Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, going into the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET on Sunday, September 29, at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts – Race No. 5 (Kansas Speedway)

• The 2025 season marks the third-time the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has been hosted by Kansas Speedway (2015-2016, 2025).
• Kansas Speedway (2015-2016, 2025) is one of three different tracks to host the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; alongside Charlotte Motor Speedway (2004 – 2014) and Talladega Superspeedway (2017 – 2023).
• Kansas Speedway is one of four tracks that has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs since its inception into the series in 2004, alongside Martinsville Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Phoenix Raceway.
• Kansas Speedway has occupied seven different positions on the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff schedule:
• In 2004, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2024 Kansas Speedway has hosted the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• From 2006-2010 Kansas Speedway hosted the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• From 2015-2016 Kansas hosted the fifth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• Then in 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Kansas Speedway hosted the sixth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• In 2020, Kansas Speedway hosted the seventh race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• In 2021, Kansas Speedway hosted the eighth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• From 2022-2023, Kansas Speedway hosted the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• A total of 15 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Kansas Speedway, and seven of the 15 are active in the Playoffs this weekend at Kansas – Joey Logano (three wins), Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick (each have one).

• Team Penske’s Joey Logano leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Playoff wins at Kansas Speedway with three postseason victories (2014, 2015, 2020); followed by four other drivers with multiple Kansas Playoff wins: Tony Stewart (2006, 2009), Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2011), Greg Biffle (2007, 2010) and Kevin Harvick (2013, 2016).
• Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain is the most recent Playoff race winner at Kansas Speedway (2025).
• Five times the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Kansas Speedway was won by a non-Playoff driver: 2004 (Joe Nemechek), 2006 (Tony Stewart), 2007 (Greg Biffle), 2022 (Bubba Wallace) and 2024 (Ross Chastain).
• Three times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Kansas Speedway went on to win the series championship that same season – 2008 (Jimmie Johnson), 2017 (Martin Truex Jr.) and 2021 (Kyle Larson).
• A total of 16 different drivers have won the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. This weekend, seven of the 16 drivers that have won the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are entered in Sunday’s Cup race.
• Five of the seven active drivers that have won the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are currently in the Playoffs this weekend – Chase Elliott (2022 Talladega), Bubba Wallace (2021 Talladega), Denny Hamlin (2020 Talladega), Ryan Blaney (2019 and 2023 Talladega) and Joey Logano (2015 Kansas).
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins in the fifth race of the Playoffs with three victories (2004, 2005, 2009 – all at Charlotte Motor Speedway).
• Brad Keselowski (2013 Charlotte and 2017 Talladega) and Ryan Blaney (2019 and 2023 at Talladega) lead all active drivers in wins in the fifth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with two victories each.

• Three times the winner of the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004-2023) has gone on to win the championship later that season: 2009, 2014, 2023.

1. In 2009, Jimmie Johnson won the fifth race in the Playoffs from the pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway and then went on to win his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title – it was his third of four wins in the 2009 postseason.
2. In 2014, Kevin Harvick won the fifth race in the Playoffs from the seventh starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway and went on to win his first career NASCAR Cup Series title – it was his first of three wins during the 2014 postseason.
3. In 2023, Ryan Blaney won the fifth race in the Playoffs from the 10th starting spot at Talladega Superspeedway and then went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title – it was his first of two wins in the 2023 postseason.

• Four times a non-Playoff driver has won the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs: 2010, 2013, 2021, 2024.

1. In 2010, Jamie McMurray won the fifth race in the Playoffs at Charlotte; he was 14th in points.
2. In 2013, Brad Keselowski won the fifth race in Playoffs at Charlotte; he was 16th in points.
3. In 2021, Bubba Wallace won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 21st in points.
4. In 2024, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 24th in points.

NASCAR Cup Series 2025 Top 12 in the Playoff Standings at Kansas Speedway

 * – Based on last 34 races at Kansas Speedway (2005 – 2025).

