NASCAR qualifying results: Christopher Bell on pole for Kansas playoff race ahead of Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr.

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continue this weekend as the series returns to one of its most exciting tracks on the schedule, Kansas Speedway, for the second race of the Round of 16. Kyle Larson, fresh off his Southern 500 win, is among the favorites, along with four-time Kansas winner Denny Hamlin and regular-season champion Martin Truex Jr.

Meanwhile last year’s Kansas fall race winner Bubba Wallace finds himself one point off the playoff cut line with two races remaining until the field is pared down to 12, with Kevin Harvick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. nipping at his heels.

Here’s what else to know going into the Hollywood Casino 400 weekend:

Hollywood Casino 400 starting grid

1. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

3. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

4. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

5. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

6. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

7. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

8. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

9. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

10. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

11. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

12. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

13. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

14. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

15. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

16. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

17. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

18. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

19. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

20. Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

21. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

22. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

23. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

24. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

25. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

26. Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

27. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

28. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

29. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

30. J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

31. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

32. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

33. Sheldon Creed (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

34. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

35. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

36. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Hollywood Casino 400 TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Saturday
Noon-12:45 p.m.: Practice (USA, NBC Sports app)
12:45-2 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports app)

Sunday
2:30-3 p.m.: Pre-race show (USA, NBC Sports app)
3-6 p.m.: Hollywood Casino 400 (USA, NBC Sports app)

Hollywood Casino 400 race details

Track: Kansas Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval), in Kansas City, Kansas
Length: 267 laps for 401 miles
Banking: Turns – 17-20 degrees | Tri-oval 9-11 degrees | Backstretch – 5 degrees
Stage lengths: Stage 1 – 80 laps | Stage 2 – 85 laps | Stage 3 – 102 laps
2022 winner: Bubba Wallace

2023 NASCAR Cup playoff standings

Larson has already clinched his way into the Round of 12 by virtue of winning last weekend. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron remained in second in the standings coming out of Darlington and even has one more playoff point than Larson. Truex Jr. tumbled from first to sixth in the standings after a disastrous showing in which he finished 31st.

1. Kyle Larson – 2,074*
2. William Byron – 2,075
3. Tyler Reddick – 2,060
4. Chris Buescher – 2,057
5. Denny Hamlin – 2,057
6. Martin Truex Jr. – 2,055
7. Kyle Busch – 2,050
8. Brad Keselowski – 2,048
9. Ryan Blaney – 2,046
10. Ross Chastain – 2,043
11. Joey Logano – 2,033
12. Christopher Bell – 2,031
______________________________ Cut line
13. Bubba Wallace – 2,030
14. Kevin Harvick – 2,029
15. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 2,027
16. Michael McDowell – 2,012

*-Clinched entry in Round of 12

Top drivers and best bets for the Hollywood Casino 400

The top 12 favorites for the win, according to BetMGM, are all playoff drivers and all enter at 20-to-1 or better.

Best odds to win
• Denny Hamlin +500
• Kyle Larson +525
• Martin Truex Jr. +600
• William Byron +725
• Tyler Reddick +900

Yahoo Sports motorsports expert Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on the betting forecast and says Harvick (+2200) and Kyle Busch (+1400) are worth the wager at those mid-tier odds. Bromberg also recommends staying away from Ross Chastain (1400) and recommends taking a flier on Ty Gibbs (+3500), owing to Toyota’s traditional strength at Kansas.

Hollywood Casino 400 entry list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Sheldon Creed (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Hollywood Casino 400 weather

The forecast is dry and warm, with highs in the low-to-mid 80s for both days. Race day is supposed to be about five degrees cooler than Saturday’s qualifying session with an overcast haze. That should be better on the tires and allow teams to extend green-flag runs.