The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continue Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, which hosts the second race in the opening Round of 16.
Denny Hamlin, who grew up half an hour from the track in Chesterfield, Virginia, has already advanced to the Round of 12 via his win last Sunday at Darlington Raceway.
Just 25 points covers ninth-place Christopher Bell to 16th-place Michael McDowell in the playoff standings entering Richmond.
Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman are tied on the 12th-place cutline to advance (Reddick holds the tiebreaker), while two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch, William Byron and Daytona 500 winner McDowell look to make up deficits to the cutline.
Details for Saturday’s Richmond Cup race:
(All times are Eastern)
START: The command to start engines will be given at 7:38 p.m. … The green flag is scheduled to wave at 7:45 p.m.
PRERACE: Cup garage opens at 12:30 p.m. … Drivers report to pre-race at 6:55 p.m. … Driver introductions are at 7 p.m. … The invocation will be given by Pastor Rick Raines of Fairmount Christian Church (Mechanicsville, Virginia.) at 7:30 p.m. … The national anthem will be performed by the Henrico Fire Choir at 7:32 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 400 laps (300 miles) on the .75-mile short track.
COMPETITION CAUTION: Lap 30
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 80. Stage 2 ends at Lap 235.
TV/RADIO: NBCSN coverage begins with Countdown to Green at 6:30 p.m., leading into race coverage … The NASCAR America Post-Race Show follows at 11 p.m. … Motor Racing Network’s radio coverage begins at 6 p.m. and also will stream at MRN.com; SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the broadcast.
STREAMING: NBCSN
FORECAST: Weather Underground’s forecast calls for clear skies, a high of 73 degrees, and dry conditions around the start of the race.
TO THE REAR: Kyle Larson and Cole Custer (multiple inspection failures)
STARTING LINEUP: Richmond Cup starting lineup
LAST TIME OUT: This past April at Richmond, Alex Bowman passed Denny Hamlin with 10 laps to go and went on to claim his first of three wins this season.
CATCH UP ON NBC SPORTS COVERAGE:
How Mario Andretti sees “a lot of myself” in Kyle Larson
Cody Ware sidelined for next two Cup races
Alex Bowman looks for Richmond repeat
Analysis: Ryan Blaney suited for deep playoff run regardless of “momentum”
What drivers said after Daytona Next Gen test
Richmond storylines: More playoff chaos on tap?
Hustle for sponsors pays off for Xfinity driver Brandon Brown
NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony set for Jan. 21
Kyle Busch fined $50,000 for post-crash actions at Darlington