NASCAR

NASCAR in Las Vegas: Schedule, watch info, picks for South Point 400

Here's a preview for the first race in the Round of 8, which gets underway Sunday on NBC.

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And then there were eight.

Four drivers were eliminated from the NASCAR playoffs last week, as the third round is set to get underway Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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The stakes have never been higher in Vegas, with a victory by one of the eight title contenders automatically moving them into the Championship 4.

So, who is racing in Las Vegas? What’s the schedule for TV and streaming? And what drivers could contend for the win? Here’s everything you need to know for 2024 South Point 400:

When is the NASCAR race in Las Vegas?

The South Point 400 is set for Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Before the race, there will be practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday. The 37 drivers will be split into two groups (found here) with each group getting 20 minutes of free practice and then competing in two-round qualifying. Here’s how it works:

  • Each driver will make one lap in the first round, with the five fastest drivers in each group advancing.
  • In the final round, the remaining drivers each get one lap to set the top 10 starting order. The fastest driver overall will start on the pole, the fastest driver in the other group will start second.
  • Positions 3 through 10 are set on final round times – Group A filling the even-numbered positions (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th), Group B filling the odd-numbered positions (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th).
  • Positions 11 through 37 are set based on first round times – Group A filling the even-numbered positions, Group B filling the odd-numbered positions.

What is the NASCAR TV schedule this weekend?

Leigh Diffey (play-by-play), Jeff Burton (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call for NBC with Marty Snider, Kim Coon, and Dillon Welch serving as pit reporters. Here’s the full TV and streaming schedule:

Saturday, Oct. 19 (USA Network and streaming)

Sunday, Oct. 20 (NBC and streaming)

NASCAR Las Vegas entry list, drivers

Thirty-seven drivers will race at Las Vegas – the 34 full-timers, plus three others.

The headliner is seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who will drive the No. 84 for his eighth of nine starts this season. Then there’s Shane van Gisbergen and Cody Ware, who will continue their part-time schedules for Kaulig Racing and Rick Ware Racing, respectively.

Here’s the full entry list for Las Vegas:

Car numberDriverTeamSponsor
1Ross ChastainTrackhouse RacingWorldwide Express
2Austin CindricTeam PenskeAutotrader
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingBoot Barn
4Josh BerryStewart-Haas RacingMobil 1
5Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsHendrickCars.com
6Brad KeselowskiRFK RacingKing's Hawaiian
7Justin HaleySpire MotorsportsGainbridge
8Kyle BuschRichard Childress RacingFICO
9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsNAPA Auto Parts
10Noah GragsonStewart-Haas RacingFanttik
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingYahoo!
12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeMenards
14Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingTexas A&M
15Cody WareRick Ware RacingParts Plus/Pronto
16Shane van GisbergenKaulig RacingWendy's
17Chris BuescherRFK RacingCastrol
19Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingBass Pro Shops
20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingRheem
21Harrison BurtonWood Brothers RacingDEX Imaging
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskePennzoil
23Bubba Wallace23XI RacingLeidos/U.S. Air Force
24William ByronHendrick MotorsportsRaptorTough.com
31Daniel HemricKaulig RacingCirkul
34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsLove's Travel Stops
38Todd GillilandFront Row Motorsportsgener8tor
41Ryan PreeceStewart-Haas RacingBonanza Cabernet
42John Hunter NemechekLegacy Motor ClubPye-Barker Fire & Safety
43Erik JonesLegacy Motor ClubMassey Motor Freight
45Tyler Reddick23XI RacingJordan Brand
47Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingScott Brand
48Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsAlly
51Corey LaJoieRick Ware RacingMighty Fire Breaker
54Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingMonster Energy
71Zane SmithSpire MotorsportsFocused Health
77Carson HocevarSpire MotorsportsDelaware Life
84Jimmie JohnsonLegacy Motor ClubDollar Tree/Family Dollar
99Daniel SuarezTrackhouse RacingTootsies Orchid Lounge
2024 South Point 400 entry list

NASCAR Las Vegas predictions, picks, favorites

One organization has ruled this track in recent years: Hendrick Motorsports.

Since 2021 at Las Vegas (seven races), Hendrick’s four drivers have combined for five wins, 10 top-fives, 15 top-10s and 878 laps led. Larson has three wins over that time, including the last two races. Byron and Bowman have one win each, while Elliott has a best finish of second.

Beyond the Hendrick quartet, many of the other playoff drivers are set up for success at Las Vegas. Logano has a 9.9 average finish in 22 starts, with top-15 finishes in 17 of his last 18 races. There’s also Hamlin, who has led laps in eight straight Vegas races.

Bell and Blaney, despite never winning in Vegas, could challenge for their first victories in Sin City. Bell finished second in this race to Larson last fall and dominated at Kansas (a similar track) a few weeks ago, while Blaney has six top-fives in his last 13 Vegas starts.

Looking beyond the playoff field, Busch, Truex and Chastain stand out. Busch, who grew up in Las Vegas, has 12 top-fives in 26 starts at his home track. Truex, making his final Vegas start before retirement, has a 9.8 average finish in 25 starts. Chastain, meanwhile, won at Kansas last month and has four top-fives in his last five Vegas starts.

NASCAR Las Vegas winners list, race history

Nine of the 37 drivers in the field are past winners at Las Vegas, including five with multiple victories.

Johnson leads all drivers with four Las Vegas wins, followed by Larson, Logano and Keselowski with three apiece. Truex has two wins, and the one-time winners are Busch (2009), Hamlin (2021), Bowman (2022) and Byron (2023).

NASCAR playoff standings entering Las Vegas

The standings are reset for the Round of 8, with each driver getting 4,000 points plus their playoff points earned in the first 32 races – and Larson leads the way. Blaney, Hamlin, Elliott and Logano are below the cut line, but they have three races to either win or put themselves into the top four.

You can find a full explanation of NASCAR’s playoff format right here.

Here’s the playoff standings entering Las Vegas:

RankDriverPoints
1.Kyle Larson4,052 (+33 above the cut)
2.Christopher Bell4,032 (+13 above the cut)
3.Tyler Reddick4,029 (+10 above the cut)
4.William Byron4,023 (+4 above the cut)
5.Ryan Blaney4,019 (-4 below the cut)
6.Denny Hamlin4,015 (-8 below the cut)
7.Chase Elliott4,014 (-9 below the cut)
8.Joey Logano4,012 (-11 below the cut)
Playoff standings entering Las Vegas
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