NASCAR rolls from the eastern seaboard to the heartland and Kansas Speedway this weekend after Denny Hamlin held off Kyle Larson on Sunday, and Ryan Truex outdueled Carson Kvapil in double overtime on Saturday during a rainy and wild Xfinity Series race.
Heart Of America 200
Saturday, May 4th @ 8:00PM EST
Kansas City, Kansas
134 Laps/201 Miles
The Craftsman Truck Series finally hits the track after a three week hiatus. Last time we saw the truckers on the track, Kyle Busch held off a feisty and young group of drivers in an epic battle to take the win.
Most Recent Winner At Kansas
Christian Eckes won in the heartland last Fall in an outstanding late race duel with Zane Smith and Corey Heim.
Names To Watch
Brett Moffitt: The 2018 Series Champion returns. He last raced in the Series last Fall at Talladega in a one-off for Front Row Motorsports in a second truck. He won. Moffitt will be piloting the #1 Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage this weekend.
Connor Mosack: Mosack is mainly known as more of a road course ringer, but he will be making his first of several starts this season in the #7 for Spire Motorsports. The #7 has won twice this season, both with Kyle Busch behind the wheel, and Spire Motorsports as a whole has won 4 of 7 races thus far in the season with both Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth also winning.
Cam Waters: Like NASCAR’s open wheel invasion in the late 2000’s, the Aussie Invasion is in full swing. Australian Supercars star, Cam Waters, is back for his second start in the Craftsman Truck Series. Waters finished 30th on debut at Martinsville after getting involved in several incidents late in the race.
My Pick To Win: Brett Moffitt
AdventHealth 400
Sunday, May 5 @ 3:00PM EST
Kansas City, Kansas
267 Laps/400.5 Miles
Denny Hamlin escaped Miles the Monster unscathed, but not without controversy, as fans continue to be up-in-arms about aero-blocking, and rightfully so. But, all in all, a competitive race with comers and goers through the whole day. The first half of the race was dominated by Martin Truex Jr. Though after getting damage on a restart, Denny Hamlin took control and would never relinquish it, holding off Kyle Larson in a, for better or worse, close finish.
Most Recent Winner At Kansas
Tyler Reddick won at Kansas last Fall on a late restart and a pass for the lead coming to the white flag.
Names To Watch
Noah Gragson: Gragson has been very strong to start the season, and has looked like the best Stewart-Haas Racing car thus far in the season. Gragson has won at Kansas before in the Xfinity Series.
Austin Hill: Austin Hill is a 9-time Xfinity Series winner, including three consecutive wins in the season opener at Daytona. Hill will be making his second start of the season in a third car for Richard Childress Racing, the #33.
My Pick To Win: Bubba Wallace
Betting Odds
(All Betting Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Favorites
Kyle Larson +380
Denny Hamlin +400
Tyler Reddick +600
William Byron +700
Martin Truex Jr. +750
Longshots
Ross Chastain +2200
Kyle Busch +2200
Noah Gragson +8000
Image: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
