NASCAR Cup Series team dropping a car for Las Vegas race

On only two occasions during the 26-race 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular season did Kaulig Racing add a third entry, but they have already done so three times in the first six races of the four-round, 10-race postseason, including the two most recent events.

At Talladega Superspeedway two weekends ago, A.J. Allmendinger drove the non-chartered No. 13 Chevrolet for the fourth time this year, and Shane van Gisbergen made his ninth start of the season behind the wheel of the chartered No. 16 Chevrolet.

This past weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, the two drivers switched cars, marking the first time in 2024 that the No. 13 car was fielded for a driver other than Allmendinger. Allmendinger, who drove the No. 16 car full-time last year and won at the Roval, drove it for the team-high 11th time this season.

But after their first two-race stretch of fielding three cars of the season – and just their second ever – Kaulig Racing will be dropping back down to two cars for this Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kaulig Racing not running three cars at Las Vegas

The No. 13 Chevrolet is not on the entry list for Sunday afternoon's 267-lap South Point 400 around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas, Nevada oval.

In March at the track, it was Derek Kraus who drove the No. 16 Chevrolet, marking his Cup Series debut. He finished in 28th place. This weekend, it is van Gisbergen who is set to drive the No. 16 car for the 10th time this year.

Van Gisbergen's only Cup Series start at a traditional 1.5-mile oval in the Cup Series came back in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600. He finished in 28th.

The No. 16 car has been driven by five drivers so far this year. In addition to van Gisbergen and Allmendinger, Kraus has made five starts, as has Ty Dillon. Josh Williams, a full-time teammate to van Gisbergen and Allmendinger at Matt Kaulig's Xfinity Series team, has made two.

The team's other full-time entry, the No. 31 Chevrolet, is driven full-time by Daniel Hemric.

As for the rest of the entry list, the only non-chartered car this weekend is Legacy Motor Club's No. 84 Toyota, which is set to be driven by team co-owner Jimmie Johnson for the eighth time this year.

Tune in to NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, October 20 for the live broadcast of the South Point 400 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway. If you have not already had the chance to do so, start a free trial of FuboTV today and don't miss the opening race of the round of 8 of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs!