Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Beyond The Flag is proud to bring our readers live coverage, analysis and updates from today’s Hollywood Casino 400 from Kansas Speedway. This will be the fourth race of the chase and the opening race of the Contender Round which is the second round of the chase. With Talladega lurking in the shadows to close this round out it will be important to have a strong finish at Kansas.
More from NASCAR
- NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
- NASCAR: Will Kevin Harvick’s major record ever be broken?
- NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
- NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
- NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
Our official live coverage will begin around 1:45 PM ET with the green flag expected to come around 2:15 PM ET. In order to see our updates throughout the race all you have to do is refresh this page.
In the meantime, get yourself ready for all of the action on the track today by checking out this weeks edition of the Power Rankings where we rank all of the chase drivers. Also, don’t forget to check out what paint scheme your favorite driver will be sporting in 2015 and if you need a laugh watch the video where some drivers talking about their favorite pranks (including the time they set another person on fire). Links to all of these great articles and more can be found in the box above.
Feel free to share your thoughts and comments about the race below. You can also reach out to us via social media on Twitter @Beyond_The_Flag and on Facebook.
Pre-race – Rusty Wallce just called Earnhardt Jr. “Daryl” just saying.
Pre-race – TV guys are looking at Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson. Wins by those guys would be a nice story but the focus today is still on the chase guys plain and simple.
Pre-race – Pre-race ceremonies and invocation underway, the command is coming shortly.
Pre-race – Nice rendition of the National Anthem by a member of the Armed Forces.
Pre-race – Ned Yost gives the command to start engines as the call roll onto the track, green flag is a few minutes away.
GREEN FLAG!
Lap 2 ~ Harvick leads Logano and all is calm for the start of the race.
Lap 4 ~ No. 83 touches the wall but we stay green.
Lap 8 ~ Gordon has closed on Keselowski for 5th place.
Lap 12 ~ Running Order: 4, 22, 55, 43, 2, 88, 24, 5, 18, and 1.
Lap 20 ~ Keselowski and Earnhardt Jr. have caught Vickers and it’s a three-way battle for third.
Lap 24 ~ Earnhardt Jr. is up to 3rd, Keselowski back to 6th and Gordon back to 8th.
Lap 27 ~ Johnson and Hamlin are running 25th and 26th with 36 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 30 ~ Running Order: 4, 22, 88, 1, 2, 55, 43, 24, 5 and 18.
Lap 34 ~ McMurray and Dale Jr. are catching Logano while Kurt Busch hits pit road.
Lap 39 ~ Gordon moves up to 6th place but he “cannot run the top.”
Lap 42 ~ McMurray is now running second and Earnhardt Jr. is running third.
Lap 44 ~ Hamlin and Johnson are now running 23rd and 24th with green flag stops coming and 28 cars on the lead lap.
LEAD CHANGE – McMurayy to the lead!
Lap 48 ~ Leaders are hitting pit road.
Lap 52 ~ As pit stops cycle through, McMurray goes back to the lead. Harvick and JR battle for second.
Lap 55 ~ Keselowski back to 12th after a slow stop. Hamlin and Johnson are running 22nd and 23rd with 25 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 59 ~ Running Order: 1, 4, 88, 22, 24, 78, 16, 5, 18 and 2.
Lap 63 ~ Hamlin is into the top-20 and McMurray may be having an issue in the lead (vibrations)
Lap 65 ~ Tony Stewart is the last car on the lead lap in 23rd. Johnson is 21st and Hamlin is now 16th.
Lap 70 ~ Long green-flag run is putting a lot of cars down a lap.
CAUTION IS OUT (debris)
Lap 71 ~ Lucky dog is Bowyer
Lap 72 ~ Race off of pit road goes 1, 4, 88, 24, 78, 16, 5, 18, 2 and 22.
Lap 73 ~ Hamlin is up to 13th while Johnson is still in 21st. It appears that there are 25 cars on the lead lap.
RESTART
Lap 78 ~ Biffle almost wrecks half the field! Earnhardt Jr. goes to the lead.
CAYTION – Kurt Busch into the wall! Lucky Dog is Stewart
Lap 80 ~ Almirola is the first car to hit pit road, this should move Johnson up the field a bit.
Lap 81 ~ Johnson is the lowest running driver in the chase (20th).
RESTART!
Lap 83 ~ Gordon hits the wall but keeps on going, Johnson in trouble and spins into the wall! Johnson is all torn up and losing a lot of oil on the track!
CAUTION IS OUT
Lap 86 ~ Jeff Gordon is NOT happy with Jamie McMurray right now. No. 1 machine made contact with No. 24 causing No. 24 to clip the wall. McMurray currently scored in 12th and Gordon in 23rd.
Lap 89 ~ McMurray bumping Gordon triggered the whole thing, Gordon is in 22nd place and should be good to go (no damage)
RESTART!!
Lap 92 ~ Earnhardt Jr. leads Harvick and Truex Jr.
Lap 95 ~ Running Order: 88, 4, 22, 78, 5, 2,42,18, 11and 1
Lap 99 ~ Gordon is running 20th and Johnson is running 39th (16 laps down).
Lap 100 ~ Gordon reporting a vibration.
Lap 109 ~ Earnhardt Jr. continues to lead Harvick and Logano.
Lap 114 ~ Larson is up into the top-five.
Lap 120 ~ 20+ team members working on fixing the No. 48 machine. Gordon running 16th and still has a vibration but Earnhardt Jr. is INTO THE WALL!
CAUTION IS OUT (Earnhardt Jr. going to the garage)
Lap 122 ~ Race off pit road: 22, 4, 42, 1, 5, 2, 18, 78, 11 and 31.
RESTART!!
Lap 134 ~ Running Order: 22, 4, 42, 1 and 5.
Lap 145 ~ Things have calmed down on the track. Logano leaves and Larson is now in second.
Lap 152 ~ Electrical smoke/sparks under the dash in the No. 11 machine.
CAUTION – Keselowski into the wall
Lap 161 ~ Another problem for another chaser (No. 2) Kahne is currently being shown as the leader. Keselowski is on his way to the garage.
RESTART
Lap 166 ~ Logano and Harvick to the lead, two tires hurts Kahne on the restart.
Lap 180 ~ Running Order: 22, 4, 42, 78, 31, 5, 1, 27, 18, 24
CAUTION – Gase Spins and almost collects Gordon. Leaders on pit road.
Lap 192 ~ Race off pit road: 4, 42, 22, 31, 78, 9, 5, 18, 27 and 24.
RESTART
Lap 199 ~ Harvick leads as Larson loses a few spots.
Lap 206 ~ Running Order: 22, 42, 4, 31, 5, 78, 18, 20, 24, 27
Lap 216 ~ Harvick pits because he thinks he has a tire going down. All four tires were up though …
CAUTION for Biffle into the wall. Numerous pit strategies on pit road.
Lap 232 ~ Race off of pit road: 31, 18, 11, 22, 42, 99, 78, 24, 3 and 27.
RESTART
CAUTION as Kahne is into the wall
Lap 240 ~ Running Order: 31, 22, 42, 18 and 99.
Lap 253 ~ Looks like Logano’s race to lose, 22, 42, 18, 78 and 99.
CHECKERED FLAG – LOGANO WINS!!