Kansas Speedway Stats & Tidbits:
TRACK & RACE DATA
Season Race #: 31 of 36 (09-28-25)
NCS Playoff Race #: 5 of 10
The Purse: $9,797,935
Track Size: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval
Banking/Turns: 17 to 20 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 10 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,685 feet
Backstretch Length: 2,207 feet
Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps
Stage 2 Length: 85 laps
Final Stage Length: 102 laps

QUALIFYING & RACE RECORD DATA

Track Qualifying Record: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 197.773 mph, 27.304 secs. October 3, 2014

Track Race Record: Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 152.057 mph, (02:38:02), October 21, 2018

2024 Pole Winner: Christopher Bell, Toyota, 179.336 mph, 30.111 secs., September 28, 2024

2024 Race Winner: Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 123.294 mph, (03:14:54), September 29, 2024

HISTORY

• Groundbreaking for Kansas Speedway was held on May 25, 1999.
• The official opening of Kansas Speedway was in 2001 with the first events being an ARCA Menards Series race and an ARCA Menards Series West race on the same day – June 2.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway was on September 30, 2001 and the race was won by Hendrick Motorsport’s driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet).
• During the 2012 season, between the April and October events, the 1.5-mile track underwent a repave, adding variable banking in the corners (17 to 20 degrees).
• In total, there have been 39 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, one event from 2001 – 2010 and two races per year since 2011. Of those 39 race 21 have been Playoff events.

STARTS

• A total of 175 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway; 136 drivers have competed in more than one.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Kansas Speedway with 36 starts.
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Kansas Speedway with 35 starts.
• Top five in starts at Kansas all-time: Kevin Harvick (36), Kyle Busch (35), Denny Hamlin (34), Kurt Busch (33), Martin Truex Jr. (33).
• Six drivers all-time have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Kansas Speedway:
• Matt Mills (May 2, 2021)
• Erik Jones (May 9, 2015)
• Ryan Blaney (May 10, 2014)
• Austin Dillon (October 9, 2011)
• Denny Hamlin (October 9, 2005)
• Sheldon Creed (September 10, 2023)
• Of the six drivers that made their NASCAR Cup Series debut at Kansas Speedway, Austin Dillon posted the best finish with a 26th-place result in 2011; after starting in the 26th starting spot.
• Jason Leffler leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Kansas Speedway with a 3.5 in two starts.
• Christopher Bell leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Kansas with a 7.7 in 11 starts.

POLES

• A total of 20 different drivers have won the pole at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Kansas Speedway with five poles (fall 2013, 2014 sweep, spring 2018 and spring 2019).
• Christopher Bell (2022, 2023, 2024 sweep) leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Kansas Speedway with four.
• A total of eight of the 20 NASCAR Cup Series Kansas Speedway pole winners are active this weekend.

• Jason Leffler won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Kansas Speedway in 2001 with a speed of 176.499 MPH (Dodge) driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Jason Leffler (2001), Ryan Blaney (2017) and Daniel Hemric (2019) are the only three drivers to post their first-career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Kansas Speedway.
• Christopher Bell (three straight: 2023-2024 sweep), Jimmie Johnson (two straight: 2007-2008) and Kevin Harvick (three-straight: fall of 2013-2014 sweep) are the only three drivers to win consecutive poles at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Youngest Cup Series Kansas pole winner: Ryan Blaney (May 13, 2017 – 23 years, 2 months, 43 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Kansas pole winner: Mark Martin (October 4, 2009 – 50 years, 8 months, 25 days).
• A total of 13 different organizations have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway; seven of the 13 are active this weekend.

• Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing lead the Cup Series in poles at Kansas Speedway with six poles each
• Four manufacturers have won poles at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Chevrolet with 14; followed by Ford (nine), Toyota (eight) and Dodge (four).

WINS

• A total of 20 different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on September 30, 2001.
• Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Kansas Speedway with four victories (2012, 2019, 2020, 2023).
• A total of nine of the 20 NASCAR Cup Series Kansas Speedway winners are active this weekend.

• Youngest Cup Series Kansas winner: Chase Elliott (October 21, 2018 – 22 years, 10 months, 23 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Kansas winner: Mark Martin (October 9, 2005 – 46 years, 9 months, 0 days).
• Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin are the only four NASCAR Cup Series drivers that have posted consecutive wins at Kansas Speedway:
  • Jeff Gordon (2001 and 2002) – the first two series events at Kansas
  • Matt Kenseth (fall 2012, spring 2013)
  • Martin Truex Jr. (2017 sweep)
  • Denny Hamlin (2019 Playoff race and 2020)
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon is the only NASCAR Cup series driver to win at Kansas in his first appearance (2001).
• Not one NASCAR Cup Series driver has won their first career race at Kansas Speedway.
• A total of 19 different starting spots in the field have led to victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway.
• A total of eight of the 39 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway (20.5%) have been won from the pole or first starting position; the most proficient starting spot in the field.
• Six different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won from the pole or first starting position at Kansas Speedway.
• Joe Nemechek (2004)
• Jimmie Johnson (2008)
• Matt Kenseth (spring 2013)
• Kevin Harvick (Playoffs 2013)
• Martin Truex Jr. (Playoffs 2017)
• Kevin Harvick (spring 2018)
• Kyle Larson (Playoffs 2021)
• Kyle Larson (2025)
• Ten of the 39 NASCAR Cup Series races have been won from the front row (25.6%).
• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Kansas Speedway is 25th, by Brad Keselowski in the spring of 2011.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Kansas Speedway

