NASCAR: 2024 Las Vegas playoff qualifying updates, full starting lineup

As a seasoned gamer with a passion for NASCAR that rivals my love for virtual racing, I can’t help but feel a thrill of anticipation as the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway approaches. This isn’t just another race; it’s the semifinal round of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, and every lap counts!

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs semifinal will kick off on Sunday afternoon, taking place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the running of the South Point 400.

Among the two four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) tracks in the round of 8 schedule – the Las Vegas, Nevada oval being one and Homestead-Miami Speedway the other – the Las Vegas track is distinctively the last conventional intermediate track on the calendar due to the unusual layout of Homestead.

The one-vehicle qualifying round on Saturday will employ a group system, with the groups and their respective sequences decided by the four-factor qualifying equation that NASCAR has been using since 2020. For a comprehensive understanding of this formula, you can find an explanation here.

Keep in mind that the formula doesn’t consider the performance of the remaining playoff drivers until all other drivers have been assigned to their specific groups. This arrangement ensures that these eight drivers don’t secure a position until the very end of the lineup, and that there are precisely four drivers in each group.

In each group, the drivers with the top five fastest speeds progress to round two. Unlike the Cup Series race at Las Vegas in March, round two now operates under a group system too, due to an unexpected rule modification in June. This adjustment implies that a driver could record the second quickest speed in round two, yet not start from the front row.

NASCAR at Las Vegas: Full starting lineup

Check back for a full starting lineup

Group A

Here are the drivers and their respective car numbers and teams:

Group A – Advanced

Group B

Here are the race participants and their respective cars:

Group B – Advanced

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be hosting the South Point 400 this coming Sunday, October 20, starting at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Last year’s playoff race winner, Kyle Larson from Hendrick Motorsports, has previously triumphed at this track, as he did in March as well. If you want to catch the action live, NBC will be providing coverage. Sign up for a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss out on the excitement!

2024-10-19 23:32