April 24, 2024 | By Kansas Speedway PR

Exhilarating Talladega finish builds excitement ahead of NASCAR Cup Series returning to Kansas Speedway, May 5

KANSAS CITY,, Kansas — At just over a quarter of the way through the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, this year has been one of the wildest in the sport’s history. And as the best drivers in the world gear up to return to Kansas Speedway, May 4-5, for the AdventHealth 400, there is no end in sight for this trend.

Key statistical highlights of the 2024 season include the following:

Record Average Lap Leaders - The NASCAR Cup Series has produced 37 different lap leaders through the first 10 races of the season, the series-most different lap leaders since 2011 (39). This season is also averaging 12.9 lap leaders per race, the most since 2011 (13.9).

Record Average Lead Changes - This season is just the third time the NASCAR Cup Series has produced 300+ lead changes through the first 10 races of a season; joining the 2011 (343) and 2010 (329) seasons. This year’s 31.2 average lead changes per race are the third-most in the series through 10 races; behind the 2011 (34.3), and 2010 (32.9) seasons.

Record Green Flag Passes for The Lead - The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season has produced 897 Green Flag Passes for the Lead – the series-most through the first 10 races of the year since the inception of the Loop Data stat in 2005. Through the first 10 races on the schedule, the 2024 season’s GFPL totals are up +27.1% compared to the 2023 season’s (706 GFPL).

Record Total Green Flag Passes - The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season has produced 58,831 Total Green Flag Passes – the series-most through the first 10 races of the year since the inception of the stat in 2005. Through the first 10 races on the schedule, the 2024 season’s GFP totals are up +23.0% compared to the 2023 season’s (47,814 GFP).

After last year’s Hollywood Casino 400 winner Tyler Reddick stole the win late in Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, he became the seventh different driver to take the checkered across 10 races. He joins William Byron, Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott as those who have notched wins thus far and have subsequently secured a playoff berth.

Since joining 23XI Racing at the beginning of 2023, Reddick has amassed three wins, 14 top-fives, and 23 top-10s. The driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE hopes to continue this success and become the third multi-time winner in 2024. And as the most recent winner at Kansas Speedway, the 28-year-old from Corning, Calif., returns next week with a great amount of confidence to make it two in a row.

His teammate, Bubba Wallace, and co car owner, Denny Hamlin, are not to be overlooked. Since the inception of the NextGen car in 2022, every race at Kansas Speedway has been won by a driver affiliated with 23XI Racing. The No. 45 car, in particular, has scored three wins in that time with three different drivers (Kurt Busch, Bubba Wallace, and Tyler Reddick). Back in the flagship No. 23 car, Bubba Wallace will look to return to Victory Lane for the first time since the fall of 2022 at Kansas, while team co-owner and defending winner of the 2023 AdventHealth 400 Denny Hamlin hopes to finish one spot better than his most recent result at the track and earn his fifth career win at Kansas Speedway.

Eager to still earn their first win of 2024, the Ford camp will vie to break their winless streak at a track where they haven’t left victorious since 2020. And coming off two straight second-place finishes at Texas and Talladega, there’s possibly no better person to do that than the 2019 Kansas Spring event winner and driver of the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Brad Keselowski. Leading 23 laps in last year’s Hollywood Casino 400, look for him to return with speed and possibly break his own personal winless streak of almost three seasons.

On the flip side, the two other races at 1.5-mile tracks in 2024 have been won by Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kyle Larson (Las Vegas) and Chase Elliott (Texas). Both drivers have also seen success at Kansas Speedway in the past, with Larson earning the victory in 2021’s Hollywood Casino 400 and Elliott pulling out the win in 2018’s event.

The AdventHealth 400 will showcase the best drivers in the world compete at one of NASCAR’s most raved tracks at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 5. The race will be broadcast live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Kansas Speedway’s May Event Weekend will also include the ARCA Menard’s Series’ Tide 150 at 1 p.m. CT and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ Heart of America 200 at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 4. The action-packed Saturday will also include practice and qualifying for Sunday’s AdventHealth 400.

Fans are encouraged to secure their tickets now at www.kansasspeedway.com.