The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is the first season of the charter era, which goes back to 2016, in which all 36 chartered cars (if you include the six 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports entries, even though they are technically no longer chartered cars) are driven by full-time drivers.
So when the entry list at Las Vegas Motor Speedway back in March did not feature any part-time teams, it actually marked the first time in the 77-year history of the Cup Series in which the race was comprised exclusively of full-time drivers.
It's happened only three more times so far this year. The 36 full-time drivers were not joined by any part-timers at Michigan International Speedway in early June, nor were they joined by any part-timers in the recent playoff races at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway or New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Entry list addition prevents a first in 77-year NASCAR Cup Series history
Had this weekend's playoff race at Kansas Speedway again featured only the full-time entries, it would have marked the first time in Cup Series history in which there were no part-time drivers in back-to-back races. But that will not happen, thanks to the return of NY Racing Team.
NY Racing Team have not competed since the race at Darlington Raceway in late August, matching their season-long streak of three consecutive weekend absences, and J.J. Yeley has not competed since the race at Watkins Glen International three weeks prior, matching his own season-long streak of six consecutive weekend absences.
But Yeley is set to be back behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet for the ninth time this year, marking his first start at Kansas since the playoff race there in September 2024, when he was knocked out about midway through due to an electrical issue.
Since Yeley's most recent start with the team, both Derek Kraus and Joey Gase have spent time in the No. 44 Chevrolet, with Gase making his first start for the team since August 2024 in the regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway and Kraus making his second start of the year in the playoff opener at Darlington Raceway.
The team have not been back since, and now Yeley is set to try to eclipse his season-best finish of 32nd place at Talladega Superspeedway from back in April.
The Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET is set to be shown live on USA Network from Kansas Speedway starting at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, September 28. Begin a free trial of FuboTV today and catch all of the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series playoff action!