The first round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs concludes Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. At the end of the Bass Pro Shop Night Race, 12 riders will advance to the next lap, while four more will see their title hopes dashed.
How to watch the NASCAR Bass Pro Shops Night Race:
Race date: September 18, 2021
Race time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC Sports Network
Stream the Bass Pro Shops Night Race live on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
Only three drivers officially clinched a spot on the next lap: Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. both improved with their victories, while Kyle Larson clinched his spot on the next lap by points.
A handful of other drivers are virtual lockouts due to their own point totals, but Tyler Reddick, William Byron and Michael McDowell all find themselves in some must-see situations this weekend. None of these three have won a Cup Series race at this track in the past.
Among the current Cup Series drivers, Kyle Busch is the most victorious in Bristol, with eight wins in 31 starts. Busch also has 19 top 10s on the track.
Busch’s brother Kurt finished 21 in the top 10 on the track, Kevin Harvick is 20 and Ryan Newman is tied with Busch at 19.
Chase Elliott has three top-five standings and a 12.1 track average. Erik Jones has four top-five rankings and an average of 13.0.
Will any of the drivers outside of the current top 12 clinch a victory on Saturday night and shake up the image of the playoffs?
