NASCAR
Stratta’s Six: Who Can Follow The Yellow Brick Road to Kansas Speedway Success?
What could be one of the most impactful races of The Chase is next on the docket. Kansas Speedway is first in a perfect trio of intermediate ovals for this championship hunt. In short, Sunday could set the tone for the next six weeks. The Hollywood Casino 400 does have a few favorites jump off the page ahead of race weekend, all of whom aim for huge points ahead. Here are their chances ahead at taking home a hard-fought Heartland victory.
Kyle Larson
Now the points leader for the first time all season, Kyle Larson is on kill mode entering Kansas. The three-time Kansas winner most recently took the checkers here in spring 2025, with two top-10s since. Not worse than fifth through three Chase races this season, Larson has high optimism for another stellar run around Kansas.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s good,” Larson said about the points lead. “It’s good. But there’s still so much racing left. Just got to keep having good consistent days. It’s three top-5s to open the Chase and looks like leading the points now by just a point. But we’re going to some good tracks for us but also good tracks for the Toyotas are Vegas and Kansas, Charlotte. It could easily change a lot here in the next upcoming weeks. But we’ve just got to be ready for anything and keep plugging away.”
“I definitely don’t believe we’re going to go to the next three racetracks and be the fastest car. But I think we’ll be a top-five car. As you can see the last couple of weeks, you can execute from there and score at least a lot of points or potentially have a shot to win. That’s the goal, anyway.”
26th in the fall Kansas race two years ago was Larson’s only time out of the top-10 across the last 10 trips here. Boasting over 700 laps led here and three wins in that same span, there’s little reason to doubt the 5 team this weekend. Finally off their winless streak, Larson hopes for another trophy from one of his best tracks.
Kyle Larson’s No. 5 HendrickCars.Com Chevrolet Camaro on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJ Sports
Denny Hamlin
Entering Kansas as co-favorite with Larson is this track’s all-time winningest man–Denny Hamlin. Driver 11 claims four Sunflower State victories, with the last coming in 2023. Hamlin’s been the picture of front-running consistency here for several years, with eight top-fives across the last nine races. Hamlin was also leading this race a year ago until the last lap, when contact with Bubba Wallace cost them both the win. Having triple-digit laps led in the last two Kansas races, Hamlin sees a prime opportunity race ahead on Sunday.
“I mean, they pay the same points as Talladega and Martinsville,” Hamlin said. “They’re all the same in that instance, but for us, we we certainly need to capitalize on those racetracks because that’s where our strength has been.”
Toyotas have won six of the last 11 Kansas races, with Hamlin earning one win and three runner-ups in that span. Kansas was Toyota’s infamous implosion race in 2025’s championship run. A year removed from that misstep, Hamlin eyes a chance to reassert control in The Chase and take back the points lead.
Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJ Sports
Joey Logano
Can anyone stop a red-hot Joey Logano? Team Penske’s No. 22 Ford admittedly had the Bristol Night Race win fall into their laps, and now puts sight on one of their best tracks. Logano has won three times at Kansas, but nine since 2020. It had been over a decade since Logano’s last Bristol concrete triumph, too. To put it bluntly, there’s no telling when or where this team can shine. Logano was at a serious speed deficit on intermediate ovals earlier this season, but still looks forward to proving doubters wrong on Sunday.
“I mean, it’s more of the same,” Logano said. “We’ve just got to keep, again, grinding it out, getting as many points as humanly possible. You try to bring the best cars to the racetrack, qualify good, get stage points and finish good. This points format, it’s an average. That’s all. Every race is equally as important as the next. It’s just about averaging the most points you possibly can get, so nothing changes here.”
“The goal the whole time has been to win the championship. It hasn’t been to finish fifth. It’s been to go all the way. We’re closer than we’ve been. We’ve just got to ride the momentum now and that confidence that the team has is going to keep rolling with it.”
Logano remains adamant that the last intermediate race from Chicagoland was a turning point for team 22. While the stats say they finished a quiet 12th-place that day, the three-time champion believes they found speed to contend against Toyotas. Now third in Chase points and within sight of the lead, Logano hopes to leave Kansas with another standout run. Only Larson matches Logano with three top-10s to open The Chase. Perhaps top spot in the championship could be up for grabs on Sunday for the 22. Logano sits only 16 points back of Larson entering Chase race four.
