This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Kansas for the first of two visits to Kansas Speedway. Coverage of the AdventHealth 400 begins with NASCAR RaceDay at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. Race coverage will start at 3 p.m. ET with the green flying around 3:15 p.m. ET. Radio coverage will be provided by local PRN radio affiliates and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Records and facts

Last year's AdventHealth 400 will be remembered for the close finish. Denny Hamlin was leading with just a few laps to go when the caution flew for Kyle Busch's spin.

With 56 laps since the previous caution, everyone pitted for tires for the final restart. Hamlin maintained the lead on pit road.

On the restart, Chris Buescher was able to snatch the lead away with Kyle Larson right on his tail. Buescher led at the white flag, but Larson was able to get to his outside and work his way around the former Xfinity Series champion.

Buescher ran Larson side-by-side all the way to the line, but just came up short as Larson took the victory

Larson was able to snatch victory by a mere one-thousandth of a second in the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history. Chase Elliott was third, then Martin Truex Jr. and Hamlin.

Track Facts
Track / Race Length:  1.5-mile tri-oval, 267 laps (400.5 miles) 
Banking: 17-20 degrees
Frontstretch:  2,721 feet, banked 10 degrees
Backstretch:  2,207 feet, banked 5 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 64,000
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Pace Car Speed: 55 mph
Opened: 2001

Website: http://www.kansasspeedway.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KansasSpeedway
Twitter: http://twitter.com/

Pre-Race Schedule:

Practice: Saturday, May 10, 4:30 - 5:25 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video

Qualifying: Saturday, May 10, 5:40 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video

Say What?!

"Kansas is a really smooth racetrack. There's really only a bump at the top of turn 1 and that's where you have to commit to. In qualifying and when you have clean air, you can run right against the wall, above the top seam, there's two seams on the racetrack and three lanes I'll call it, there's enough room for four cars. But when you run the very top lane in the Cup cars, the rear will bottom out and that's where you'll see guys get loose and get into the wall in turns 1 and 2. Sometimes off of turn 2 if there's a crosswind, there could be wind that pushes you into the wall. A very smooth track but a lot of details that go into running good there." - Ross Chastain

"Kansas has always been a special place to me. It’s a track that really suits my driving style, and over the years, I’ve had some memorable moments there. Some of those memories have come with Horizon Hobby on board as a partner, which makes this weekend even more meaningful. There’s just something about racing at Kansas that brings out a lot of confidence in me. Heading into the weekend, I feel good about where we are as a team, and I’m optimistic about what we can accomplish." - Zane Smith

"Kansas Speedway has its own personality for sure. Even though it's a mile-and-a-half like some other tracks, the surface has aged a bit, so you get a lot of tire fall-off and have to manage your run. It’s wide, which gives you options—up by the wall or down on the bottom—so you can move around depending on how your car’s handling. This weekend, we’ll focus on getting the balance right early in the run and try to keep the speed over the long haul. If we can do that, I think we’ll be in good shape." - Austin Dillon

"You need to be able to run all over the track—clean air is crucial. You’ve got to be fast on the bottom, the middle, and up against the fence. There are several ways to find speed at Kansas, but ultimately, the key is moving around and figuring out where your car works best as the track evolves throughout the race." - John Hunter Nemechek

Phil Allaway is the Frontstretch newsletter manager. He can be reached at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.  Photo is courtesy of Nigel Kinrade Photography.