KANSAS SPEEDWAY
RACE: HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400 DATE: SEPTEMBER 9, 2023
AUSTIN CINDRIC
No. 2 MENARDS/RICHMOND FORD MUSTANG
FINAL PRACTICE – 27TH
QUALIFYING – 18TH
RYAN BLANEY
No. 12 WABASH FORD MUSTANG
FINAL PRACTICE – 5TH
QUALIFYING – 17TH
JOEY LOGANO
No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG
FINAL PRACTICE – 26TH
QUALIFYING – 11TH
NOTES – The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs roll on this weekend in the Sunflower State as teams venture to Kansas Speedway for the second race in the Round of 16 after an eventful start to the postseason last weekend at Darlington Raceway. On-track activities at the 1.5-mile track got underway this afternoon with group practice and qualifying to determine the starting lineup for tomorrow’s Hollywood Casino 400.
The No. 12 Wabash Ford Mustang of Ryan Blaney led the Team Penske stable in practice with the fifth-fastest pace, followed by Joey Logano (26th) and Austin Cindric (27th). In qualifying, Logano clocked the fastest time of his teammates in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang and will take the green flag from the 11th position on Sunday. Blaney and the No. 12 team are set to start 17th with teammate Cindric and the Menards/Richmond Ford Mustang qualifying 18th.
Wood Brothers Racing’s Harrison Burton will roll off the grid from the 29th position in the No. 21 Menards/Masterforce Ford Mustang.
WHAT THEY SAID: “Our Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang was good. Turns one and two were decent. I got right at the two-thirds mark of turn four, got tight, and had to lift too big. It was trending in the right direction in one and two. It felt like I was going to turn well enough to be able to use that much throttle there but it just didn’t hold. We were so close to being able to go to the second round and have a shot at the pole but that’s how the game’s played.” – Joey Logano
WHAT’S NEXT – Sunday afternoon’s 267-lap, 400-mile race at Kansas Speedway begins at 3:00 p.m. ET with coverage on USA, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
