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NASCAR at Kentucky 2020: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Jul 11, 2020
Kyle Busch competes in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, June 28, 2020, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Kyle Busch competes in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, June 28, 2020, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The NASCAR Cup Series has only had five drivers win at Kentucky Speedway.

Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch all have multiple victories at the venue, while Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth have one win each. Keselowski is the only member of that quintet with more than one triumph in the 2020 season, while the other four have one victory between them from Truex.

With the way the season is going, we could see a first-time Cup Series winner at Kentucky, like points leader Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano.

                    

NASCAR at Kentucky Information

Date: Sunday, July 12

Start Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

TV: FS1

Live Stream: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app.

                    

Odds

Kevin Harvick +400 (bet $100 to win $400)

Kyle Busch +450

Martin Truex Jr. +600

Denny Hamlin +600

Chase Elliott +700

Brad Keselowski +900

Joey Logano +900

Odds via Caesars Palace.

               

Preview

Kyle Busch has appeared to be in a good position to win his first race of 2020 at other tracks, but Sunday may be his best opportunity yet.

The driver of the No. 18 car owns the most top-five finishes at Kentucky of any Cup Series competitor (seven) and has won a pair of races. Busch also landed the pole position from the random draw that determined the first 12 spots on the starting grid.

In the past five races, Busch has alternated top-10 marks with finishes toward the back of the field. He is coming off a sixth-placed finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He should put himself in a position to at least win the first stage if he gets out in front at the green flag. Busch has led the most Cup Series laps at Kentucky with 621.

Holding to the lead could be difficult with Harvick starting directly behind the No. 18 car in third position.

Harvick has won two of the past three races and finished second in the other competition in that span. The driver of the No. 4 car is considered the favorite, even though he does not have a victory at Kentucky, since he has 13 top-10 finishes in 16 races this year.

Keselowski and Truex start sixth and ninth, respectively, and they could bank on their experience to surge forward early in the first stage.

Kenseth owns the deepest starting position of the past winners at Kentucky in 17th, and he may be considered a dark horse after he earned a season-best second-placed finish at the Brickyard last time out. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver needs a high finish to start working his way up the standings, which will come into focus more in the coming weeks as the playoffs draw closer.

Austin Dillon holds the 16th and final playoff spot. Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick are six and 16 points, respectively, behind him going into Kentucky.

Unless one of the fringe playoff contenders earns an automatic playoff spot through a victory, they need to record as many points as possible, which should lead to intriguing competitions away from the battle to come out on top.

                         

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.

NASCAR at Talladega 2020: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Jun 20, 2020
Brad Keselowski drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 14, 2020, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Brad Keselowski drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 14, 2020, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to one of the most difficult tracks on the circuit Sunday.

Talladega Superspeedway is one of two super speedways on the schedule, and it poses challenges for even the most experienced drivers.

Joe Gibbs Racing could have an advantage from the start, as Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were drawn into the first three positions on the starting grid.

Since finding drafting partners can be difficult, those three should be considered the favorites to win at least the first stage while other combinations of racers scramble to link up.

                         

Geico 500 Information

Date: Sunday, June 21

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com.

            

Starting Lineup

              

Odds

Denny Hamlin: +900 (bet $100 to win $900)

Joey Logano: +900

Brad Keselowski: +1,000

Ryan Blaney: +1,000 

Kevin Harvick: +1,200

Kyle Busch: +1,200

Kurt Busch: +1,500

Alex Bowman: +1,800

Martin Truex Jr.: +1,800

Jimmie Johnson: +2,000

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook.

                 

Preview

Talladega has lived up to its reputation as one of the most unpredictable tracks recently, as six drivers have won the past six events.

Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney captured the 2019 races in Alabama. Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Aric Almirola and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are the other recent champions.

Of that group, Keselowski has been the most successful driver at the race track, recording five victories.

