The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway today for the South Point 400, serving as the fifth race of the 2026 Chase. The 267-lap event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage available on USA Network and HBO Max.
Who is starting at the front of the pack?
Denny Hamlin secured the pole position for today’s race after recording a 28.910-second lap at 186.787 mph during Saturday’s qualifying session. Ty Gibbs will start alongside him in second, followed by Christopher Bell in third, Chase Briscoe in fourth, and Tyler Reddick in fifth. William Byron paced the field in practice at 182.235 mph, with Larson, Hamlin, Briscoe, and Daniel Suarez rounding out the top five in that session.
What is at stake in the Chase standings?
Hamlin enters the event trailing the leader by 26 points. Christopher Bell currently sits 50 points behind, while Joey Logano follows at 67 points back. The race is the second event in a three-race stretch held on 1.5-mile tracks and represents the midpoint of the 10-race Chase.
How can fans follow the race?
In addition to the television broadcast on USA Network and HBO Max, fans can follow the action through radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. While the Cup Series takes center stage at the 1.5-mile oval today, there are no other national series events scheduled for the venue this weekend. The Craftsman Truck Series is not competing in Las Vegas, having last raced on September 26 at Kansas Speedway; their next event is October 9 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series concluded its weekend here Saturday, where Corey Day won the Focused Health 302 after leading 136 of 201 laps and edging Carson Kvapil by 0.287 seconds to claim his third win of 2026. Jesse Love finished third ahead of Brent Crews and Taylor Gray, while Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones suffered a major crash.
