NASCAR Cup Series Preview: Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead
Straight Talk Wireless 400 Race Info
Date: October 27
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Race Length: 267 laps/400.5 miles
Stages: 80/165/267
NASCAR Playoff Standings
Pos. | No. | Driver | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | Joey Logano* | LOCKED IN |
2 | 20 | Christopher Bell | +42 |
3 | 5 | Kyle Larson | +35 |
4 | 24 | William Byron | +27 |
5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | -27 |
6 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | -30 |
7 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | -47 |
8 | 9 | Chase Elliott | -53 |
*Locked in to Championship 4 with win during Round of 8
ENTRY LIST: 38 Cars Featured on NASCAR Cup Entry List at Homestead-Miami
Playoff Battles Come Into Focus During Round of 8
Following Joey Logano's victory in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, there's a clear line between those inside the Championship 4 and those needing a win or some very strong showings over the next two races.
Logano will be one of the four drivers competing for the NASCAR Cup Series championship on November 10 at Phoenix Raceway. With a runner-up finish at Las Vegas, Christopher Bell is 42 points above the cutline, followed by the Hendrick Motorsports duo of Kyle Larson and William Byron.
READ MORE: William Byron Continues Post-Season Consistency with Top-Five at Las Vegas
READ MORE: Larson Avoids Disastrous Round of 8 Start; Salvages 11th-Place in Vegas
Despite an eighth-place finish, a lack of stage points during the race puts Denny Hamlin 27 points below the cutline with just two races before the cutoff. Tyler Reddick sits sixth after flipping at Las Vegas, while Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott round out the field.
It may be possible for a driver such as Hamlin or Reddick to accumulate enough finishing and stage points to get back into the top four with very strong showings in the next two races. However, it's far more likely that those below the cutline will be approaching this week at Homestead and next week at Martinsville Speedway as must-win scenarios.
Flirting with The Fence at Homestead-Miami
For relatively new NASCAR fans tuning into a race at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time, watching the way drivers tackle the 1.5-mile speedway can be jarring.
At tracks with less grip in the racing surface, drivers will work their way higher and higher up the track searching for speed. Homestead-Miami is one of the most extreme in this regard, as the field will frequently race within arm's reach of the outside wall.
NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor Anthony Alfredo explained how this works on X, demonstrating the aerodynamics at play that make running against the outside wall at Homestead so much quicker than taking a shorter route along the inside line.
Ever heard of NASCAR drivers leaning on a ‘cushion’ while racing right against the wall mid-corner? Well, there truly is an air bubble helping them accomplish this. ‘Ripping the fence’ works thanks to an aerodynamic effect from the wall proximity that results in more side force… pic.twitter.com/P1DZG2G1yk
— Anthony Alfredo (@anthonyalfredo) October 23, 2024
It's a fine line between gaining that advantage and making contact with the outside wall, but it's a tightrope walk any driver who hopes to win on Sunday will have to cross.
Keeping the Streak Alive
The unique challenges of Homestead-Miami Speedway have created unique winners in recent history. There have been eight different winners in the last eight races at Homestead-Miami.
As it turns out, five of those eight drivers are currently part of the Round of 8. Christopher Bell won at Homestead one year ago to put himself in Championship 4. Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, William Byron and Kyle Larson are also recent winners at Homestead.
Zach Evans is the Managing Editor of RacingAmerica.com, with nearly a decade of experience in motorsports. He has been with Racing America since 2017.