NASCAR CUP CHASE

DARLINGTON RACEWAY Darlington, South Carolina Sept. 5, 6 p.m. EST, NBCSN 1.366-mile oval 367 laps/501.3 miles 2020 Winner:

RICHMOND RACEWAY Richmond, Virginia Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m. EST, NBCSN .75-mile oval 400 laps/300 miles 2020 Winner: makes a pit stop during a NASCAR Series auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. Bristol, Tennessee Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. EST, NBCSN 500 laps/266.5 miles .533-mile oval 2020 Winner: Kevin Harvick

LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY Las Vegas, Nevada Larson aiming to complete rally with rst Cup championship Sept. 26, 7 p.m. EST, NBCSN 1.5-mile oval 267 laps/400.5 miles By JENNA FRYER | AP Auto Racing Writer at’s the opposite of fellow Ford driver 2020 Winner: , who won two-straight to close the regular season and grab the momentum head- hen his engine blew three laps into the April race at Talladega, ed into the playos. Blaney’s win at Daytona Kyle Larson was still settling into his new job at Hendrick Motor- gave him a career-best three this season and Talladega, Alabama Oct. 3, 2 p.m. EST, NBC sports. He le the Alabama track that day ninth in the standings “It’s good for con dence, not only my 2.66-mile oval 188 laps/500.08 miles self-con dence, but everyone on the team,” 2020 Winner: Blaney said. “Con dence is big in not only but sports and life. If you have con- CHARLOTTE MOTOR It took him just 12 races to erase a 144-point who led the standings for 22 weeks but is win- dence in yourself, you can achieve something, SPEEDWAY ROAD COURSE de cit and pull even with Denny Hamlin in the less this year, plummeted to seventh in points know what your goal is, go out there and do the Concord, N.C. standings following his August victory at Wat- Oct. 10, 2 p.m. NBC kins Glen. Larson took control of the points “I think there’s a lot of good tracks for us,” Kevin Harvick, meanwhile, is an enigma a 2.28-mile oval-road course race a week later at Indianapolis then steadily Larson said. “I feel like we have a shot to win year aer winning a NASCAR-high nine races. anywhere right now. I really just look forward He’s winless this season, ranked last in the 109 laps/248.52 miles When he lied the ceremonial trophy to getting it started next week, kind of getting 16-driver playo standings, and is statistically 2020 Winner: Saturday night at Daytona International into the ow of racing in the playos against having one of the worst seasons of his career. Speedway, Larson understood both what he’d multiple other drivers chasing points and wins. His 109 laps led are the fewest of his 21 seasons accomplished and what’s still at stake: Larson I feel good about it.” is the top seed headed into NASCAR’s 10-race His toughest competition might be within Asked about his playo predictions, Harvick Fort Worth, Texas playo series and the favorite to win his rst the stable. e team was only focused on Round 1: “at’s really as put all four of its drivers in the playos and the far ahead as I look, one week at a time. We go Oct. 17, 2 p.m. EST, NBC “I didn’t think it was possible, but our team quartet includes reigning Cup champion Chase 1.5-mile oval 334 laps/501 miles has worked so hard all of the regular season,” Elliott. Larson, Elliott, and put all four of its drivers 2020 Winner: Larson said. “is is a long season and we still William Byron have combined for 11 victories into the playos to give Toyota four contend- this year and lead the six-car Chevrolet charge ers, fewest of NASCAR’s three manufacturers. e playos start Sunday at Darlington Christopher Bell is making his playo debut Kansas City, Kansas Raceway in South Carolina and many believe e two other Chevy representatives are but hasn’t been nearly as consistent as team- Oct. 24, 3:00 p.m. EST, NBCSN the championship is Larson’s to lose. He’s won a Kurt Busch, who will be trying to close out 1.5-mile oval 267 laps/400.5 miles career-high ve races this season, his rst driv- Racing’s 20-year run in NASCAR Truex, Blaney and Bowman are all tied with 2020 Winner: ing for Hendrick Motorsports, the team that with a strong postseason before the team is three wins apiece this season — trailing only threw him a lifeline and brought him back to turned over to Trackhouse Racing in Novem- Larson — and Truex believes he’s got enough in NASCAR following a nearly yearlong suspen- ber, and Tyler Reddick, the two-time X nity the tank to make a run at a second champion- Series champion making his rst appearance in ship. He won at Darlington earlier this year, as Martinsville, Virginia His frantic pace throughout the summer — well as Martinsville, which hosts the penulti- Oct. 31, 2 p.m. EST, NBC he won three straight at Charlotte, Sonoma and Reddick claimed the 16th and nal spot in .526-mile oval 500 laps/263 miles Nashville — and strong close to the 26-race the eld by holding o his Richard Childress “We just need to get away from all of this bad 2020 Winner: Chase Elliott regular season puts Larson at a considerable luck we’ve been having. I feel like every week advantage over the competition. e regu- Ford is represented by all three Team we’ve been getting run into and crashed,” he lar-season title was worth 15 bonus points and Penske drivers, two from Stewart-Haas said. “But feeling good about the playos. A coupled with all his other milestones, including Racing and Michael McDowell, the surprise lot of good tracks coming up and back to some a series-high 12 stage wins, Larson has a size- Daytona 500 winner who has slumped his normal tracks where we can race hard. Dar- Avondale, way through the summer. McDowell has not lington was an awesome race for us this year Nov. 7, 3 p.m. EST, NBC e bonuses put Larson up by 28 points over nished higher than 20th in six races and last so I look forward to kicking it o there and see 1.022-mile oval 312 laps/312 miles Martin Truex Jr. to open the playos. Hamlin, what we can do.” 2020 Winner: Chase Elliott