Even though the No. 2 car driver has a strong history at the track, he believes you have to keep adapting to it, per NBC Sports' Daniel McFadin:

"You have to keep evolving at Talladega. I don't know if there's a track on the circuit where the tactics evolve more rapidly and drastically year over year than Talladega, so you've just got to really try to stay on top of that and it's a hard thing to do. Sometimes you can stay on top of the tactics and it doesn't matter and you end up getting wrecked anyway, but it certainly is a challenging, challenging place."

The Team Penske competitor has to be considered one of the favorites to win along with the Joe Gibbs cars since he begins the race in sixth place. Keselowski may have to wait a few laps for teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney to reach him for drafting help, but he should be able to maneuver through the early stages.

Since they have had success at Talladega, the trio of Penske drivers are expected to challenge the Joe Gibbs racers.

The other combinations to look out for are the Hendrick Motorsports collection of Jimmie Johnson, Alex Bowman and Elliott, as well as the Stewart-Haas Racing cars of Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Almirola.

As the race goes on, you will see members of other teams combine to push forward, but the in-team relationships will be important. The result could come down to something as simple as which team has the most drivers left in a race that could be littered with cautions.

The unpredictability makes it hard to land on a single bet for Sunday, but the most trusted competitors should be those with the most experience and success at Talladega, such as Keselowski

                           

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

NASCAR at Atlanta 2020: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Jun 6, 2020
BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - MAY 31: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, cross the finish line to win the NASCAR Cup Series Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on May 31, 2020 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - MAY 31: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, cross the finish line to win the NASCAR Cup Series Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on May 31, 2020 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Brad Keselowski is in an ideal position to become the first back-to-back winner of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The driver of the No. 2 car is the defending champion of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, and he has reached Victory Lane in two of the last three years at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

Keselowski is also the only competitor to win multiple races since the NASCAR season resumed May 17. 

The top competition for the Team Penske driver should be points leader Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott, who has had one of the best cars over the last five events.

            

NASCAR at Atlanta Information

Date: Sunday, June 7

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

       

Starting Lineup

       

Odds

Kevin Harvick (+500; bet $100 to win $500)

Chase Elliott (+600)

Kyle Busch (+600)

Brad Keselowski (+700)

Alex Bowman (+700)

Joey Logano (+800)

Martin Truex Jr. (+800)

Denny Hamlin (+1000)

Odds via Caesars Palace

           

Preview

Even though he is not the odds-on favorite, Keselowski has to be considered as the pick to win this event. 

The No. 2 car found Victory Lane at the Coca-Cola 600 and Supermarket Heroes 500, and it is placed in a favorable position on the starting grid.

Keselowski was drawn into the No. 6 starting position, while Elliott nabbed the pole in a draw that determined the first 12 positions off the top 12 teams in owner points. 

The same format was followed to fill out positions No. 13-24 and No. 25-36, while the final four spots on the starting grid went to non-chartered NASCAR teams. 

Elliott will not relinquish the top spot easily, as he has been near, or at, the lead for most of the last five races. 

Unfortunately, the final results have not reflected that, as the No. 9 car was involved in two late-race accidents and dropped down the field after a failed pit-stop decision during the Coca-Cola 600.

It would not come as a surprise to see Elliott and Keselowski batting for the lead for most of the race, with Harvick likely in the mix once he moves up from the No. 9 starting spot. 

Harvick has been the most consistent driver in the Cup Series with eight top 10 finishes and an 11th-place result from Bristol.

Harvick is one of five active drivers with wins at Atlanta in the last decade. Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson are the only ones with multiple victories. 

Johnson, who is retiring at the end of the season, is one of a few competitors with longer odds that could be worth a bet. 

The No. 48 car driver is coming off a third-place finish and has a trio top 12 placings in the last five events. 

Ryan Blaney should be considered as a sleeper to take the checkered flag. Before he wrecked and finished last at Bristol, he earned two consecutive third-place finishes and placed in the top five on 11 occasions in 2019.

If you are looking for a long shot, Austin Dillon is at +7500. The No. 3 car driver has improved his finish in each of the last three races and starts in the top half of the grid in 16th.

