NASCAR: Full qualifying order revealed for Kansas playoff race

Kansas Speedway is scheduled to host the opening race of the round of 12 of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs this Sunday afternoon after hosting an exciting regular season race back in early May, one which featured the closest finish in Cup Series history.

Had RFK Racing's Chris Buescher been able to hold off Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson, he would have qualified for the playoffs and then punched his ticket to the round of 12 after winning at Watkins Glen International two weekends ago. Instead, he did not qualify for the postseason.

There are 12 drivers still eligible to win the 2024 championship heading into this Sunday afternoon's 267-lap Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET at the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Kansas City, Kansas oval.

Drivers are split up into two groups for the single-car qualifying session, with the qualifying order determined by a four-variable metric (full breakdown here). Six playoff contenders are in each group, with all of the drivers who are no longer eligible to win the title being slotted into their respective groups first.

The fastest five drivers in each group advance to the second round. Unlike when the Cup Series visited Kansas in May, the second round is now group-based as well.

NASCAR at Kansas: Full qualifying order

Group A

J.J. Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet
Kaz Grala, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Dillon, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Group B

Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Corey LaJoie, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

The Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET is set to be broadcast live on USA Network from Kansas Speedway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 29. 23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick won this race last year. Begin a free trial of FuboTV today and don't miss the opening race of the round of 12 of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs!