3 dark horses for the NASCAR Cup playoff race at Kansas

The NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway, also known as the Hollywood Casino 400, is the second race in the Round of 12 and, thus, a vital step for the drivers who want to advance to the Round of 8. This 267-lap race will take place on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at the 1.5-mile tri-oval in Kansas City, Kansas.

The playoff standings entering the Kansas race show that there is a battle going on between the drivers. Ryan Blaney is the first driver who can be considered safe for the next round after winning the last playoff race at New Hampshire.

William Byron and Kyle Larson are also in good positions to advance, while several drivers, such as Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Tyler Reddick, and Bubba Wallace, who are a little below or close to the playoff cutline, are making a race in Kansas the only way to ensure that they progress or that their season comes to an end.

Generally, the race is characterized by these few moments in which strategy regarding pit stops, the management of the tires, and restarts occur. These moments are followed by the track's high-speed nature and multi-groove racing that can suddenly alter the playoff picture.

Here are three dark horses for the NASCAR Cup series playoff race at Kansas:

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#1. Ross Chastain

Ross Chastain (1) is introduced before the start of the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. - Source: Imagn

Ross Chastain is a dark horse who is dangerous not only from his playoff position but also from his well-known control over the track's peculiarities. Chastain did a great dramatic turn to take the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway in September 2024, passing Martin Truex Jr. late on a restart and then repelling William Byron in the final laps.

His win was a perfect illustration of his talent amid the chaos of the field getting bunched up, particularly during late-race restarts when the situation requires being aggressive and brave. Chastain's Trackhouse Racing team has been working hard on its intermediate track program, and the certainty from that first Kansas win is his advantage.

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#2. Austin Cindric

Austin Cindric (2) is introduced before the start of the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. - Source: Imagn

Austin Cindric is one more driver who should definitely be taken into account as a dark horse for Kansas. He is known and admired for his great adaptability and a strong will to get the best results in a difficult situation. Cindric's first and second seasons as a professional athlete showed his growth, which was consistent, at the three-and-a-half-mile races. Additionally, his detailed feedback has been instrumental in helping Team Penske make adjustments that perform better in line with his strengths.

Cindric’s knowledge of the tire wear and getting extra speed on the long green-flag runs makes for a great spectacle. Even if he has had some misfortunes at the Kansas races, like the incident when his tire got a hole and a top-10 run was ruined in 2024, he still managed to fight, and thus, Cindric's acumen could team up with Penske’s smart plan to make a shock twist of winning together.

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#3. Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick (45) is introduced before the start of the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway- Source: Imagn

Tyler Reddick’s potential as an unexpected winner just goes to show how his daring, top-line, powering style fits the fast and multi-groove Kansas track perfectly. Reddick has been brilliant at this layout multiple times, where he has had up-to-the-wall runs to get incredible speed through the turns. His past trips to Kansas cover his brand of style top-10s but also heartbreaks, yet his 23XI Racing Toyota has the support and technical harmony with Joe Gibbs Racing, so we can expect a nice car for the battle.