                 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com

NASCAR at Kansas 2020 Results: Brad Keselowski Earns 2nd Win in Last 3 Races

May 31, 2020
Brad Keselowski (2) does a burnout after winning after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Brad Keselowski (2) does a burnout after winning after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Brad Keselowski started where he finished as the pole-sitter won the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, on Sunday.  

That did not look likely with two laps remaining as Joey Logano and Chase Elliott fought for the lead. However, the two ended up hitting the wall as Elliott tried to pass:

Logano was not pleased, as Kelly Crandall of RACER noted:

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic provided his take:

Logano and Elliott spoke with each other in a heated discussion after the race:

And Logano was blunt in his assessment of the incident in an interview:

Elliott took the blame when Fox Sports spoke with him:

Logano and Elliott finished 21st and 22nd, respectively. Their wreck allowed Clint Bowyer to come out of nowhere and finish second.

Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Erik Jones rounded out the top five, per NASCAR.com. Austin Dillon, Kurt Busch, William Byron, Christopher Bell and Bubba Wallace ended sixth through 10th.

As for the winner, Keselowski reigned victorious for his second race in three tries after winning the Coca-Cola 600 last Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A race that finished with 17 cautions contained plenty of action, and here's a look at how all three stages went down at the first short-track race of the NASCAR Cup Series season.

                 

Stage 1

Chase Elliott won the first stage despite the Penske Racing team largely dominating for the first 125 laps.

Keselowski took pole position and largely stayed in first for much of the stage, but teammate Ryan Blaney passed him late:

Elliott chased down Blaney with 20 laps left, though, and took the stage win home.

The rest of the top 10 went as follows, per Jeff Gluck of The Athletic:

The first stage largely ran smooth, with the only non-competition caution occurring when Ryan Newman spun out. He sustained no major damage and was able to rejoin the lead lap.

It was surprising to see such a clean race, with Brian Eberly of Motorsports Tribune noting the following:

All 40 cars that began the race were still in it by the time the first stage was completed.

         

Stage 2

Calm turned to chaos in the second stage, with numerous crashes halting action and forcing drivers out of the race.

Blaney ran into some trouble on the top lane and spun out. Unfortunately, Ty Dillon had nowhere to go and slammed into the corner of Blaney's bumper, knocking him out of the race, as well.

Blaney spoke with Fox Sports about the wreck soon afterward:

Blaney and Dillon weren't the only victims on the short track Sunday, with Jimmie Johnson running into the back of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and causing a crash that involved eight drivers:

The first red flag of the race then flew. In addition to Stenhouse and Johnson, Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece, Cole Custer, Matt DiBenedetto, Tyler Reddick and Kurt Busch were involved.

Gluck provided some context for the crash cause:

Reddick, Custer, Bowman and Stenhouse's days were done after the crash, per Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports.

After the dust settled, Elliott finished as the stage winner once again:

The rest of the top 10 went as follows:

     

Stage 3

Order was largely restored in the third stage, save for a couple of hairy moments that included Ryan Newman spinning out but somehow avoiding the wall:

Joe Gibbs Racing led the pack for much of the stage, with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch each taking first on two separate occasions.

JGR is no stranger to short-track success, per NASCAR researcher Matt Willis:

Per Pockrass, Hamlin stayed out when others went to pit road following the second stage, enabling him to overtake Elliott.

Elliott appeared to be ready to take over the lead from Hamlin, but timing was not his friend as a caution came out for Gray Gaulding, keeping Hamlin in front, according to Performance Racing Network:

The order turned into more chaos, though, when a six-car crash occurred involving Newman, Aric Almirola, Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace and Michael McDowell.

That occurred with 29 laps left, setting up an exciting finish.

Hamlin held on for dear life but could not finish in front after a wreck with 11 laps turned him around:

It appeared that one of Logano or Elliott would be the victor at that point, but it was not meant to be as Keselowski swooped in for the win.

NASCAR at Bristol 2020: Start Time, Preview, Lineup, TV Schedule and More

May 30, 2020
Kyle Busch drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Kyle Busch drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

The spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway could not have come at a better time for Kyle Busch.

The winner of the past two editions of the Food City 500 is coming off a disappointing 29th-placed finish at the Alsco Uniforms 500 on Thursday night. Busch has experienced mixed results in the four races since NASCAR's return, earning a pair of top-five finishes and two spots outside the top 25.

The driver of the No. 18 car and his older brother, Kurt, possess the most wins at Bristol of any active drivers.

There are nine Food City 500 wins between the brothers, but they will face plenty of challengers Sunday, including Chase Elliott, who has had one of the fastest cars over the past two weeks and won Thursday night at Charlotte.

                                

NASCAR at Bristol Information

Date: Sunday, May 31

Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: FS1

Live Stream: Fox Sports app and FoxSports.com.

                 

Starting Lineup

          

Preview

Kyle Busch will begin his title defense from seventh position after a draw was held for the starting positions Friday afternoon.

Brad Keselowski, who also won the draw for the first of two races at Darlington Raceway, was assigned the pole position. Keselowski is one of four drivers to win since NASCAR's return in mid-May, with Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Elliott being the others.

Before winning Thursday night, Elliott had opportunities to win the prior races at Darlington and Charlotte, but his plans were derailed by a wreck caused by the No. 18 car and failed pit strategy. Despite the recent bad luck, the Hendrick Motorsports racer has five top-10 finishes this season, and he's third in the driver standings.

Harvick, the Cup Series points leader, has found himself in the top 10 on eight occasions. He has also led the most laps of any driver. The No. 4 car driver is one of eight racers to have at least four top-10 placings, and five of those racers have captured at least one victory.

Kurt and Kyle Busch are two of the three competitors in that group who have not reached Victory Lane. The former put together the better performances of the two in the past two weeks, including a fifth-placed mark Thursday night.

The Chip Ganassi Racing team member has finished higher than his starting position in five of the past six races. Those performances, coupled with his five wins at Bristol from 2002 to 2009, make him one of the favorites to win Sunday afternoon.

His brother, Elliott and Keselowski are also among the favorites to win, but there are a few more drivers to consider for the 500-lap contest.

Ryan Blaney is coming off back-to-back third-placed finishes at Charlotte and starts on the second row in fourth place, while Jimmie Johnson has run well since racing resumed and is the only other driver in the field with multiple spring race wins at Bristol.

                       

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

NASCAR at Charlotte 2020 Results: Brad Keselowski Captures Victory in Overtime

May 25, 2020
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 24: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, 2020 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 24: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, 2020 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Brad Keselowski notched an improbable overtime victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on Sunday night.

The race featured 20 lead changes—none more stunning than the 20th. Chase Elliott had passed Keselowski with around 35 laps to go and appeared to be cruising to his first Coke 600 checkered flag when Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron spun out to force overtime (NSFW language):

Keselowski capitalized on the restart after Elliott was called into the pits and ended up with a disappointing second-place finish.

Jimmie Johnson appeared to claim second place, but it was later revealed that his No. 48 car failed inspection. Johnson was subsequently disqualified from the race, and he and his crew chief addressed the developments:

Keselowski entered Charlotte at No. 6 in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the Coca-Cola 600 is his first Cup Series checkered flag of the season.

The top three drivers in the Cup Series standings entering Sunday were Kevin Harvick (258 points), Joey Logano (224 points) and Alex Bowman (219 points). Harvick was fresh off a win in the Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway, while Bowman's March 1 Auto Club 400 victory was bookended by Logano's Pennzoil 400 and FanShield 500 triumphs.

Bowman came in 19th place in this race but not before earning points by winning Stages 1 and 2. Logano, who finished 13th, nabbed Stage 3.

