Denny Hamlin

Chase Elliott captured the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship with a dominant display in the Season Finale 500 at Phoenix Raceway.  

This time last week, Elliott needed to win the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway to qualify for the championship four. On Sunday, he was head and shoulders above Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to take the checkered flag and clinch the title.

A FIRST-TIME CHAMPION!

Retweet to congratulate @ChaseElliott on winning the 2020 @NASCAR Cup Series championship! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/ZPvHSYfiJM

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 8, 2020

At 24, he's the third-youngest champion in series history.

BURN IT DOWN, CHAMP! @chaseelliott gets it done in 2020! pic.twitter.com/P7CFJkj134

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 8, 2020

THIS IS HIS TIME! @chaseelliott | #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/rOxuofTkbe

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 8, 2020

Before the race began, Elliott faced a major setback when his No. 9 car failed two pre-race inspections. As a result, he had to start from the back of the field after he was originally slotted into the pole position.

Elliott didn't let that shake his focus, though. Midway through Stage 2, he overtook Logano for the lead.

#di9 pic.twitter.com/IX4EN43LFY

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) November 8, 2020

Kevin Harvick's elimination from the playoffs once again sparked discussion about the postseason format and whether it's the most equitable way to crown a champion. Harvick won more races (nine) than any other driver and had 20 top-five finishes.

Despite those impressive achievements, his best-case scenario Sunday was fifth place in the overall standings.

The Season Finale 500 nonetheless provided an argument in favor of the current system as drama was in abundant supply. For the bulk of the race, the top four drivers in the standings occupied the top four spots on the leaderboard. NASCAR officials couldn't have scripted a much better finish.

With a little more than 50 laps remaining in the final stage, the quartet decided to make a green-flag pit stop. That allowed Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to taste first place for a fleeting moment before Logano reasserted himself atop the field.

Logano didn't get to enjoy that for too long before Elliott once again passed him on the inside.

Move @ChaseElliott back to the race lead AGAIN.

Now, less than 40 laps remain on @NBC!
STREAM: https://t.co/wKDI0aNMYn pic.twitter.com/aaOr4XcZ65

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 8, 2020

Elliott wasn't really challenged for the remainder of the evening, and a caution was the only thing that would've helped his rivals bridge the gap. The yellow flag didn't come out, allowing him a clear path to the finish line.

The race for the championship was naturally the dominant storyline Sunday, but fans also witnessed the end of an era as Jimmie Johnson competed in his final NASCAR Cup Series event.

19 years… It’s been an incredible journey, and one that I could’ve never dreamed of. I get to go out on my terms, with the support of my family and friends and for that, I am grateful and fulfilled. pic.twitter.com/JZ5C3tywn4

— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) November 8, 2020

Last team meeting. Have missed the camaraderie that comes from having these on the truck but the heart of this team is on this call. pic.twitter.com/gsTRzy8JAz

— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) November 8, 2020

Johnson was one of the most dominant athletes across all U.S. sports when he was in his prime. He won five straight series titles from 2006-10 and added two more in 2013 and 2016. His seven triumphs are tied with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for the most all-time.

The No. 48 car briefly ran in first place, raising hopes of a storybook ending for the legendary driver. He at least continued to remain near the top of the pack en route to a fifth-place showing. 

It was fitting that Johnson walked away as the sport's biggest young star earned what may not be his last points championship.

Storybook stuff.

As @JimmieJohnson closes his @NASCAR career, he congratulates his teammate @ChaseElliott on winning the championship. pic.twitter.com/Sl9E4hH6ON

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 8, 2020

With the 2020 season in the books, drivers now have a few months off to recover from a whirlwind year.

The 2021 campaign is slated to open Feb. 14 with the Daytona 500. Hamlin will be the driver to beat, having reeled off back-to-back Daytona 500 wins in 2019 and 2020.

Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano will leave Phoenix Raceway on Sunday as the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion.

That quartet advanced to the final four after a dramatic penultimate race at Martinsville Speedway—won by Elliott—last time out. Keselowski and Logano are the only members of the group to have won the Cup Series in their careers.

