NASCAR playoffs at Kansas: Chastain looks to continue ‘dream.’ How to watch, stream

Five years ago, Ross Chastain dominated the first two stages of the Xfinity Series race at Darlington in Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 car, but with 37 laps left in the Sept. 1 race, Kevin Harvick drove into his pit stall after the two had been side-by-side, forcing Chastain into the wall.

The wreck allowed Brad Keselowski to win the race — and the 25-year-old driver wondered if he’d ever race again.

“I didn’t know what the future had,” Chastain told reporters on a conference call this week. “I don’t get too comfortable in anything, ever, but I also have learned to enjoy the moment. Because what I’m doing right now is exactly what I dreamed of five-and-a-half years ago.”

Chastain, last year’s Cup Series runner-up, sits 13 points above the elimination line heading into the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at Kansas Speedway on Sunday at 3 p.m. Fans can watch it on the USA Network and listen to it on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR.

The last time Chastain was at Kansas, he finished fifth and made headlines after throwing punches in a confrontation with Noah Gragson.

Driving the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevy, he had a strong qualifying performance that weekend in May as well, starting that race in third. Chastain’s only pole win this season came at Nashville Superspeedway — and he finished the race in the same position.

In last weekend’s Cup Series race at Darlington, Chastain turned a 27th-place qualifying round into a fifth-place finish. He lives in the moment, like he said. He can’t go back and fix that qualifying performance at Darlington, nor can he manifest how he’ll fare when he races for positioning in Kansas.

“Moments like that are not comfortable,” Chastain said. “It’s just the snowball that can happen just from a simple one lap out of the whole season, starting this round with these three races. Qualifying 27th could just derail everything.”

Nemechek will return to Cup Series

John Hunter Nemechek will race in the Cup Series next season.

The current points leader of the Xfinity Series playoffs is joining Legacy Motor Club, which will transition from Chevrolet to Toyota. The second-generation driver will drive its No. 42 car in the Cup Series in lieu of Noah Gragson’s indefinite suspension from NASCAR that led to the driver requesting release from his team.

“To be able to announce my plans for next season so early and officially say I will be competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series relieves a lot of pressure,” Nemechek said in a release. “There is so much to be done for next year, and this gives us the opportunity to get the news out there and move forward. Also, driving for Maury (Gallagher), Jimmie (Johnson) and Richard Petty is a dream come true for me.”

Nemechek, 26, will become teammates with Erik Jones, who missed the playoffs with a 27th-place finish in the Cup Series, though he boasted six top-10 finishes this season. Legacy Motor Club co-owner Johnson will also drive a limited schedule for the team.

Hamlin extends Joe Gibbs Racing contract

Denny Hamlin signed a multi-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing, the team announced Monday.

The driver of the No. 11 Toyota, who sits fifth in the playoff standings entering Kansas, had already indicated his intentions of staying with the team for which he’s raced since 2005. But as Hamlin also co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, negotiations to extend both teams’ deals with Toyota held up the move becoming official, according to Fox Sports.

“It’s working well both ways,” Hamlin said on his podcast, Actions Detrimental. “There are things, no question, that (Joe Gibbs Racing) is learning from 23XI. We also learn a ton from them. That’s the way alliances should work, that both teams feed off each other and get better together.

“23XI will continue its relationship with Toyota into the future. Nothing really changes. We’re gonna continue on the path that we’ve been on. It was my goal to make that a championship organization within five years. We’re gonna continue on that trajectory. We’re in a good spot. Our relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing is in a good spot.”

Tyler Reddick finished second, behind Kyle Larson, last weekend at Darlington and rose to the No. 3 spot in the Cup Series playoff standings, trailing Larson and William Byron. Bubba Wallace finds himself on the bubble in 13th place heading into the next two races, but he completed the Kansas sweep last year for 23XI Racing.

Betting odds for Sunday’s race

Hamlin is the favorite to win at +450 odds, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by Martin Truex Jr. (+600), Kyle Larson (+600), William Byron (+750) and Tyler Reddick (+900).

How to watch the Hollywood Casino 400

Where: Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, Kansas)

Date: Sunday, Sept. 10

Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV: USA Network

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 400.5 miles (267 Laps)

Stages: Stage 1 ends on Lap 80, Stage 2 ends on Lap 165 and the final stage ends on Lap 267.

Purse: $8,806,315