     

Coca-Cola 600 Top 10

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Chase Elliott

3. Ryan Blaney

4. Kyle Busch

5. Kevin Harvick

6. Martin Truex Jr.

7. Kurt Busch

8. Tyler Reddick

9. Christopher Bell

10. Chris Buescher

Full results at NASCAR.com

The race began with Kurt Busch at the pole position after he won the qualifying round earlier Sunday—marking the first official qualifying round in the Cup Series since the sport went on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Busch maintained the lead through the first 50 laps until the red flag came out for inclement weather:

Prior to the rain delay, Denny Hamlin was penalized for dropping a ballast from his No. 11 car, while Johnson averted what could have been a significant crash:

Once the race resumed, Clint Bowyer collided with the wall in what was a scary moment. Sixty-eight laps later, Bubba Wallace encountered a mechanical issue. Both cars' nights ended prematurely:

And while Bowman won't be pleased with a 20th-place finish, his night could have gone much worse:

Reigning Coca-Cola 600 champion Martin Truex Jr. led several points in the race but fell to sixth place before it was all over.

Truex will have another opportunity for glory at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the next Cup Series race will be back at the track Wednesday night.

NASCAR at Darlington 2020: May 20 Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

May 19, 2020
Kevin Harvick (4) drives during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, May 17, 2020, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Kevin Harvick (4) drives during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, May 17, 2020, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Kevin Harvick has been the most consistent driver through five races of the 2020 NASCAR season, and on Wednesday, he faces the toughest task yet to extend his lead in the points standings. 

The 44-year-old and the other racers face the grueling physical test of racing twice in four days at Darlington Raceway.

The driver of the No. 4 car has to fend off challenges from some teams that looked strong Sunday and find a way to reach first from the 20th starting position, which is not easy to do at the South Carolina circuit.

Wednesday's starting grid was inverted from the top-20 finishers from Sunday's race, so Ryan Preece, who ended up in 20th, sits on the pole. 

The second half of Wednesday's starting lineup was determined by finishing position, which means William Byron and Jimmie Johnson will begin the race in 34th and 37th, respectively. 

                   

Toyota 500 Information

Date: Wednesday, May 20

Start Time: 6 p.m. ET 

TV: FS1

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

        

Starting Lineup

        

Odds

Kyle Busch (+500; bet $100 to win $500) 

Kevin Harvick (+500)

Martin Truex Jr. (+600) 

Denny Hamlin (+700)

Alex Bowman (+800)

Chase Elliott (+800)

Brad Keselowski (+1,000)

Odds obtained from Caesars Sportsbook.

                

Preview

Harvick will return to Darlington with the car he won Sunday's race in.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver did not suffer much damage to his vehicle because he was out in front for 159 of the 293 laps.

Harvick's crew chief Rodney Childers confirmed the decision to NBC Sports' Dustin Long.

"Bringing the same car back," Childers said. "Not even taking springs and shocks off the car. Just taking it like we ended but will fix a few things."

Harvick's toughest competition Sunday came from the four Hendrick Motorsports cars. 

Johnson was in line to capture the first stage before an accident took him out of the race, Byron took the Stage 1 victory before suffering damage, Bowman ended up second overall, and Chase Elliott finished fourth.

Elliott and Bowman have the best chances to win from that quartet since they start within the top 20.

Only two drivers who started from positions No. 30-40 Sunday finished in the top 20, and it could be tougher for Byron and Johnson to achieve that with 64 fewer laps in Wednesday's 500-kilometer race. 

Given the shorter race length and complexities of passing at Darlington, more pit strategies could be utilized to move up the grid. 

Kyle Busch may join Byron and Johnson as drivers who try a different pit sequence to reach the front. 

Busch entered Darlington with a pair of top-five and top-10 finishes, but a start from the back of the field and a few other issues kept him from extending that streak. 

At the front of the field, Brad Keselowski may be in the best position to control Wednesday night's race. 

The No. 2 car led 80 laps—the second-highest total behind Harvick—but dropped back to 13th after struggling in the final stage.

If Keselowski's team makes the proper adjustments, he could surge forward from eighth and set the pace.

His Team Penske teammate, Joey Logano, could have an extended spell up top as well, as he begins the race in third. 

Logano is the only driver with two wins this season, and he could benefit from running in the front alongside teammates Keselowski and Ryan Blaney, who starts fifth. 

