CONCORD, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports will visit Kansas Speedway for the 13th NASCAR Cup Series race of the 2022 season.
This weekend marks the first 1.5-mile track run with the base rules package since Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a race that was won by Alex Bowman. (Atlanta Motor Speedway was run with the superspeedway rules package and won by William Byron.) It is also the first of three straight 1.5-mile track races with the non-points paying All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway next weekend followed by the 600-mile race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.
Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson each have wins at Kansas. Both drivers won in the fall playoff event in 2018 and 2021, respectively. Larson's victory came during his championship season and he has three top-five finishes in his last six races at the venue. Elliott has five top-five finishes in his last seven starts in the "Sunflower State." Byron has five straight top-10 finishes at this track, while Bowman has four top-10 finishes (including a runner-up showing in 2019) in his last seven starts there.
This track will be part of the 10-race playoff portion of the schedule. However, it has moved from its previous spot in the Round of 8 to be the middle race in the opening Round of 16.
Here is what you need to know to catch the action this weekend.
WHAT TIME IS PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING?
There will be group practice sessions that start at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 14, followed by qualifying at 5:35 p.m. ET. Both practice and qualifying will be broadcast on FOX Sports 2. Larson and Elliott will be in Group A for practice and qualifying, while Bowman and Byron will be in Group B.
WHAT TIME IS THE RACE?
The 400-mile main event is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 15, and will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
CAN I LISTEN ON THE RADIO?
You can tune in on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90).
CAN I STREAM ONLINE?
Yes. Download the FOX Sports GO app for online coverage. Fans can also keep up with the action on Twitter by following @TeamHendrick.
WHAT CHANNEL IS FS1 AND FS2?
It varies by location, but this link allows viewers to find the channels by entering their zip code and selecting their television provider.
FIVE FAST FACTS HEADING INTO KANSAS
Data courtesy of Racing Insights
4: Dating back to last October at Texas Motor Speedway and including last fall's at Kansas (two races won by Larson), Hendrick Motorsports has won the last four races on 1.5-mile tracks. That mark is tied for the longest such streak in Cup Series history, matching Furniture Row Racing's streak in 2017.
5: The amount of top-10 finishes for Bowman at Kansas, which is tied with Dover Motor Speedway for his most at a track in the Cup Series. Five is also the streak of top-10 finishes that Byron has at this venue, dating back to October 2019.
8: The number of wins Hendrick Motorsports has at Kansas, which is the most among all teams. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson both won three times at this track. Elliott and Larson each have been victorious once.
9.75: Elliott's average finish at the Kansas City, Kansas track, which is the second-best mark among active Cup Series drivers. Going by average finish, this is tied as Elliott's third-best oval track.
2,535: The number of miles Hendrick Motorsports has led at Kansas in the Cup Series. The organization is 401 miles away from having led 100,000 miles in the sport's top series.