In addition to crowning a champion Sunday, NASCAR will bid farewell to Jimmie Johnson, who is retiring from the competition after a two-decade career in which he's won seven championships.

While the title race and Johnson's farewell will capture the spotlight, there is a chance Kevin Harvick steals the show in the chase for his 10th victory of the season.

                      

Series Finale 500 Information

Date: Sunday, November 8

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBCSports.com or NBC Sports app

                 

Odds

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

Chase Elliott: +450

Denny Hamlin: +450

Brad Keselowski: +450

Joey Logano: +500

Kyle Busch: +900

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

                

Starting Lineup

And here’s your starting lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series championship race. pic.twitter.com/Y5dATIwWPh

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 4, 2020

             

Preview

The four championship contenders do not have to win the Season Finale 500 to become champion.

But if a member of the quartet crosses the finish line first, he will capture the 2020 Cup Series title.

Elliott, Hamlin and Keselowski have the same odds to capture first place, while Logano is slightly behind the trio.

Harvick is the bookmakers' favorite to win the race. He produced a series high nine wins, but he failed to qualify for the final four based off points out of Martinsville.

In March, Harvick landed in second place behind Logano in the Cup Series' first trip of the season to Arizona. Elliott was seventh, Keselowski took 12th and Hamlin finished 20th. Harvick has nine victories at Phoenix, which solidifies his favorite status to win the race.

Logano believes Team Penske is best prepared to complete the season sweep at Phoenix and win the title, per NASCAR.com's Terrin Waack:

"Honestly, I feel l like this year feels a lot like 2018. It's actually kind of funny because I think about 2018 where we had not the best summer months, then we kind of picked it up as the playoffs started [and] won Martinsville, the first race of the third round, which set up to race for a championship in Miami that year. ...

"I think the experience is there, the speed is there. I think the mentality of the way we race is there. I truly believe that we're the favorites to win this thing."

The No. 22 car driver competed with the least amount of pressure in the past two races after automatically advancing to the final four by way of his victory at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 18.

Hamlin is the only other title contender to win at Phoenix, capturing the March 2012 and November 2019 competitions at the circuit. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver drew the worst starting position of the four finalists, all of whom start in the first two rows.

Elliott is on the pole thanks to the starting position formula that heavily weighed his victory at Martinsville. He will be racing for a trophy while sending off his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson, who is proud of what he has accomplished in the NASCAR Cup Series, telling ESPN's Ryan McGee.

"My entire life has always been about the experience. All I ever wanted to do was win one race. After I did that, I had to adjust my goals. Now I am adjusting them all the time. I have had opportunities that I never dreamed of. I have a lot more of those opportunities coming. I don't know where all it will take me, where it will take my family, but that's the exciting part."

Johnson does not have a victory in 2020, but if there is a track where he can go out a winner, it is Phoenix, where he owns four victories.

                   

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

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The NASCAR Cup Series' last three playoff finalists will be determined Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

Joey Logano moved on to the final four with a victory at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 8. No one joined him in the automatic bid group last time out since Kyle Busch earned his first win of the season at Texas Motor Speedway.

Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski sit in the advancing positions going into the Xfinity 500. Keselowski comes in on the bubble with a 25-point advantage over Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott. Martin Truex Jr. sits 36 points back of Keselowski, and Kurt Busch is 81 points adrift of the cutoff.

Although Truex has plenty of ground to gain, he could throw a wrench in the postseason plans of some drivers given he has won the past two races at the short track in Virginia.

                      

Xfinity 500 Information

Date: Sunday, November 1

Start Time: 2 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

               

Starting Lineup

Keselowski on the pole and Truex on the front row for Sunday at Martinsville. #nascar pic.twitter.com/nogzaEvoPP

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 29, 2020

           

Odds

Martin Truex Jr.: +325 (bet $100 to win $325)

Denny Hamlin: +550

Brad Keselowski: +550

Chase Elliott: +700

Kyle Busch: +800

Joey Logano: +800

Ryan Blaney: +900

Kevin Harvick: +900

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

          

Preview

Harvick, Hamlin and Keselowski are in the best positions to join Logano in the final four at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 8. The four competitors who advance to final round are the only drivers eligible to win the championship.

