Kansas NASCAR Cup Series Notes: 2017 Go Bowling 400

Kyle Busch won at Kansas last spring.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: Go Bowling 400

The Place: Kansas Speedway

The Date: Saturday, May 13

The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: FS1, 7 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 80),

Stage 2 (Ends on lap 160), Final Stage (Ends on lap 267)

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Next Race: Hisense 4K TV 300

The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway

The Date: Saturday, May 27

The Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 300 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45),

Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

  

‘Dega Delight: Stenhouse Parks It In Victory Lane For First Career Win

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned his first career victory in his 158th start on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. The 29-year-old Roush Fenway Racing driver shoved Kyle Busch on the final lap then veered to pass him for the lead, before speeding away from the field to the win.

The checkered flag was the first for Roush Fenway Racing since Carl Edwards won at Sonoma on June 22, 2014.

Stenhouse, 29, currently sits 12th in the points standings on the strength of his victory, three top fives and five tops 10s through the first 10 races. He is on pace to shatter his career highs in top fives (four) and top 10s (six), both set last season.

The Mississippi native will attempt to keep the momentum going in Saturday’s Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) where he has a career high finish of 11th (2013).

Busch Back To Defend Spring Kansas Victory

After failing to hold on for the victory at Talladega, and eventually finishing third, Kyle Busch will attempt to defend his victory in the Kansas spring race on Saturday. Last spring’s win was the first for Busch at the midwest track. In 17 starts there, he also claims four top fives, six top 10s and an 18.4 average finish.

The No. 18 Toyota driver struggled at Kansas early in his career, but seems to have figured it out lately. He has logged a top-five finish in his last four starts there.

The 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion currently ranks 10th in the series standings – 151 points behind leader Kyle Larson. Busch has three top-five and four top-10 finishes in 10 starts this season.

Logano Looks To Continue Strong Performance In The Jayhawk State

Kyle Busch isn’t the only driver who’s turned around his early-career struggles at Kansas. Joey Logano has, too.

Logano failed to finish better than 15th in his first eight Kansas starts, but has placed in the top five in six of his last seven starts in the Jayhawk State, including two wins.

The Team Penske driver has led at least one lap in his last seven Kansas starts for a total of 294.

Logano currently sits sixth in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings, 110 points behind leader Kyle Larson. On the season, he has one win, six top fives and eight top 10s.

Johnson Ready For Another Win At Kansas

Jimmie Johnson will go for his third win in five races when he takes the wheel for Saturday’s Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway – a track where he is tied with Jeff Gordon for the wins lead with three.

The No. 48 Chevrolet driver also boasts nine top fives, 17 top 10s and an 8.9 average finish at the 1.5-mile track.

He enters Saturday’s race coming off an eighth-place showing at Talladega.

Johnson currently sits ninth in the points standings, 123 markers behind leader Kyle Larson. He ranks tied for second with Martin Truex Jr. in playoff points with 10.

1.5-Mile Maven: Harvick Paces Drivers In Laps Led At Intermediate Tracks Since 2014

Since the start of the 2014 season, Kevin Harvick paces all Monster Energy Series drivers with 2,112 laps led at intermediate tracks. He is followed by Martin Truex Jr. (1,354), Brad Keselowski (1,286), Joey Logano (1,246) and Jimmie Johnson (1,149). Kyle Busch (680), Matt Kenseth (615), Jeff Gordon (422), Kurt Busch (364) and Carl Edwards (342) round out the top 10.

Still in search of his first win of 2017, Harvick gets to head to 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway for Saturday’s Go Bowling 400. Harvick has visited Victory Lane at Kansas twice, including last fall. He also claims six top fives, 11 top 10s and a 10.4 average finish there.

In his last seven races at Kansas, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has finished second or better five times.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Kansas City Chiefs Derrick Johnson To Serve As Honorary Pace Car Driver: Four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs will serve as the honorary pace car driver for Saturday’s Go Bowling 400. Johnson is the all-time leading tackler in Chiefs franchise history.