Rookies Tyler Reddick (+6,000) and John Hunter Nemechek (+20,000) could be the best long-shot bets for Wednesday after they both finished in the top 10.

Reddick was a consistent fixture in the top 10 Sunday, and Nemechek used a late push to end up in ninth.

                              

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com

NASCAR at Darlington 2020: May 17 Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

May 16, 2020
Brad Keselowski (2) makes his way down pit road during a practice session for a NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Brad Keselowski (2) makes his way down pit road during a practice session for a NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

NASCAR's two-month layoff ends Sunday with the Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway.

Sunday's race is the first of two over a four-day span at the South Carolina track, and it kicks off a 10-day stretch with a quartet of competitions at Darlington and Charlotte. 

Darlington was selected to host the first race since the season was suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic in part because of its proximity to the race shops in the Charlotte area. 

As part of the sport's health and safety plan, teams will follow social distancing guidelines and only spend Sunday at the track.

Brad Keselowski, who won at Darlington in 2018, was drawn into the pole position and Alex Bowman will start alongside him on the front row.

                       

NASCAR at Darlington Information

Date: Sunday, May 17

Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

         

Starting Lineup

      

Race Odds

Kyle Busch (+550; bet $100 to win $550)

Denny Hamlin (+600)

Martin Truex Jr. (+650) 

Kevin Harvick (+700)

Chase Elliott (+800)

Joey Logano (+900)

Brad Keselowski (+1000) 

Full list of odds can be found at Caesars Palace

        

Preview

Sunday's 400-mile competition will last 293 laps and is broken up into three stages, which is the format typically used for NASCAR races. 

The first stage will consist of 90 laps and the second stage is set to conclude at Lap 185, which makes the final stage 108 laps.

In addition to being chosen for its proximity to race shops, Darlington is a similar track to Homestead-Miami Speedway, which was supposed to be the next site on the schedule before the season was put on hold. 

The similarities allowed the teams to use intermediate-track cars that were already prepared in March.

The drivers at the front of the field should have an advantage since the previous seven champions at Darlington have started in the top 15.

Keselowski could remain in front for long stretches. He ranks fourth in laps led through four races, and the first stage may serve as an adjustment process for drivers on track for the first time in two months. 

A handful of drivers have participated in iRacing events, but Sunday marks the first time they will be inside a car since March.

Keselowski and Joey Logano, who has two victories in 2020, could have the best betting value among the pre-race favorites at +900 and +1000, respectively.

Logano starts ninth and captured first place at Las Vegas and Phoenix. He is looking for his first triumph at Darlington. 

Kyle Busch has not won at Darlington since 2008, but he led the most laps at the Southern 500 in 2019. The pre-race favorite could carve a path to the front right away from the second row.

Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. have won at Darlington in the last four years, but neither will start as high up as the driver of the No. 18 car. 

Defending champion Erik Jones faces a steep climb from the 20th starting position. He has a single top-10 finish in 2020.

The returns of Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth will also be worth watching Sunday.

Newman is back inside the No. 6 car for the first time since his horrific wreck at the Daytona 500.

Kenseth is making his first start since the 2018 season finale in the No. 42 car as a replacement for Kyle Larson, who was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur during an iRacing competition in April.

Kenseth could be a dark horse candidate to win, as he starts 10th and is a previous champion at Darlington from 2013.

               

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com  

NASCAR at Las Vegas 2020: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More

Feb 22, 2020
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 21: Haulers are parked in the garage during practice for NASCAR Cup Series Penzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 21, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 21: Haulers are parked in the garage during practice for NASCAR Cup Series Penzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 21, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series heads to Las Vegas this weekend for the second race of the season.

After the campaign got underway with Denny Hamlin's photo-finish triumph at Daytona 500 on Sunday, the drivers are set to compete in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

They'll contest the race over 267 laps of the 1.5-mile circuit.

