com/0P8BV9aGJa

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 22, 2019

At the line ... @MartinTruex_Jr leads! pic.twitter.com/xd5IRCw0my

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 22, 2019

Truex stayed in first for the rest of the night before a post-race celebration:

Statement made.@MartinTruex_Jr might be the man to beat in the #NASCARPlayoffs. pic.twitter.com/fjd15WjtK6

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 22, 2019

The Monster Energy Cup Series will return Sunday, Sept. 29 with the Bank of America ROVAL 400 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway race will conclude the first round of the playoffs. Afterward, the 16-driver playoff field will be cut down to 12.

Per Kelly Crandall of RACER, Truex, Harvick and Busch have clinched top-12 spots.

The first round-of-16 playoff of the 2019 NASCAR season will take place on Sunday in the South Point 400 in Las Vegas.

The top 16 drivers from the regular season, from Kyle Busch to Ryan Newman, will compete over 267 laps of the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway circuit.

On Saturday, the final race of the Xfinity Series regular season will be held in the DC Solar 300.

Be great, or be gone.

The best racing is now with the #NASCARPlayoffs, and it kicks off Sunday at 7PM ET on NBCSN from @LVMotorSpeedway! pic.twitter.com/zS6SwB6Czj

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 9, 2019

                   

Schedule

Saturday, September 14

2:35 p.m. ET: Xfinity Series Qualifying

4:05 p.m. ET: Cup Series Qualifying

7:30 p.m. ET: DC Solar 300 Race

              

Sunday, September 15

7 p.m. ET: South Point 400 Race

        

TV Info: NBCSN (U.S.)

      

Tickets are available to purchase on StubHub and via the circuit's official website.

 

            

Preview

Here's a look at the 16-driver field after Ryan Newman claimed the last playoff spot with his eighth-place finish in the Big Machine Vodka 400 last time out:

The #NASCARPlayoffs are set.

Join us for more post-race coverage of the #Brickyard400 on NBCSN! Stream here: https://t.co/CAYgs2g5vY pic.twitter.com/rGH8diXjiB

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 8, 2019

Busch hasn't added to his four wins since June, but he's the man to beat having topped the standings in the regular season.

He has a strong record in Las Vegas, too. In his last five appearances there, he's only finished outside the top seven once.

The 34-year-old has also been a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs in recent years, having qualified for the championship race in each of the last four years.

Busch hasn't won the title since 2015, though, and he's eager to put that right. 

He said during media day: 

"I've been asked this question every single year, and yeah, if you don't win a championship it's disappointing. I've been to the Homestead race four years in a row, and I've only won it once.

"I don't know if that is a little LeBron James-esque, but it feels like I can get there but just can't seal the deal. It's kind of crazy that it comes down to one race and one race track."

Team Penske's Joey Logano, who won the championship last year, won the Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas in March.

Per Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass, he is feeling confident despite a difficult spell at the end of the regular season:

Does Joey Logano and his team have the defending champion swagger or is it in their head that before the second at Indy on Sunday, they had five consecutive finishes of 13th or worse? #nascar ⁦@NASCARONFOX⁩ pic.twitter.com/rw33XoaIIV

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 12, 2019

His teammate Brad Keselowski is the defending champion at the South Point 400, and he has an incredible record in Las Vegas.

Since 2013, Keselowski has picked up three wins there and has never finished lower than seventh.

Another one to watch will be Kevin Harvick, who enters the playoffs with the most momentum of any driver after he picked up three wins and three top-seven finishes in the final seven races of the regular season.

The final two participants for the 2019 NASCAR Monster Energy Series postseason will be determined at one of the most famous venues in motor sports. 

Clint Bowyer, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson have the potential to clinch playoff berths on points, while any driver beneath them in the standings could qualify with a victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

A week ago at Darlington, Erik Jones won to secure his spot alongside Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and others. 

Sunday presents the competitors with a unique situation since qualifying occurs the morning of the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard.

                           

NASCAR at Indianapolis Information

Start Time: 2 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC 

Ticket Info: Available tickets can be found on StubHub.

                 

Bowyer enters the Brickyard with the best chance to secure a playoff position without taking first place. 

According to NASCAR.com's clinching scenarios, the driver of the No. 14 car needs 48 points and a new winner, or 46 points if a previous race champion crosses the finish line in the top spot. 

Bowyer and his Stewart-Haas Racing team have confidence going into Sunday because of a fifth-place finish in 2018, as he noted to Motorsport.com's Jim Utter. 

