5 things to watch for during NASCAR South Point 400 weekend at LVMS

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the South Point 400, the fifth race in the current Chase for the Championship, set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday. This weekend marks the first year of NASCAR’s revised playoff format, which replaced the three‑round elimination system with a single 10‑race Chase for the title. **1. Surging Kyle Larson** No driver has begun the Chase stronger than Kyle Larson. The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver arrives in Las Vegas fresh from a victory at Kansas last week, his second Chase win of the season. Coupled with his triumph at Gateway, Larson leads the Cup Series points standings by 26 points over Denny Hamlin. He is recognized as the 2025 Cup Series champion and posts an average finish of 2.25 across the four Chase events to date. Prior to his Gateway win, Larson had not captured a Cup Series race since Kansas on May 11, 2025. Kansas shares a 1.5‑mile, similar‑shaped layout with Las Vegas, suggesting Larson will be among the favorites for the South Point 400. Larson already holds three victories at LVMS, the most recent coming in March 2024. For Sunday’s race he will pilot a Kyle Busch tribute car featuring a paint scheme and design mirroring the No. 5 vehicle Busch drove for Hendrick Motorsports from 2005 through 2007. **2. Toyota looks to rebound** Denny Hamlin’s March win at LVMS extended a trend of Toyota success on 1.5‑mile tracks, involving Joe Gibbs Racing—Hamlin’s employer—and 23XI Racing, which he co‑owns with NBA legend Michael Jordan. At Kansas the previous week, however, Toyota teams lagged behind Larson, who led 235 of 267 laps and secured the maximum 76 points available. Kansas represented the first genuine 1.5‑mile venue the Cup Series has visited since Charlotte in May. Hamlin, the defending South Point 400 champion, finished as the top‑placed Toyota in third. Las Vegas constitutes the second of three successive 1.5‑mile Chase stops where Toyota drivers aim to leverage their strengths. **3. Chase standings outlook** The pool of title contenders narrows with each Chase race. Larson and Hamlin occupy the top two positions. Christopher Bell rests third, 50 points adrift, while three‑time champion Joey Logano sits fourth, 67 points behind the leader. Ryan Blaney lies fifth at 91 points back, and Ty Gibbs follows sixth at –94 points. The remaining ten Chase drivers trail Larson by more than 100 points. Las Vegas may represent the final opportunity for Blaney, Gibbs and other drivers outside the top six—such as Tyler Reddick, seventh at –11 points—to advance in the standings. Advancing will require more than a solitary win or strong points day; Larson, Hamlin and others near the front will also need to falter. **4. O’Reilly Series title battle** Saturday’s Focused Healthy 302 will highlight the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Sheldon Creed of Haas Factory Team leads the series by 11 points over Justin Allgaier. Creed has claimed two Chase victories—at Darlington and Bristol—to seize the points lead. Carson Kvapil rests third, 37 points behind, and 2025 series champion Jesse Love occupies fourth at –41 points. Allgaier dominated the regular season with six wins but has recorded only two finishes outside the top ten in the opening three Chase races. **5. Kyle Busch Classic** Although no Cup Series activity is scheduled for Friday at the 1.5‑mile LVMS, The Bullring will host opening‑weekend racing on its 3/8‑mile short track. The program includes the ARCA Menards Series West, SPEARS CARS Tour West Pro Late Models, Frank’s Radio USLCI Legends race, Spears CARS Tour West Limited Late Models, NASCAR Modifieds competition and additional events. Brexton Busch, son of Kyle Busch, is slated to contend in the CARS Tour West competition. Gates at The Bullring open at 4 p.m., with pre‑race festivities commencing at 5:30 p.m. LVMS notes that Brexton, his sister Lennix and parent Samantha will attend; Brexton and Lennix will give the command to start the Cars Tour West Pro Late Model race, while Brexton will wave the green flag. The family will also be present for the official dedication of the Kyle Busch Memorial Rock at The Bullring’s Park. **Up next** What: South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Race When: 2:30 p.m. Sunday Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway TV: USA Network Betting favorite: Kyle Larson (+375)