                         

Schedule

Saturday, February 22

1:05 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying

2:35 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying

4 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Boyd Gaming 300

        

Sunday, November 3

3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Series Race Pennzoil 400

All times ET.

             

TV Info: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com

Tickets: Stubhub

                 

Preview

Team Penske duo Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski are forces to be reckoned with at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The former is the reigning Pennzoil 400 champion—his first victory on the track. In 13 appearances at Las Vegas, including two at the Southpoint 400, he has nine top-10 finishes.

The last time Logano finished outside the top 10 in Las Vegas was 2013.

Keselowski also has nine top-10 finishes at the track, but he has three wins, two of which came in the Pennzoil 400. He last finished outside the top 10 in 2012.

Jimmie Johnson will also be one to watch. The 44-year-old has more wins than anyone else in this race, having picked up four over the course of his illustrious career. 

He won it three times in a row from 2005 to 2007, and his most recent triumph came in 2010.

The veteran looked quick in practice on Friday:

Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass shared further details from the final practice session:

Johnson hasn't finished in the top 10 in Las Vegas since 2016, but in the final season of his career, it would be the perfect time for him to roll back the years.

Kevin Harvick, who had the best average over 10 consecutive laps in the final practice, might also be a threat. He picked up wins in this race in 2015 and 2018, as well as finishing second here at the Southpoint 400 last year.

Daytona 500 2020 Qualifying Format, Group Rules, Schedule and More

Feb 9, 2020
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 17: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fastenal Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 17: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fastenal Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series will kick off with the Daytona 500, with front-row qualifying for the race taking place on Sunday.

All 43 drivers on the entry list will take part in Sunday's qualifying session, but only pole position and second place on the starting grid will be locked down.

                    

NASCAR Cup Series Daytona Schedule

Sunday, February 9

Daytona 500 Qualifying, 12:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Busch Clash, 3 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

             

Thursday, February 13

Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1, 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2, 8:45 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

          

Sunday, February 16

Daytona 500, 2:30 p.m. ET, Fox

              

Qualifying Format

On Sunday, each entrant will record a timed qualifying lap on the 2.5-mile track at the Daytona International Speedway, with the two quickest drivers securing their place on the front row for the race.

The remainder of the field will then compete in the 60-lap, 150-mile Bluegreen Vacations Duels on Thursday to lock in their spots.

The drivers will be split into the two races based on the results of Sunday's qualifying session—those who finish in odd positions will battle it out in Duel 1, and those who finish in even positions face off in Duel 2.

How they finish in the Duels will determine their places in the final grid, with the winners of the Duels comprising the second row. The drivers of Duel 1 will line up on the inside row, and the drivers of Duel 2 will line up on the outside (in the odd- and even-numbered starting positions, respectively).

All 36 drivers for chartered teams are guaranteed places in the Daytona 500, leaving four slots to be taken by the seven Open Teams. Competing for those berths are Justin Haley, Reed Sorenson, Chad Finchum, J.J. Yeley, Brendan Gaughan, Timmy Hill and Daniel Suarez.

                  

Rule Changes

NASCAR has altered the stage lengths for a number of races this year, with the Daytona 500 included, per Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass:

The lengths were changed to make final stages shorter, so teams only need one green-flag pit stop instead of two.

At the Daytona 500 last year, the first two stages were 60 laps and the final was 80. This year, they will be 65 laps apiece and then 70 in the last stage.

NASCAR has also introduced a reduced-downforce package on shorter oval circuits and road courses, which will include much smaller rear spoilers, a smaller overhang of the front splitter and the removal of vertical fencing from the radiator pan. The Daytona International Speedway will not be among the circuits affected.

Pockrass also noticed another alteration to the rules:

                    

Latest Buzz

Ty Dillon went quickest in Saturday's first practice session, clocking a speed of 203.592 miles per hour ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and defending Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin.

The second session was topped by Bubba Wallace and his top speed of 196.172 mph. Brad Keselowski was unable to take part in the second session after he hit a fence post leaving the garage:

He took responsibility for the mistake:

Reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Busch finished seventh in the first session and 14th in the second.

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