The Cup Series travels back to Kansas Speedway this weekend for the fourth race in “The Chase.” The Cup Series last raced at Kansas Speedway in April. The spring race was a battle between the Toyota’s and Kyle Larson. Will any other drivers find some speed for this race, or will it play out like it did in April? Kansas Speedway typically puts on a good show, so we can expect some exciting racing this weekend. The Hollywood Casino 400 can be seen Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on USA.
STRATEGY FOR KANSAS
FANTASY LIVE: The cream typically rises to the top at the 1.5-mile, intermediate tracks because the teams need the perfect balance of speed and down-force in their cars. The race at Kansas Speedway is the first of three consecutive races on the 1.5-mile, intermediate tracks (Las Vegas and Charlotte are next on the schedule). The drivers, who run well at Kansas, typically run well in Las Vegas and Charlotte. We will likely burn through our top drivers in the next three races, but that is OK. These are the easiest races to predict, so we need to use our top drivers at Kansas Speedway.
KYLE LARSON (3): Larson has been the best driver at this track. He won the race at Kansas in 2024 and 2025 and he finished 2nd in the race this spring. Larson also finished in the top-3 in every Stage over the last three races at Kansas Speedway. Larson heated up in The Chase, so I will use him in my Fantasy Live lineup Sunday.
DENNY HAMLIN (4): Hamlin has been a beast at Kansas Speedway. He led the most laps at Kansas in April and he finished 2nd in the Hollywood Casino 400 last year. Hamlin has been better in the fall than he has been in the spring at Kansas Speedway. Hamlin has an average finishing position of 3rd in the fall races at Kansas Speedway since 2022. The No. 11 car should be a great pick for your Fantasy Live lineup Sunday.
CHRISTOPHER BELL (3): Which version of the No. 20 car will we get this week? The one that went to Victory Lane in the Hollywood Casino 400 last year, or the one that finished 20th at Kansas Speedway in the spring. Bell had a poor pit strategy in the April race, so I am not holding his 20th place finish against him. He finished 3rd, 2nd 6th, 7th , 6th and 8th in his other races at Kansas Speedway in the Gen-7 car. The No. 20 team has the speed this weekend to finish up front in the Hollywood Casino 400.
TY GIBBS (4): The No. 54 car was fast at Kansas Speedway in the spring. Gibbs started 3rd, finished 4th in Stage 1, 8th in Stage 2 and 9th in the race. Gibbs has also finished 5 of the 6 races this year on the 1.5-mile intermediate tracks in the top-10. He has been one of the most consistent drivers this year on tracks similar to Kansas Speedway, so Gibbs gets a spot in my Fantasy Live lineup Sunday.
BUBBA WALLACE (4): Wallace has been at his best this year on the 1.5-mile intermediate tracks. He finished 9th in Las Vegas, 9th in Texas, 5th at Kansas and 6th in Chicago. Kansas Speedway ranks as the best intermediate track. He won the Hollywood Casino 400 in 2022 and he finished his last two races at Kansas Speedway in the top-five. Wallace is just too good at this track to fade this weekend.
GARAGE DRIVER: WILLIAM BYRON (4): Byron is in a hole in The Chase standings so he desperately needs maximum points Sunday. He has a chance to get the points he needs at Kansas Speedway. Byron finished 3rd in Las Vegas, 7th at Kansas, 8th at Texas, 9th at Charlotte and 4th at Chicagoland Speedway. He has been one of the best drivers in the Cup Series on the 1.5-mile intermediate tracks this year. Byron has some speed this weekend, so he gets a spot in my Fantasy Live lineup for the race in Kansas.
Good Luck Sunday!