NASCAR podcast: Chase Briscoe starts playoffs with Darlington win
The guys review Chase Briscoe’s Darlington win that kicked off the NASCAR playoffs. Then, they look ahead to the second race in the Round of 16.
A pair of championship favorites will start on the front row Sunday.
Denny Hamlin averaged 139.190 mph and Kyle Larson was a blink behind at 139.099 during Saturday’s qualifying. They’re starting up front Sunday.
Sunday’s race is the second of three races in the playoffs’ Round of 16. After the third race, next week at Bristol, the 16-driver playoff field will be trimmed to 12 for the next three races.
Right now, here are the four drivers ranked 13 to 16 after the first playoff race last week at Darlington: Joey Logano (3 points out of 12th), Austin Dillon (-8), Alex Bowman (-19) and Josh Berry (-19).
The Gateway speedway, located just outside St. Louis, is a playoff host for the first time in its four-year history as a Cup Series venue. Each of the previous three years, it’s been closer to mid-season as the 15th race of the 36-race regular season.
The three previous Gateway winners are Logano, Kyle Busch and Austin Cindric.
Top 10 NASCAR speeds at Gateway
Denny Hamlin: 139.190
Kyle Larson: 139.099
Chase Briscoe: 138.902
Ross Chastain: 138.855
Ryan Blaney: 138.752
William Byron: 138.602
Tyler Reddick: 138.602
Christopher Bell: 138.410
Austin Cindric: 138.160
Zane Smith: 137.724
Starting lineup for Race 2 of NASCAR playoffs at Gateway
- Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (32.330 seconds)
- Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (32.351)
- Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (32.397)
- Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (32.408)
- Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford (32.432)
- William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (32.467)
- Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota (32.501)
- Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (32.512)
- Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford (32.571)
- Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford (32.674)
- Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford (32.689)
- Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford (32.698)
- Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford (32.719)
- Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota (32.739)
- Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (32.757)
- Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota (32.760)
- AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (32.764)
- Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (32.765)
- Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (32.799)
- John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota (32.852)
- Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (32.889)
- Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (32.952)
- Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford (32.957)
- Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford (32.993)
- Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (33.005)
- Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (33.038)
- Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (33.133)
- Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (33.197)
- Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford (33.201)
- Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford (33.230)
- Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (33.252)
- Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford (33.282)
- Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota (33.417)
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet (33.538)
- Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (33.635)
- Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford (33.650)
How to watch the NASCAR race
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series, Nu Way 200 (CW).
Sunday, 3 p.m.: Cup Series, Enjoy Illinois 300 (USA).
