Kansas Speedway has been on the NASCAR schedule since 2001 and while it has had its moments, no one circled it as the ‘action track’ when looking at the calendar every year. However, that changed swiftly with the arrival of the Next Gen car.
While the car has made short track racing and road courses duller than before, it has shone rather brightly on intermediate tracks, and that is never more true than when the series rolls into Kansas twice a year. Kansas has managed to produce six different winners in the last six races, and each event played out in its own unique (and thrilling) way.
In 2022, there were constant battles all around the track (and a lot of flat tires), making for a chaotic race from start to finish. But the highlight was the thrilling battle for the win between Kyle Larson and Kurt Busch. With 86 laps to go, Larson was pushing hard and spun sideways in front of Busch, hitting the outside wall before straightening the car out. The race remained green and the two champions continued to battle back-and-forth throughout the final stage, cutting through slower traffic as they swapped the lead numerous times. With just eight laps to go, Busch squeezed Larson, who tagged the outside wall as Busch escaped for what would ultimately be the final win of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
Kurt Busch, 23XI Racing Toyota, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Tire issues continued to be a storyline in the fall visit later that same year, changing the complexion of the race constantly. And still, this was likely the calmest Kansas event from the Next Gen era with Bubba Wallace claiming victory, driving the same No. 45 vacated Busch after his career-ending crash at Pocono. There was never a moment where someone wasn’t trying to overtake another driver on track, leaving those watching on the edge of their seats.
Crash damage
Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Things started to get really wild in the spring of 2023. There were 37 lead changes — a new record for Kansas. The drivers were going as hard as possible from the very start with William Byron nearly wrecking from the lead within the first two laps. By Lap 5, three drivers were already locked in a hectic fight for the top spot, culminating in contact that sent Larson spinning from the race lead. This just set the tone for the entire event, which saw 12 different drivers lead the race (a third of the field).
It ended in dramatic fashion as Larson got wrecked from the lead (again), this time slamming the wall on the final lap. He was battling Hamlin, who clipped Larson before driving off with the victory. But the biggest moment of this race came after the checkered flag flew as Noah Gragson confronted Ross Chastain on pit road over some on-track dispute. He grabbed the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet by the firesuit, causing the watermelon farmer to clobber Gragson in the side of the face with a right hook.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, spins from the lead
Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images
The fall of 2023 had plenty of its own drama with regular season champion Martin Truex Jr. crashing out of the pivotal playoff race within the first five laps. As commentator Steve Letarte said then: “Kansas…it’s a mile-and-a-half, it looks so normal, it looks so benign. It is anything but, and it’s impossible to say why.” Kansas just has an inherent wildcard factor that goes far beyond any other intermediate track in the current era.
Hamlin was cruising out front when a late-race yellow set up a sprint to the checkered flag. That gave us an eyebrow-raising moment on pit road as Chase Elliott door-slammed teammate Larson after a tight pit exit. And Elliott wasn’t even in the playoffs! Daniel Suarez now led the race after staying out on old tires with several cars directly behind him who only took new right-sides. Reddick had four fresh tires though, and restarted in fifth for the two-lap dash. Reddick quickly charged forward, taking the win with an impressive three-wide pass for the lead at the white flag.
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images
The drama did not subside with the 2024 season as Chastain and Larson engaged in a stunning battle for the lead in the very first stage of the spring race, swapping the top spot nearly every lap in an appetizer for what was to come. The race ended in a historic photo finish as Larson pulled alongside Chris Buescher in a drag-race to the line. Elliott and Truex were rapidly closing on them as well, nearly fanning out four-wide at the finish as Larson door-slammed Buescher. At the checkered flag, just 0.001s separated Larson and Buescher in what now stands as the closest finish in the history of the Cup Series.
Photo finish with Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Chris Buescher, RFK Racing Ford; Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images
The 2024 fall event, and the most recent race at Kansas, began with a multi-car crash on Lap 1. There were 30 lead changes, but despite being a playoff race, two non-playoff drivers stole the show in the final stage. Kyle Busch and Chastain were swapping the lead as both searched for their first win of the 2024 season. It was advantage Busch as he caught Chase Briscoe — a playoff driver — who he was trying to lap. Busch ended up in a bad aero spot exiting Turn 2, spinning out in a shocking turn of events. Chastain then fought his way around Truex for the lead on the final restart and held back a charging Byron to win the race and play spoiler at Kansas.
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet; Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Why is Kansas so good?
Well, the track allows for multi-groove racing and passing is far easier than at most other circuits, which really helps it keep the action flowing. It has insane grip and progressive banking which means there is no dominant line. Drivers are all over the track in the corners, sometimes shifting lines mid-turn. There’s also the impact of a noticeable draft, which allows for the driver being passed to immediately fight back. The field remains tightly packed and rarely does the leader ever manage to drive away. Significant tire wear also never fails to keep things exciting.
But more than anything, the drivers just have options. No one feels stuck, which is often the complaint at several other tracks on the schedule with this car. They don’t have to rely on pit stops or alternate strategy calls, but can actually make something happen for themselves. Because of this, there’s always something going around the riveting 1.5-miler. And if Sunday’s race has names like Larson, Hamlin or Chastain near the front, recent history tells us to watch out as something big is about to happen.
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