"It's all lining up to be a really big weekend, between racing at a place like Indianapolis and for as high of stakes as we are racing for," Bowyer said. "It's pretty clear cut what we have to do if we want to get into the playoffs. 

"We are confident," Bowyer said. "We ran well at Indy last year and we'll need to do it again. This is what the playoff format was designed to do." 

The 40-year-old holds an eight-point advantage over Suarez and Newman, who both have to gain 54 to go along with a repeat winner to land in the playoffs. 

Jimmie Johnson lies 18 back of the pair, and he needs help from all around the field to join the 16-man playoff if he fails to come out on top. 

The seven-time series champion has not won in 84 races, but there are some younger competitors rooting for the No. 48 car to enter Victory Lane, per NBC Sports' Dustin Long. 

"I would like to see him just win to shut everyone up," Kyle Larson said. "When you are watching somebody like that dominate, you never expect to see them in this position, being winless for as long as he's been, at risk of not making the playoffs and having a chance to win the championship." 

The good news for Johnson is Hendrick Motorsports has the most NASCAR victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and he has captured the crown on four occasions. 

If the driver and crew of the No. 48 car conjure up some of the Hendrick magic at the Brickyard, Johnson could slide into the field while knocking out a few drivers ahead of him. 

There are plenty of racers already locked into the playoffs capable of finishing the regular season in first, and in turn, they could make the last two spots come down to points. 

Brad Keselowski is the defending champion at the Brickyard. Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. all have a quartet of victories in 2019. 

If a playoff driver finds Victory Lane, the drama will shift to track positioning and possibly some risky racing from the other postseason hopefuls. 

                        

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com  

The 2019 NASCAR Cup Series rolls on to the historic Darlington Raceway this weekend, with Kyle Busch seeking to consolidate his advantage at the top of the standings with the postseason in sight.

Busch has been able to extend his lead at the top of the rankings to 39 points in recent weeks, with defending champion Joey Logano, his nearest challenger, finishing no higher than 13th in his past four races.

The man in form going into the race is Denny Hamlin, who won the most recent race in Bristol. He's finished in the top three in each of the past five races and will be seeking to further chop down the gap to the top two with a strong performance in South Carolina.

There will also be an eye on the playoff battle, with three of the 16 spots still up for grabs with two races left in the regular season.

                    

Race Date: Sunday, September 1

TV Info: NBCSN (U.S.)

Live Stream: fuboTV (U.S.)

Tickets: StubHub

             

Weekend Schedule  

Saturday, August 31

2:05 p.m. (ET): Cup Series qualifying

         

Sunday, September 1

6:15 p.m. (ET): Southern 500 race

       

A full list of drivers taking part can be found on the NASCAR website.

            

Preview

For long spells of the 2019 season, the race for top spot appeared set to be a battle between Logano and Busch. However, Hamlin has made matters interesting with an excellent purple patch in recent weeks.

His win at Bristol in the previous race was arguably the best performance of the season from the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, as he was impressive in practice, topped the timesheets in qualifying and then overcame challenges to triumph on raceday.

He produced this slick overtake on Matt DiBenedetto late in the race to win, having previously been two laps down:

The Bristol Motor Speedway account noted there was plenty of sportsmanship on show between the pair after their battle:

https://twitter.com/BMSupdates/status/1162928472018341894

Hamlin will consider himself a serious challenger for this season's title and is undoubtedly the man to watch going into the Darlington spectacle.

Busch has been able to remain consistent in recent weeks despite not getting podium finishes, and that's ensured he's pulled away from Logano, who has endured a few challenging rounds.

In the past three races, Logano has finished 23rd, 17th and 16th, seeing him lose ground on his rival and start to look over his shoulder nervously at the scorching Hamlin. Busch will know a win at Darlington will guarantee him top spot in the regular season, with September 8's race at the Brickyard the final event before the playoffs.

In 2018, Brad Keselowski was the winner at Darlington, with this crucial pitstop move from his team vital in his taking the chequered flag:

Of the 16 playoff spots available, nine have been filled by race winners, while four more are secured by racers who have already accrued enough points. It means the drivers occupying spots 14, 15 and 16—Erik Jones, Ryan Newman and Daniel Suarez, respectively—need big showings on Sunday.

The Darlington race is one of the most prestigious on the NASCAR calendar and also provides the drivers with a unique challenge. The circuit is egg-shaped and unsymmetrical, meaning it's tough to settle into a rhythm on race day.

Ahead of qualifying, Kurt Busch topped the first practice runs, while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was quickest in final practice.