The trio just need solid runs to accumulate more points and fend off any challenges from the four drivers beneath the cut line.

Harvick is 15 points ahead of Hamlin and needs 39 points to secure his spot in the championship round. Since Hamlin is only two points above Keselowski, the two have to battle for positioning throughout the race in case Bowman, Elliott, Truex or Busch wins.

Keselowski produced wins at Martinsville in 2017 and 2019 and took third behind Truex and Ryan Blaney on June 10 on the Virginia short track.

The No. 2 car driver shared his thoughts about Sunday's race with Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass: "We just need to have a solid day at Martinsville. The two cars in front of us are real close in points. If we have a solid day, we'll be just fine."

Truex could be the biggest threat to steal a position away from Hamlin or Keselowski because of his recent history at the track. The No. 19 car driver led 132 of the 500 laps in June's event at Martinsville and is in possession of back-to-back wins on the short track.

The 2017 Cup Series champion would have been in a better position to move on had his team not suffered a 20-point pre-race penalty in Texas. While he has had success at Martinsville, Truex knows how unpredictable the track can be, as he told NASCAR.com's Zack Albert:

"Yes and no. I mean, a must‑win at any track, no matter how good you've been there in the past, I think is a challenge. The last race there that we ran and to lead all the laps that we did, whatever, it's no guarantee. We've got to work hard this week to make sure we're prepared. I know the guys have already been doing that. So definitely optimistic. It's a good track for us, but it's a short track and a lot can happen on restarts and things. We'll go there and do the best job we can."

Bowman, Elliott and Busch all finished in the top 10 in June, but only the latter has a Martinsville victory on his resume from 2014.

Elliott acknowledged in conversation with Autoweek's Matt Weaver that he will enter Sunday looking to win and not to rely on points: "For us, we need to go win. That's kind of the bottom line. I'm not even going to look at points because, in my opinion, it really doesn't matter."

Bowman, Truex and Busch should share that same mentality, which sets up Sunday's race to be one of the most thrilling of the 2020 season.

                    

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

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One of Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott will not get a chance to run for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series title.

The four favorites to advance to the championship round of the postseason were surprised by Joey Logano's victory at Kansas Speedway. That leaves three positions—two to potential race winners—left to move on from the round of eight. The first of those two races takes place Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.

Harvick and Hamlin captured three of the past four races in Fort Worth, Texas. The exception to that trend was Austin Dillon's victory in July. Keselowski and Elliott do not have wins at the track, and they finished ninth and 12th in the season's first trip to the course.

Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch are still alive in the round of eight, but their best way to get into the final four is through a victory because of the gap in points between themselves and the top four.

                     

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Information

Date: Sunday, October 25

Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBCSports.com or NBC Sports app

             

Starting Lineup

Kevin Harvick on the pole, Joey Logano on the front row for Cup race at Texas. #nascar pic.twitter.com/k3sD3tERBW

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 21, 2020

           

Odds

Kevin Harvick: +240 (bet $100 to win $240

Denny Hamlin: +450

Joey Logano: +750

Chase Elliott: +850

Ryan Blaney: +1000

Martin Truex Jr.: +1000

Brad Keselowski: +1100

Kyle Busch: +1500

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

                 

Preview

Harvick and Hamlin are two of four racers to take three or more wins at Texas Motor Speedway.

All three of Harvick's triumphs in the Lone Star State occurred in the past six races. He started in the top three in each of those victories. On Sunday, the No. 4 car driver begins the 500-mile race in the pole position with Logano next to him.

Hamlin will have to make up some ground since he begins the race on the fourth row alongside Kurt Busch. The Joe Gibbs Racing competitor won back-to-back races at Texas in 2010 and picked up his third victory at the track in 2019.

You could make the case that Hamlin may have trouble winning since he owns a single victory at Texas since 2011, but he still possesses seven top-five finishes and 13 top-10 placings.

Hamlin produced a rare 20th-placed finish at Texas in July, and his form at the track suggests he will rebound from that result. If he lands in the top five or 10 again, Hamlin should feel safe about his position in the final four heading into the race at Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 1. The same can be said about Harvick's playoff chances.

