Will Kansas put on another show?
When the NASCAR Cup Series visited Kansas Speedway for its spring event, the 400 miles of racing put on a show that ended in the closest finish in series history.
As good of a finish as it was, the entire race had some amazing battles for the lead and throughout the field. It’s what we’ve come to expect at Kansas.
The 1.5-mile racetracks are where the Next Gen car shines the brightest, and no track has been better than Kansas since 2022.
Time after time, year after year, the Kansas race always comes down to late-race battles and drama that make for great storylines the weeks – and months – after the checkered flag.
The 2025 season, however, has been particularly lackluster, as far as the on-track battles go. Places such as Martinsville Speedway, Darlington Raceway, and Bristol Motor Speedway had a lack of lead changes with a high difficulty in passing. Meanwhile, Talladega Superspeedway and Texas Motor Speedway also turned into major track position races.
The Cup Series is due for a good race, and the hope is that Kansas can once again deliver. At the same time, all good things must come to an end, right?
It seems like everyone – from drivers, to fans, to media – expects this race to repair the course for the season.
Fans, it may not be another historic finish, but take time to enjoy the multi-groove, side-by-side action we’ve come to know and love at Kansas.
Who finishes better between Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher?
Speaking of that epic finish, Larson enjoyed the spoils of the historic victory while Buescher suffered a heartbreak of the smallest margins.
Just as they finished, the two drivers will ride next to one another when the green flag drops on Sunday, with Larson narrowly beating Buscher for the pole position, further amplifying the significance of that finish as a storyline leading into this race.
So between the two drivers, who will finish first?
It feels like Larson would be the obvious choice. After all, the No. 5 has been the best car by far over the last month or so, putting in dominant performances at Bristol and Texas.
While we expect to finally see variation between short- and long-run speed, giving Larson clean air and track position from the start already almost puts the rest of the field at a disadvantage.
At the same time, Buescher is extra motivated after getting beaten again by Larson at Kansas. The finish last year left the driver of the No. 17 with a lot of what-ifs the rest of the year.
Had Buescher beaten Larson to the line, he could have made a deep run into the playoffs, especially after winning at Watkins Glen International in the Round of 16.
While Buescher may not have the laps led or the mentions made on the broadcasts, he has been sneaky fast the last few weeks and had great long-run speed at Texas.
Everybody knows how good Larson is. What we don’t know is what a motivated Buescher looks like. Keep an eye on that battle, and don’t be surprised if the No. 17 beats the No. 5.
Will teams solve their own tire problems?
While the racing at intermediate tracks has been consistently great in the Next Gen car, the one problem that has consistently persisted for years is flat tires.
Unlike the tire roulette that’s happened at Bristol, we know where the problems stem from at these tracks.
Teams are trying to maximize grip and take too much risk on tire pressure. Tires are damaged early on in the run, and once the pressures come up, the tires go flat.
On one hand, it’s frustrating that this is still a problem unique to the Cup Series and the Next Gen car, even four years later. At the same time, crew chiefs and teams know how to fix this problem.
The question is, will they?
It’s simple to tell the teams not to take so many risks. However, the team that takes the most risk without stepping over the line will find both the most grip and reward.
A little tire wear and tire problems can make for some interesting storylines. Too many flat tires can hurt the flow of the race, and may even prevent some of the better drivers and cars from actually competing at the finish of the race.
How will Corey Heim compare to Riley Herbst?
It’s no secret that Riley Herbst hasn’t had a great rookie campaign. He has the fifth-worst average finish of the full-time drivers, the worst of all Toyota drivers.
While 23XI Racing cars haven’t won this year, Tyler Reddick has still shown his knack for speed, and Bubba Wallace has had more consistency and a better outlook through the first 11 races. Entering Kansas, Herbst is coming off his best finish of the season at Texas, where he finished 14th.
Meanwhile, Corey Heim has been the best driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2025.
While Heim’s biggest competitors the last few seasons have moved up to the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series rides, Heim remains the driver to beat in Trucks, and the question remains about when he’ll have his opportunity to move up as well.
Heim had a few Cup opportunities in 2024, and he’ll have more this year, starting at Kansas, one of his best tracks in the Truck Series.
Sure, the track favors Heim, but as a full-time driver, Herbst has more experience in the Next Gen car. Heim and Herbst ran equal speed to the hundredth of a second in practice, but Herbst will line up three spots better than Heim.
Kansas is a great learning opportunity for the drivers of the Nos. 35 and 67. With multiple lanes and a lot of room, they should learn a lot, both about their cars and the Next Gen platform, during 400 miles of racing.
It’s dangerous to read too much into one race, but if Heim beats Herbst in his first start of the season, that could be something to watch out for as far as silly season.
It’s still super early in the season. But keep an eye on those two 23XI drivers, because it could hint at further moves for the team as they look at their future.
Caleb began sports writing in 2023 with The Liberty Champion, where he officially covered his first NASCAR race at Richmond in the spring. While there, Caleb met some of the guys from Frontstretch, and he joined the video editing team after graduating from Liberty University with degrees in Strategic Communications and Sports Journalism. Caleb currently work full-time as a Multi-Media Journalist with LEX 18 News in Lexington, Kentucky and contributes to Frontstretch with writing and video editing. He's also behind-the-scenes or on camera for the Happy Hour Podcast, live every Tuesday night at 7:30!