NASCAR insider picks HMS’s star as favorite to win 2025 Cup Series playoff race at Kansas

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will next head to Kansas Speedway for the fifth playoff race of the season, the Hollywood Casino 400. Ahead of the event, NASCAR insider and journalist Bob Pockrass gave his prediction, picking the winner, top-five finishers, and a long-shot winner for the 2025 Hollywood Casino 400.

Pockrass picked Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson to reach the victory lane at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, September 28. Larson

Blaney has an impressive record at Kansas’ 1.5-mile-long track, as he has recorded three wins, nine top-five finishes, and 12 top-10 finishes to his name in 21 races. The #5 HMS Chevrolet driver will start from the third position in the 37-driver field on Sunday.

Rounding out Pockrass’ top five predictions are Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, the defending winner of the Kansas fall event Ross Chastain, and Bubba Wallace. He also chose Erik Jones as a long-shot prospect. Jones will start from the 10th position.

Pockrass wrote on X:

“My pick for Cup race today at Kansas: Kyle Larson ... top-5: Larson Bell Hamlin Chastain Wallace ... longshot: Jones”

Bob Pockrass

@bobpockrass

My pick for Cup race today at Kansas: Kyle Larson ... top-5: Larson Bell Hamlin Chastain Wallace ... longshot: Jones ET 2:30-USA-Prerace 3:05-USA-Cup green 80-85-102, 9 sets, fuel 62-68

HMS star Kyle Larson has had an outstanding season so far, recording three wins, 11 top-fives, and 17 top-10 finishes in 30 races in the 2025 season, and he will look to clinch his fourth win of the season. He has an average finish of 14.3 and currently sits in third place in the championship points table, eight points behind the leader, Ryan Blaney. He has the third-highest odds to win in Kansas City.

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin are also the top favorites to win the Hollywood Casino 400 in the odds table.

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Kevin Harvick also picks HMS driver to win the 2025 NASCAR Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion-turned-commentator, Kevin Harvick, picked Kyle Larson as a favorite to win the second Round of 12 playoff race at the 1.5-mile-long track.

On the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s “Happy Hour Podcast,” when his co-host Kaitlyn Vincie asked him to give his prediction for this weekend’s Kansas playoff race, Harvick picked the #5 Chevy driver and said [51:05]:

“I'm going to probably pick the #5. I think it's a make-or-break race for him.”

Catch NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams in action at Kansas Speedway on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Fans can witness the 267-lap Cup Series race on NBC Sports.