To kick off the second round of the NASCAR Playoffs, Ryan Blaney cruised to victory in New Hampshire. The driver of the #12 will hope to build on that momentum as NASCAR heads to Kansas Speedway for the 2025 Hollywood Casino 400.
Can Blaney go back-to-back, or will a new driver join him by winning their way into the Round of Eight?
Let’s dive in.
2025 Hollywood Casino 400 Entry List
JJ Yeley in the #44 car represents the only non-weekly entrant for this week’s race. We’re still monitoring the ongoing court battles between 23XI, FRM, and NASCAR, but for now, that isn’t having too much of an impact on the season regarding qualifying for races.
A win at Kansas this weekend for @BubbaWallace would send him to the Round of 8. 🤫 pic.twitter.com/z8KxPywoIe
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 25, 2025
Kansas Speedway has provided some of the best racing in NASCAR’s NextGen era, and I expect some great battles at this track once again come Sunday. Aeroblocking will play a massive role as drivers look to take away the line of their competitors. However, with multiple grooves available at Kansas, we should still see plenty of passing.
Playoff Picture Heading Into Kansas
As mentioned above, Ryan Blaney won his way into the third round of the NASCAR playoffs courtesy of his first-place finish at New Hampshire. That means just seven spots remain for the other eleven drivers. Check out the current playoff standings below.
- Ryan Blaney – One Win
- William Byron +47
- Kyle Larson +41
- Christopher Bell +29
- Denny Hamlin +27
- Joey Logano +24
- Chase Elliott +14
- Chase Briscoe +12
- Ross Chastain -12
- Austin Cindric -19
- Tyler Reddick -23
- Bubba Wallace -27
After the first race, both 23XI cars find themselves in a bit of trouble if they hope to advance. However, the good news for Wallace and Reddick is that they both have a history of running well at Kansas. In fact, Bubba Wallace won his first race with 23XI here at Kansas Speedway.
A smashing Kansas win for @RossChastain. 🍉 pic.twitter.com/9F7QqhLuJE
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 26, 2025
Ross Chastain represents another driver below the cutline with a win at Kansas, meaning this playoff picture could shake up in a hurry. I expect that to be the case this Sunday.
2025 Hollywood Casino 400 Race Predictions
I have hope for some great racing this Sunday at Kansas. Kyle Larson dominated this race back in the spring, and I expect him to run up front once again. However, I also expect the rest of the field to be extremely competitive.
I’m keeping an eye on both Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace in this one, as it feels like a strong run is an absolute must if they hope to reach round three. However, while a top ten or top five is on the table, I don’t think either wins the race.
We can't get enough of this. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/WEN3NU86lB
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 11, 2025
For that pick, I’m going to take William Byron. With the most points headed into this race, Byron likely won’t need a win to advance, and sometimes that lack of pressure is the best thing for a driver. I expect William Byron to be in Victory Lane come the end of the 2025 Hollywood Casino 400.
Check out the schedule below so you don’t miss any on-track action!
Friday 09/26
Reese’s 150 (ARCA Menards Series) – 7:00 p.m. CT on FS1
Saturday 09/27
NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying – 10:35 a.m. CT on the CW App
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – 1:10 p.m. CT on TruTV
Kansas Lottery 300 (NASCAR Xfinity Series) – 3:00 p.m. CT on the CW
Sunday 09/28
Hollywood Casino 400 (NASCAR Cup Series) – 2:00 p.m. CT on USA and HBO Max
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