• Michael McDowell leads the Cup Series in starts at Kansas Speedway without visiting Victory Lane with 28 starts; followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with 25 and Austin Dillon with 23.
• A total of 10 different organizations have won a race in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series wins at Kansas Speedway with 10 victories among four drivers: Jeff Gordon (three: 2001, 2002 and 2014), Jimmie Johnson (three: 2008, 2011 and 2015), Chase Elliott (one: Playoffs 2018) and Kyle Larson (three: Playoffs 2021, 2024, 2025).
• Three organizations have won consecutive Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway – Hendrick Motorsports (2001-2002), Furniture Row Racing (2017 sweep), Joe Gibbs Racing (2019-2020), 23XI Racing (2022 sweep).
• Four manufacturers have won at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series; led by Chevrolet with 16 victories, Toyota has 12, Ford with nine, and Dodge has two.
• The most consecutive NASCAR Cup Series wins by a manufacturer at Kansas Speedway is four straight wins by Toyota from 2022 (sweep) and 2023 (sweep).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes

• A total of 23 different drivers have finished runner-up at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Kevin Harvick (2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Kansas Speedway with five second-place finishes.
• Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in runner-up finishes at Kansas Speedway with three second-place finishes each.

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 44 different drivers have finished in the top-five at Kanas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Kansas Speedway with 14 top fives.

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 69 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have posted top-10 finishes at Kansas Speedway.
• Jimmie Johnsonm Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick lead the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Kansas Speedway with 19 top 10s each.

Average Finish:

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace (five starts) leads the series in average finish at Kansas Speedway with an 8.200.
• Chase Elliott (19 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway with an average finishing position with a 10.157.

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 84 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Kansas Speedway with 949 laps led in 36 starts.
• Kyle Larson leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Kansas Speedway with 924 in 21 starts.
• The most laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway was 221 of the 267 scheduled laps (82.7%) by Kyle Larson on May 11, 2025 – he started the race from the pole position.
• The most laps led by a driver that did not win in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway was 173 laps of the 267 scheduled laps (64.7%) by Martin Truex Jr. on April 22, 2012 – he started sixth and ultimately finished runner-up.
• The fewest laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway was two of the 268 scheduled laps (0.7%) by Tyler Reddick on September 10, 2023 – he started the race from the fifth position.

Top 10 NASCAR Cup Series Lap Leaders at Kansas Speedway (All-Time & Active)

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series:
• Danica Patrick’s seventh-place finish (2014) at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series is the third-highest finish by a female driver in series history.
• Danica Patrick’s career-best finish in the Cup Seres was sixth at Atlanta.
• The best finish by a female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series is Sarah Christian’s fifth-place finish (Heidelberg) in 1949.

TRACK / EVENT STATS

• Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway is 0.001-second – the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history. The race was held on May 5, 2024 -. With Kyle Larson beating Chris Buescher to the finish line.

Top Five Closest Margins of Victory at Kansas Speedway

Top Five Largest Margins of Victory at Kansas Speedway

• In the 39 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, six have resulted in NASCAR Overtime (16.2%):

• Only one of the 39 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions:

• Of the 39 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Kansas Speedway, only the Sept. 30, 2007 event has ended under caution – weather – Greg Biffle won the event.
• Qualifying has never been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway.
• The NASCAR Cup Series events from 2019-2021 had their qualifying sessions cancelled due to the pandemic.
• The NASCAR Cup Series Kansas race has never been postponed to another date due to weather conditions.

NASCAR IN KANSAS

• There have been a total of 94 NASCAR national series races among two tracks held in the state of Kansas.

• The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Kansas was on July 29, 1995 at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kansas. The event was a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, and it was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. (Chevrolet) driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc.

KANSAS DRIVERS IN NASCAR

• A total of 18 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Kansas.
• Of the 18 Kansas drivers, only two of them have won a NASCAR national series race; both have won in the NASCAR Cup Series.

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