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Everything To Know about NASCAR’s Straight Talk Wireless 400: Schedule, How to Watch
The Sunshine State’s ready to crank up the heat this Sunday for the penultimate race in the Round of 8.
With just two more races left in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ pivotal Round of 8, including Sunday’s highly anticipated race in Homestead-Miami, every contender’s focus is now squarely affixed to punching his ticket to the Championship 4. While Joey Logano was able to motor his way to a victory in Sin City this past weekend to lock up one of those coveted spots – an even-year streak that Slice Bread has maintained since the league introduced its multi-round playoff format in 2014 – the results of Vegas’ unpredictable race have now set the stage for some guaranteed drama in Florida.
In case you’ve forgotten, here’s a little trip down memory lane. Despite a tire debacle on Lap 125 that nearly derailed his entire race, Kyle Larson managed claw back to secure an 11th-place finish in Sin City while a Stage 2 flip sidelined Tyler Reddick, reigning Cup champ Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott – a tough break for three talents who had high hopes for the day. Logano’s fuel-management gambit – he opted against a late pit stop, as most of his competitors made, to stretch his fuel to the end – played out exactly as he'd hoped, and Denny Hamlin showed a lot of moxie in rebounding from multiple poor pit stops. But the real story from this duel in the desert was always Christopher Bell. While he consistently puts himself in position to win, his inability to close out races remains front and center as his runner-up finish in the South Point 400 drops him to a puzzling 0-for-13 in wins after starting from pole position.
Fortunately, that can all be remedied shortly as he and all the other contenders not named Joey will have two chances left at clinching a spot in the Championship 4. But before we get too far out over our skis, here’s a look at everything you need to know about the upcoming Straight Talk Wireless 400 in the Sunshine State.
RELATED: Where to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
Location
The Straight Talk Wireless 400 will be held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, which saw its first Cup Series race in 1999, with legend Tony Stewart capturing the checkered flag - the first of three wins at the track for Stewart. Greg Biffle and Denny Hamlin also have three Cup Series wins at Homestead-Miami, matching Stewart for the most all time. Hamlin's most recent win came in 2020 and he'll be looking to recapture that magic Sunday.
When Is the Straight Talk Wireless 400?
The Straight Talk Wireless 400 will take place Sunday, October 27th, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Prior to the Cup Series race on Sunday, Homestead-Miami Speedway will host a doubleheader Saturday with the Baptist Health 200 at noon in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, followed by the Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at 4:00 p.m ET in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Where To Watch the Straight Talk Wireless 400
You can watch all the full-throttle action from the postseason race at Homestead-Miami Speedway live on NBC. The earlier practice and qualifying heats on Saturday will be available on the NBC Sports app, providing racing fans a streaming alternative to the traditional broadcast. Coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday with NBC's Countdown to Green pre-race show, followed by the race.
Key Storylines
As the remaining contenders in the Cup Series’ Round of 8 seek to lock up one of the final three spots in Phoenix, here are the key storylines for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Ring the Bell
In case you missed you it, Christopher Bell’s blossomed into an exceptional racer this season, and now he’s set to return to a familiar place. Last year, Bell scored his second victory of the 2023 Cup Series season and vaulted himself into the Championship 4 with his win of the 4EVER 400 on the Florida track. Considering his recent speed and performance – he led 155 laps in Sin City – Bell can position himself well for Phoenix with a similar effort.
Elliott’s Chase
In addition to being thankfully devoid of any infernal snowboarding injuries, Chase Elliott’s 2024 Cup Series season has been full of the hard-fought, gritty racing that first elevated the Georgia native to become the league’s most popular driver, year after year. While the postseason hasn’t all been smooth sailing, sandwiched between his DQ in Daytona and 33rd-place finish last week in Vegas, Elliott’s shown flashes of Championship-caliber brilliance. More positive outcomes could be just around the bend as he did score a runner-up finish at Homestead-Miami in 2020.
Logano is Back
And to think, Joey Logano would’ve been all but in our postseason rearview had Alex Bowman not been disqualified in Charlotte! But alas, he’s here, and the speed behind his Ford Mustang makes it anything but a “dark horse” in this year’s race to the finish.
Denny’s Desire
Arguably the greatest Cup Series driver never to win a title, Denny Hamlin’s been consistently knocking on the door this postseason with four top-10 finishes in the last five events, though he admits that he and his Toyota team are not “running as strong” as they were earlier in the year. While he has Martinsville to look forward to, a track where he’s taken five trips down Victory Lane, why leave it to chance in the Round of 8 finale? If he and his JGR crew can “clean things up” from an execution standpoint, he might finally have a shot at shedding his least favorite moniker.
Byron’s Big Bet
While Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott typically get most of the credit as the bastions of Hendrick Motorsports, like Christopher Bell, William Byron has emerged as an elite contender this year, who’s worthy of the throne. Now, he’s hitting his stride with top-five finishes in his last four races, and it was only three years ago when Byron notched a win at Homestead-Miami. Even if things go astray this weekend in Florida, this round’s finale at Martinsville was the site of Byron’s third win of the season, presenting the tenacious wheelman with multiple ticket-punching opportunities in the road ahead.
Playoff Standings
After Joey Logano’s impressive victory in Las Vegas, here is the current breakdown of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs standings before the Straight Talk Wireless 400 kicks off at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida this Sunday.
- Joey Logano – Ford – Team Penske, +17
- Christopher Bell – Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing, +42
- Kyle Larson – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, +35
- William Byron – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, +27
ON THE BUBBLE
- Denny Hamlin – Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing, -27
- Tyler Reddick – Toyota – Team Penske, -30
- Ryan Blaney – Ford – Team Penske, -47
- Chase Elliott – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, -53
