2024-09-21 23:35:03
It’s elimination night at Bristol Motor Speedway. Four drivers will be sent packing from championship contention following the Bass Pro Shops Night Race – the final race of the first round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Sixteen drivers qualified for the playoffs with hopes of winning the 2024 championship, but by the end of Saturday night, that number will be reduced to 12, with the bottom four drivers in the playoff standings eliminated.
One driver who will not have to sweat elimination Saturday night is Joey Logano, who earned an automatic berth to the second round by winning the opening playoff race at Atlanta Motor Speedway two weeks ago. Non-playoff driver Chris Buescher kept the other 15 title contenders out of victory lane last weekend with a win at Watkins Glen International.
Bristol could provide a lot of relief to Denny Hamlin, who has endured a rough playoffs so far. Hamlin, who won at Bristol in March and took the checkered flag at last year’s Bristol Night Race, currently sits 13th, six points below the cutline to advance. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver should bring a great deal of confidence to the Tennessee short track, however, having won the night race three times in his career.
Who will celebrate in victory lane this Saturday night, and who will see their championship dreams come to an end? Here is everything you need to know to get ready for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race:
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race starts at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
USA Network is broadcasting the Bass Pro Shops Night Race and has a pre-race show beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race can be live streamed on the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app. The race is also available to stream on Fubo.
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is 500 laps around the 0.533-mile track for a total of 266.5 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) – Stage 1: 125 laps; Stage 2: 125 laps; Stage 3: 250 laps.
Hamlin started third and led 163 laps, including the final 17, before topping teammate Martin Truex Jr. by 1.083 seconds on March 17, 2024.
And one year ago, Hamlin started second and led 142 laps, including the final 135, before pulling away from Kyle Larson in the playoff elimination race on Sept. 16, 2023.
x-clinched spot in second round. Through two playoff races; the bottom four drivers after the Bass Pro Shops Night Race will be eliminated.
Car number in parentheses; (P)=playoff driver
1. (48) Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet
2. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet
3. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet
4. (19) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota
5. (14) Chase Briscoe (P), Ford
6. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota
7. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
8. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota
9. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet
10. (9) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet
11. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
12. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
13. (54) Ty Gibbs (P), Toyota
14. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford
15. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota
16. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford
17. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
18. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford
19. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
20. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford
21. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet
22. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford
23. (6) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford
24. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford
25. (4) Josh Berry, Ford
26. (51) Justin Haley, Ford
27. (2) Austin Cindric (P), Ford
28. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
29. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
30. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
31. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
32. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
33. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet
34. (21) Harrison Burton (P), Ford
35. (99) Daniel Suarez (P), Chevrolet
36. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford
37. (66) Josh Bilicki, Ford
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