Keselowski could be face much more difficulty than the top two drivers in the playoff standings. He has five top-five placings in 24 races at Texas. Those statistics convinced the oddsmakers to give the Penske Racing driver higher odds than other playoff competitors to win Sunday.

Elliott may be in a tough spot as well given he did not finish in the top 10 in each of his past three starts at Texas. If Keselowski and Elliott slip up Sunday, it may open the door for Bowman and Truex to pick up points and threaten their playoff positions at Martinsville.

Keselowski sits on the cut line with an eight-point advantage over Elliott. Bowman is 19 points back of Elliott, there is a four-point difference back to Truex and Busch is 40 points behind the No. 19 car driver.

Busch most likely needs a victory at Texas or Martinsville to advance, while Bowman and Truex still have an opportunity to move on through points if the Texas trends of Keselowski and Elliott continue Sunday.

                   

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

           

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Bubba Wallace will get behind the wheel of the No. 23 car when he drives for the team launched by NBA legend Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin. 

The group announced Thursday it will be known as 23XI Racing, with Wallace's car number mirroring Jordan's jersey number for the bulk of his basketball career.

This is the start of the new adventure! So ready! #23XI https://t.co/8y9UY6fo32

— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) October 22, 2020

Wallace announced on Sept. 10 he would be leaving Richard Petty Motorsports at the end of the current season:

pic.twitter.com/pAFryYOorZ

— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) September 10, 2020

Hamlin confirmed 11 days later he was officially bringing Jordan into the world of NASCAR and that Wallace would be the team's first driver:

Tonight, I’m excited to announce MJ and I are starting a new, single car @NASCAR Cup Series team for 2021. Deciding on a driver was easy - it had to be @BubbaWallace. pic.twitter.com/nIJv0X6ZOX

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) September 22, 2020

The Associated Press noted Jordan is the first Black principal owner of a NASCAR Cup Series team since 1973.

Wallace is the only Black driver on the circuit. The 27-year-old has made 33 appearances in 2020, finishing in the top five once and earning five top-10 finishes. He's still looking for his first career victory, having made the full-time jump in 2018.

Wallace became a notable voice in the social justice movement when he called for NASCAR to formally distance itself from the Confederate flag, which fans would regularly fly at events. The organization banned the flag on June 10.

Twelve days later, NASCAR announced it was investigating what appeared to be a noose tied in Wallace's garage at Talladega Superspeedway. The FBI, which was called into aid in the investigation, determined that the garage pull rope had been fashioned in the shape of a noose well before Wallace's team had been assigned the garage.

The third stage of the NASCAR Cup Series postseason begins Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

Eight drivers are left in contention for the series title. That list will be trimmed to four after the next three races.

Chase Elliott sits on the pole for the Hollywood Casino 400. He is coming off a victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

Since the playoffs began September 6, five drivers have made it to Victory Lane, with Kevin Harvick being the only racer to do so twice. Harvick has three victories at Kansas, with the most recent occurring in 2018.

Harvick and Elliott are two of six competitors still alive in the NASCAR postseason who have won at Kansas since the start of the 2014 season.

                     

Hollywood Casino 400 Information

Date: Sunday, October 18

Start Time: 2:30 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC 

Live Stream: NBC Sports app or NBCSports.com.

             

Starting Lineup

Chase Elliott on the pole and Joey Logano joins him on the front row Sunday at Kansas. #nascar pic.twitter.com/N486wT6ktW

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 14, 2020

            

Odds

Denny Hamlin: +400 (bet $100 to win $400)

Kevin Harvick: +400

Martin Truex Jr.: +550

Chase Elliott: +600

Brad Keselowski: +800

Ryan Blaney: +1200

Kyle Busch: +1400

Joey Logano: +1400

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

            

Preview

Hamlin appears to have a slight edge on Harvick because of his back-to-back wins at Kansas.

The No. 11 car driver is second behind Harvick in the points standings and is likely the biggest threat to the No. 4 car's championship hopes. Hamlin owns two more stage wins than Harvick this season, but the Stewart-Haas Racing driver possesses more victories, laps led, top-five and top-10 finishes.

In July, Hamlin led the most laps on the way to his third victory at the midwestern speedway.

Joe Gibbs Racing was in control of the summer race at Kansas, as Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. combined to lead 153 of the 267 laps.

Busch is the only member of the trio who did not advance to the final eight. He lost out on that spot after his brother, Kurt Busch, captured victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the end of September.

While Harvick could challenge the Gibbs Toyotas, Brad Keselowski might be the team's biggest competition Sunday. He was in front for 30 laps in July, won at Kansas in 2019 and could use a victory to shrink the gap between himself, Harvick and Hamlin going into Texas Motor Speedway on Oct. 25.

Harvick holds a 13-point advantage over Hamlin, and Keselowski is 32 points back of the series leader. The trio has combined for 20 victories out of 32 in 2020.

Elliott sits eight points behind Keselowski, and a high finish could help him gain separation over Joey Logano in the race for the top four.

After the next three races, the list of championship contenders will be cut in half ahead of the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Elliott carries a five-point advantage over Logano into the round of eight following his triumph on the Charlotte road course. The Hendrick Motorsports driver could have an advantage starting on the pole since two of the past six winners at Kansas won from the front starting position.

Truex, Alex Bowman and Busch are the other three drivers still alive in the championship hunt. If one of those drivers wins, he would secure a spot in the final four and put more pressure on Elliott and Logano to advance through points.

While it is possible that a driver outside the playoff places is triumphant, it seems unlikely Sunday given the dominance of the circuit's top racers at Kansas.

                  

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

Denny Hamlin claimed the checkered flag in a third overtime period in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.

Hamlin held off Matt DiBenedetto in a frantic photo finish.

WHAT. A. FINISH.#NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/9TWbEzders

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 4, 2020

There was some initial question as to the result because Hamlin was well below the double yellow line as he moved to the inside of DiBenedetto and Erik Jones during overtime. That would normally warrant a penalty, but NASCAR officials deemed that Hamlin was forced into the position and thus didn't require any punishment.

.@NASCAR has determined @DennyHamlin IS the winner at @TalladegaSuperS! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/eeLpgYOKhH

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 4, 2020

It wasn't a good day to be working on pit road. The YellaWood 500 saw 13 cautions, a record for a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega. By the time all was said and done, duct tape was probably a scarce commodity.

As long as Earth still has sledgehammers, ratchet straps, duct tape and WD40, we will survive. pic.twitter.com/Gexv17HLZc

— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) October 4, 2020

The drivers were unable to complete the first overtime period because this happened before the white flag arrived.

They didn't make it to the finish line!

Another restart coming NOW on @NBC!

Stream: https://t.co/wKDI0aNMYn pic.twitter.com/fOh9C73XPh

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 4, 2020

Kyle Busch spun out into Joey Logano, and they caused enough damage to force track officials to bring out the red flag.

The pileup came shortly after Logano surrendered first place to Chase Elliott. Once the drivers were allowed to begin moving, Logano went straight for pit road because of an oil leak in the No. 22 car. Even without that, he had to serve a penalty after forcing Elliott to go below the double yellow line while passing on the inside.

Before two laps of the second overtime were completed, Bubba Wallace spun into the wall and took Ryan Blaney with him.

Not enough room for @BubbaWallace and @RyanPreece_.

Overtime No. 3 coming up on NBCSN. pic.twitter.com/JnoOguksxB

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 4, 2020

During regulation, Wallace was a few laps from claiming his first NASCAR Cup Series win.

Logano was pushing Wallace hard from second place and got to the inside of the No. 43 car. Wallace, running on the outside, fell back further after contact from Ryan Preece.

.@bubbawallace gets into the wall, but we stay green at @TalladegaSuperS!

Six to go! pic.twitter.com/hI2F7TtFBN

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 4, 2020

A caution allowed Wallace to make a trip to pit road, yet his hopes of contention were extinguished. The red flag at least afforded him the chance to climb back into eighth before the final caution.

Fans typically expect to see "The Big One" during any race at Talladega, and Sunday's installment was no different.