Joey Logano’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Ford Mustang on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJ Sports
Christopher Bell
If anyone is long past due for a breakout Kansas win, it’s Christopher Bell. Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota has quite literally done everything short of pull into victory lane in The Heartland. Bell has nine top-10s and nearly 300 laps led in only 13 Kansas starts, and had a trophy within sight in April. Overtime saw the No. 20 make a winning move, only to end up in the fence after being put three-wide. Backsliding to 20th by the checkered flag, this dismal result ended Bell’s run of five-straight Kansas top-10s. Also leading this race late last fall, the Oklahoma native has retribution at the top of mind for Sunday.
Opening The Chase with a breakthrough win at the Southern 500, it’s been tougher sledding ever since for Bell. 19th after a few incidents at Gateway led to a quiet fourth-place run at Bristol. These results have Bell slotted fourth in points, right on the cusp of championship greatness. If Toyota’s dominant pace returns to The Sunflower State, then Bell could be facing down a long-awaited turn in Kansas victory lane.
Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Mobil1 Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before winning the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJ Sports
Tyler Reddick
Kansas Speedway’s most recent winner, it’s been a summer slugfest for Tyler Reddick. Race nine of the 2026 campaign all the way back in April already marked win five on the year for the No. 45. Shockingly, the 23XI Racing crew has no victories since then. Starting out the season red hot, Reddick has been humbled by a trying five-month span that saw him enter The Chase as the third seed. Third in Darlington is the 23XI Racing team’s Chase high point through the opening three rounds. Returning to another track they tamed in the spring, Reddick aims for a very familiar victory lane.
23XI Racing calls Kansas their most successful venue, with four wins here between Reddick, Kurt Busch, and Bubba Wallace. The two latter drivers here are both Chase contenders, but in desperate need of strong points afternoons to regain lost ground. Reddick’s pair of Kansas wins were interspersed with three results worse than 15th. In short, Reddick is either red hot or ice cold in Kansas. Following a Bristol race that saw the No. 45 lose the lead lap in the opening run, a return to form is needed to keep Reddick’s title hopes alive. Seventh on the Chase grid entering Sunday, a banner race has to happen to reassert Reddick in the championship discussion.
Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Chumba Casino Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJ Sports
Ryan Blaney
Surprisingly still 0-23 across his career at Kansas is Ryan Blaney, with a best result of third. Blaney hopes to put a week of negativity behind him, following his post-race fight with Carson Hocevar at Bristol. Lost in that madness, however, was the fact that the No. 12 led over 200 laps. Blaney appeared to be the best car on Saturday night. Should similar speed return this weekend, then Blaney could challenge Toyotas at their best track.
The Chase so far for Blaney in 2026 has been nothing short of unmatched potential. Fourth in Darlington got this team off on the right foot to start the 10-week marathon. The two weeks since have been a drag, however, for this title-hopeful crew. Blowing a brake rotor in Gateway and being spun from second in Bristol both left a huge amount of points on the table. Happening in back-to-back weeks added insult to injury for the 12. These poor finishes have seen Blaney plummet to sixth in the standings. Heading into Kansas, the 12 is 52 points off the lead.
In desperate need of a turnaround performance to save his title hopes, Blaney eyes the front again in Kansas. Blaney’s Kansas high water mark was set in last year’s spring race, showing recent speed and performance here. Above all, the 12 just needs to see a clean 400 miles on Sunday. Any points gap should take care of itself with a catastrophe-free day. It would not be a shock to see Blaney’s points deficit dwindle with a top-five and plenty of stage points.
Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJ Sports
A Chase race at Kansas is sure to deliver intrigue, drama, and talking points aplenty. Kansas Speedway already has a reputation as one of the raciest and widest tracks in the Next Gen era. Putting four contenders here separated by 17 points may lead to another wild weekend ahead. The Hollywood Casino 400 may just see a new star born in this year’s championship. The Sunflower State green flag will wave Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Kansas could preview the true title threats and separate the pretenders from contenders.
Written by Peter Stratta
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