The NASCAR Cup Series will run at the Kansas Speedway this weekend for the first race of the round of 12. This is the first intermediate track race of the playoffs. While some believe the excitement might not be as much as the wildcard races, former Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer disagrees. According to the 45-year-old, Kansas delivers the best product NASCAR has to offer today, especially after the repave in 2011 which also saw a change in variable banking from 15 to 20 degrees.
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Before the repave, Bowyer said that Kansas was not the best track but since then, it has been incredible. Restarts may see four or five wide going into turn 1 which can often lead to a lot of chaos. This is also the track that saw the rivalry between Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin spark into life last season as the latter took the checkered flag on that occasion. Today, they’re both playoff drivers and title contenders.
“I’m going to tell you right now any fan asks Clint Bowyer where to go watch a race for their first race ever, I’m gonna tell them Kansas Speedway. I believe in my heart that’s our best product for NASCAR right now. Since the repave, the outside restarts, my gosh, the restarts are crazy chaotic, three, four or maybe even five-wide, you’re going to see it all at Kansas,” he said in a recent interview.
Since it’s going to be the first race of the round of 12, the playoff drivers in the Cup Series might exercise some level of caution at the track. However, there will be drivers like Larson and Hamlin desperate to win and lock themselves in right at the start. That’s when things will get interesting.
Truck Series race at Kansas sees last-lap pass for the win
The Kansas Speedway played host to the NASCAR Truck Series race on Friday in which Corey Heim took the checkered flag. He needed a huge stroke of luck as race leader Ty Majeski ran out of fuel with just one lap remaining. ‘Heim time’ could not have been at a better moment as he secured an important victory at what he considers to be his favorite track.
“Just a deep sigh of relief. I mean, we were just the best truck all night. Huge thank you to my TRICON Garage guys. This is my favorite track, I love coming here. I look forward to this, I had a smile on my face all week coming to this place. Just glad I could sweep the year here,” he said after the event.
The bigger storyline emerging out of the day was the defending Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes failed to make it to the round of 8. The competition is now guaranteed a new champion and that will make things quite intriguing for fans.