With 11 laps left in Stage 2, Kurt Busch was briefly airborne after Clint Bowyer bumped Jimmie Johnson to set off a chain reaction. Johnson slammed into the side of Busch, who hit the wall and was helpless to prevent the No. 1 car from lifting off the track.

All the replays from @KurtBusch's wild ride at @TalladegaSuperS#NASCARPlayoffs // @NBC pic.twitter.com/qw3Emb55z2

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 4, 2020

Busch already punched his ticket to the next round thanks to a win in the South Point 400. Bowyer is on the bubble, however, sitting 10th with 3,032 points entering Sunday's race. He was unable to continue after the wreck and wound up in 32nd.

Austin Dillon was collateral damage. He returned to the race but needed some work in order to make the No. 3 car suitable to drive.

As with Bowyer, Dillon's hopes of advancing are hanging by a thread following a 12th-place showing.

Is this @AustinDillon3's car, or the burrito in the fridge I'm having for dinner?#NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/nexTsKdObK

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 4, 2020

Aric Almirola avoided the crash because he had already been taken out well before that. Alex Bowman clipped the right rear of the No. 10 car, sending Almirola into the wall.

Take a look at what led to the end of Aric Almirola's day, and sent him and Kyle Busch airborne.#NASCARPlayoffs on @nbc
Stream: https://t.co/wKDI0aNMYn pic.twitter.com/f47nm2t9JZ

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 4, 2020

Kyle Busch also suffered the consequences but returned. He had to settle for 27th after the second Big One. Busch's car was in danger of disintegrating entirely if he had somehow managed to come back again.

Disaster continues for @KyleBusch as Stage 2 gets underway. pic.twitter.com/m43SW245pi

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 4, 2020

... This car is making laps at 200 MPH 🤯🤯🤯@KyleBusch | @TalladegaSuperS pic.twitter.com/owUT8m7mEY

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 4, 2020

... 2020 ... pic.twitter.com/j241XNP45U

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) October 4, 2020

The playoff field will dwindle from 12 to eight following next week's Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Kurt Busch and Hamlin have claimed the only guaranteed slots so far, so plenty will be up for grabs this time next week.

The second stage of the NASCAR Cup Series postseason begins Sunday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kevin Harvick, who won two of the three races in the round of 16, comes into the round of 12 in first place.

Sunday's South Point 400 may be more competitive than previous races at Las Vegas because of the challenges that lie ahead. After Las Vegas, the NASCAR playoffs head to the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway and the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Harvick begins the race on the pole, with Kyle Busch next to him on the front row. Joey Logano, who won the season's first event at Las Vegas, starts in fifth.

                      

South Point 400 Information

Date: Sunday, September 27

Start Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: NBCSN

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

            

Starting Lineup

Updated Cup lineup with some manufacturer fixes. pic.twitter.com/kCbxn4EWhJ

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 23, 2020

          

Odds

Kevin Harvick: +450 (bet $100 to win $450)

Martin Truex Jr.: +500

Brad Keselowski: +600

Joey Logano: +650

Denny Hamlin: +750

Kyle Busch: +900

Chase Elliott: +900

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

              

Preview

Even though Harvick has won only one of the past seven Las Vegas races, he has to be viewed as Sunday's favorite because of his season-long form. The No. 4 car driver took first in three of the past five races, including Sept. 19's Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Harvick now holds a three-race advantage on Denny Hamlin for most wins (nine) during the 2020 season. And Hamlin may struggle to keep pace with Harvick in that category Sunday since he has never won in Nevada.

Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, who respectively sit third and fourth behind Harvick and Hamlin, have been the most successful set of teammates at Las Vegas recently.

The Team Penske drivers have won three of the past four Las Vegas events, with Logano taking the past two early-season races. Logano led 54 of the 267 laps during the Pennzoil 400. Keselowski landed in seventh in that race.

In fact, the Penske competitors were two of four drivers still alive in the NASCAR postseason to finish in the top 10 in February. Austin Dillon and Harvick were the others. Six of the racers who started in the top 10 in that race finished outside of the those places, including Kyle Busch, who began that competition on the pole.

