Everything to Know about NASCAR’s South Point 400: How to Watch, Schedule

While every contender in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is busily preparing for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the proverbial smoke is still swirling in the aftermath of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 in Charlotte, keeping energy high for race fans who witnessed the Round of 12 finale provide everything from a heart-breaking disqualification to a head-scratching new scandal.

Oh yeah, and Kyle Larson reminded everyone that when it comes to motorized machines with four wheels and powered steering, he still reigns supreme. This was one race that seriously had it all – the good, the bad and, of course, the ugly.

RELATED:  Where to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs  

Starting with the good, Larson continued his domination in elimination races, owning the top spot in 62 out of the final 82 laps as he cruised to his second postseason victory this year and seventh overall in NASCAR’s top flight. Willing himself back to life like his boss Michael Jordan did during the 1997 NBA Finals, regular-season champ, Tyler Reddick, channeled the G.O.A.T.’s mentality and battled all the way from 26^th to 11^th. The 23XI wheelman’s late-race surge – one that saw him overcome calamity off of a Lap 30 restart – was originally enough to send Joey Logano packing from the playoffs; however – and here comes the bad – a post-race inspection on Alex Bowman’s car discovered that Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was in violation of NASCAR’s weight requirements (official weight ranges between 3,400-3,500 pounds), leading to the 31-year-old Bowman being disqualified.

As much of a bummer as that was for Bowman to be unceremoniously jettisoned from the Playoffs, the big ugly was right around the corner as NASCAR released Monday that it was aware of allegations over the race weekend in Charlotte that an engineer from Joe Gibbs Racing had accessed “proprietary information” and shared it with a rival team. While details surrounding the brewing scandal are scant, the Associated Press reports that the unknown engineer was in a contract year with the JGR and was exploring options with other teams. NASCAR did corroborate that it heard that one team that’s not competing in the postseason “…paid the engineer cash in exchange for setup information.”

While the league sorts that out, it’s still business as usual as the Cup Series gears up for Las Vegas – a race last year that launched Yung Money into the Championship 4. But before that happens, here’s a look at everything you need to know about the upcoming South Point 400 in Sin City.     

Everything to Know About NASCAR’s South Point 400

First run in 2018 during the NASCAR Cup Series’ first foray into racing in Sin City with former Cup champion Brad Keselowski motoring his way to victory in the inaugural event, the South Point 400 will be held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. While the official debut Cup Series race on the track was held in 1998 with Mark Martin capturing the checkered flag, Hall of Fame wheelman Jimmie Johnson holds the record for the most Las Vegas victories. That said, multiple contenders from this year’s crop are hot on his heels, including heavyweights Kyle Larson and Joey Logano who each boast a trifecta of wins. This is a track where any and everything can happen.

How to Watch NASCAR’s South Point 400

Unable to attend the race in person? Don’t sweat it because you can watch all the high-octane action from the postseason race in Sin City live on NBC. The earlier practice qualifying heats on Saturday will be televised live on USA Network while the NBC Sports app will provide racing fans a streaming alternative to the traditional broadcast.  

If you’re unable to tune into Sunday’s broadcast for the race, the NBC Sports app will offer NASCAR fans a live streaming option for the event, and those interested in purely an audio version can listen along on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR’s South Point 400 Drivers to Watch

One of the most unique elements to the South Point 400 is the actual track its raced on. Because Las Vegas Motor Speedway is located in the desert, extreme temperature drops have physically morphed the asphalt’s surface over time in certain areas. With the latest crop of Next Gen cars nearly reaching 200 mph there, “bumpy” might provide the simplest description, but it’s also a high fall-off track, meaning lap times will begin to drop as the track takes on more and more rubber over the course of the weekend. Clean air is also crucial here, so look for drivers to capitalize during qualifying. With all that in mind, here are a couple key storylines for Sunday’s Cup Series race of the South Point 400 in Sin City.

Kyle Larson’s Time to Shine

Kyle Larson signs autographs for fans prior to the running of the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 on October 06, 2024 at Talladega SuperSpeedway in Talladega, AL. Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After a dominant performance in Charlotte, Kyle Larson’s foot’s on the gas, and shows no signs of letting up. Yung Money’s won there in the last two previous races, and his four runner-up finishes since 2017 paint a picture of a wheelman who’s clearly focused on winning. It’s no wonder that Larson’s the favorite to take the checkered flag in the desert.

Team Penske Holds Strong

While Alex Bowman’s post-race DQ in Charlotte means Hendrick Motorsports will sadly see the team’s four-car postseason squad shrink to three, Bowman’s departure means Joey Logano lives to fight another day. The addition of Sliced Bread to the Round of 8 gives Team Penske an additional contender to pair with the reigning champion Ryan Blaney. That said, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the Ford fellas. In the last five races, the pair’s secured only one top-five finish, thanks to Blaney’s outing in Kansas.  

Reddick’s Rocky Road

Say what you will about the regular-season champ as a viable threat to hoist the Cup in Phoenix – Tyler Reddick’s not listening. Sure, the highs and lows of his time on the track this year have been more extreme than most, but when he’s needed the speed, he’s always found a way. He appeared all but destined for a sad ending in Charlotte, but he slapped on some new tires and summoned enough horses to just miss a top-10 finish. Now, as he targets Vegas, Reddick should have a little pep in his step, considering he scored a second-place finish there in March despite starting in 18^th.

Playoff Standings

After Kyle Larson triumphed over the postseason field in Charlotte, North Carolina last weekend, here is the current breakdown of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs standings before the South Point 400 kicks off in Las Vegas this Sunday.

1. Kyle Larson – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, +33
2. Christopher Bell – Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing, +13
3. Tyler Reddick – Toyota – 23XI Racing, +10
4. William Byron – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, +4
   
   ON THE BUBBLE
    
5. Ryan Blaney – Ford – Team Penske, -4
6. Denny Hamlin – Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing, -8
7. Chase Elliott – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, -9
8. Joey Logano – Ford – Team Penske, -11