Busch is one of a few drivers that either need a win in the next three races to clinch a spot in the final eight or a handful of high positions to avoid the cut. Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and and Kurt Busch are the others on the outside looking in at the top eight playoff spots.

A move into the top eight is possible, as Dillon proved in the first postseason stage by surging up to eighth place. Since Dillon took fourth at Las Vegas in February and had a pair of top-five finishes in the round of 16, he should be considered a dark horse to win and could be worth backing at +4000.

                      

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

Michael Jordan isn't wasting any time in his jump into NASCAR ownership. The six-time NBA champion wants to win immediately. 

"If you're asking me, I want to win tomorrow as soon as we get on the track. I know it is a process," Jordan told Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports. "It's a process and you're going to have to learn it. But if every step, each day, you move towards winning the day—tomorrow is better than the day yesterday—I have hope. But if you start going backwards then you lose that hope. I know that it's time that I'm patient. I'm absolutely patient."

Jordan announced the launch of a NASCAR team this week, with Denny Hamlin serving as a minority owner and Bubba Wallace signed on to drive the car. He is the first Black principal owner of a NASCAR team since Wendell Scott, who owned a team from 1961-1973.

Wallace is the lone Black driver on NASCAR's top circuit. He has been a vocal opponent of racial injustice and led the charge in NASCAR's ban of the Confederate flag from its events earlier this year. Jordan said Wallace's activism made him a perfect partner for his new venture. 

NASCAR, which is overwhelmingly white, has long struggled with issues of diversity. 

"For so long, it's been viewed from a negative aspect with the Confederate flag and all these other things that occurred," Jordan said of NASCAR's reputation in the Black community. "Now you go in with NASCAR making an effort to change the perspective and try to attract and connect to the next generation without losing something for today's authenticity of the sport.

"[It] presented an opportunity for me obviously to get involved in this whole process that I am spearheading a thought process of Blacks getting involved in NASCAR."

Wallace previously drove for Richard Petty Racing and chose to leave after the 2020 season rather than extend his contract. The 26-year-old has nine top-10 finishes in his NASCAR career. 

Jesse Iwuji, one of two Black drivers competing in NASCAR, spoke with TMZ Sports about the importance of Michael Jordan becoming a NASCAR team owner in an interview that aired Tuesday:

"I think that was huge! Especially just with NASCAR looking to continue to expand diversity and really showcase to people around the world that, 'Hey NASCAR just isn't just a one-sided type sport,'" Iwuji said.

He added: "We include all. We're here for inclusion; we're all about making sure that it's an open environment so no matter what color you are, no matter what religion, gender it doesn't matter, NASCAR is open to everything. It's really cool to see that diversity come in."

Jordan and NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin announced on Monday that they are starting a single-car NASCAR team beginning in 2021:

Tonight, I’m excited to announce MJ and I are starting a new, single car @NASCAR Cup Series team for 2021. Deciding on a driver was easy - it had to be @BubbaWallace. pic.twitter.com/nIJv0X6ZOX

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) September 22, 2020

Per ESPN's Ryan McGee, Jordan is the first Black principal owner of a full-time NASCAR Cup Series team since 1973. Wendell Scott drove his own car from 1961-73, and Brad Daugherty is a part owner of JTG Daugherty Racing. 

Iwuji, 33, is a former Navy football player and naval lieutenant, has raced three times this season on the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and once on the Xfinity Series in the Henry 180, where he finished 26th after starting 35th.

The other Black driver in NASCAR is Bubba Wallace in the Cup Series.

Currently a United States Navy Reserve officer, Iwuji also told TMZ Sports that he believes more minority owners will have stakes in NASCAR teams soon.

"I think here in the next 6-12 months, you're gonna see a few more minority owners come into the space," Iwuji said. "I'm just hearing some rumblings about some things and there's all these different things coming up, so I think some more will be coming pretty soon."

The Texas native specifically mentioned how Jordan, the NBA legend who won six titles and currently owns the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, could serve as a great difference-maker.

"I think Jordan with his influence and his global brand will be able to attract different sponsors that we maybe never had in this sport," he said. "We'll be able to attract different business to business-type deals and sponsorships that we haven't seen before, so having him here I think is great for the sport."