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NASCAR Homestead Playoff Race: TV Schedule, Entry Lists, Race Info, and More

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 22: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Cup Series 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 22, 2023 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Kauy Ostlien

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What’s Happening?

Only two more chances remain for Playoff Drivers to lock themselves into the Round of Eight, and things are heating up as all three NASCAR National Series head far south to Homestead-Miami Speedway. This week, rookies debut, and tempers will flair as NASCAR heads to its final intermediate track of the year.

  • Homestead-Miami Speedway made its NASCAR debut in 1995. The 1.5-mile oval has seen several layouts in its lifetime, but in its current design, it is known for its high groove and competitive racing in all three NASCAR National Series.
  • The Craftsman Truck Series first raced at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 1996, a race won by Dave Rezendes. The track was a part of the Truck Series calendar from 1995 to 2020 before the series returned in 2022. The track hosted the Truck Series finale from 2002-2019.
  • The Xfinity Series first raced at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 1995. Chevrolet currently holds a winning streak in the Xfinity Series at Homestead, winning three years in a row. The track hosted the Xfinity Series finale from 1995-2019.
  • The Cup Series first raced at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 1999. Homestead is a favorite among NASCAR fans. Since moving to a regular playoff race, no driver has won at Homestead and the Championship. The track hosted the Cup Series finale from 2001-2019.
  • This is the final known year of a playoff race at Homestead. It will switch spots with Talladega and be replaced by World Wide Technology Raceway in the 2025 NASCAR Playoffs.

Weekend TV Schedule (All Times ET)

Friday, October 25th: Xfinity and Truck Series Practice/Qualifying
  • 2:35 PM – 4:00 PM – Truck Series Practice and Qualifying
  • 4:05 PM – 5:30 PM – Xfinity Series Practice and Qualifying on NBC Sports App

Saturday, October 26th: Cup Series Practice/Qualifying – Truck Series RACE – Xfinity Series RACE
  • 9:05 AM – 11:00 AM – Cup Series Practice and Qualifying
  • 12:00 PM – Baptist Health 200 on FS1
  • 4:00 PM – Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit 300 on the CW

Sunday, October 20th: Cup Series RACE
  • 2:30 PM – Straight Talk Wireless 400 on NBC

Race Facts

Homestead-Miami Speedway – Track Facts
  • Opened: 1995
  • Length: 1.5-mile
  • Shape: Oval
  • Banking: 18-20° in turns, 3° on front and backstretch
  • Surface: Asphalt
  • Lights: Yes
  • Rain Tires: No

Truck Series
  • Race Length: 134 Laps (201 Miles)
  • Stages: 30 Laps (Stages 1 & 2), 74 Laps (Stage 3)
  • Most-Recent Winner: Carson Hocevar (2023)

Xfinity Series
  • Race Length: 200 Laps (300 Miles)
  • Stages: 45 Laps (Stages 1 & 2), 110 Laps (Stage 3)
  • Most-Recent Winner: Sam Mayer (2023)

Cup Series
  • Race Length: 267 Laps (400.5 Miles)
  • Stages: 80 Laps (Stage 1), 85 Laps (Stage 2), 102 Laps (Stage 3)
  • Most-Recent Winner: Christopher Bell (2023)

Entry Lists

Truck Series

For the Truck Series, there are 34 entries for 36 spots, meaning no teams will be sent home.

Notable entries include:

  • William Sawalich – No. 1 – Tricon Garage
  • Nathan Byrd – No. 02 – Young’s Motorsports
  • Marco Andretti – No. 04 – Roper Racing
  • Connor Mosack – No. 7 – Spire Motorsports
  • Jake Garcia – No. 13 – ThorSport Racing
  • Frankie Muniz – No. 22 – Reaume Brothers Racing
  • Conor Daly – No. 44 – Niece Motorsports
  • Kaden Honeycutt – No. 45 – Niece Motorsports
  • Connor Zilisch – No. 75 – Henderson Motorsports
  • Corey Day – No. 91 – McAnally Hilgemann Racing

Former Winners in The Field:

  • Matt Crafton – 2015
  • Ty Majeski – 2022

Xfinity Series

There are 38 entries for 38 spots in the Xfinity Series, meaning no team teams will be sent home.

Notable entries include:

  • Brad Perez – No. 07 – SS-Green Light Racing
  • Austin Green – No. 14 – SS-Green Light Racing
  • William Sawalich – No. 19 – Joe Gibbs Racing – Xfinity Series Debut
  • Aric Almirola – No. 20 – Joe Gibbs Racing
  • Ryan Truex – No. 26 – Sam Hunt Racing
  • Armani Williams – No. 35 – Joey Gase Motorsports
  • Mason Maggio – No. 45 – Alpha Prime Racing
  • Thomas Annunziata – No. 53 – Joey Gase Motorsports
  • TBA – No. 74 – Mike Harmon Racing
  • Connor Zilisch – No. 88 – JR Motorsports
  • Nick Leitz – No. 92 – DGM Racing

Former Winners in The Field:

  • Cole Custer – 2017
  • Sam Mayer – 2023

Cup Series

For the Cup Series, there are 38 entries for 40 spots, meaning no teams will be sent home.

Notable entries include:

  • Kaz Grala – No. 15 – Rick Ware Racing
  • A.J. Allmendinger – No. 16 – Kaulig Racing
  • J.J. Yeley – No. 44 – NY Racing
  • Chad Finchum – No. 66 – MBM Motorsports

Former Winners in The Field:

  • Christopher Bell – 2023
  • Denny Hamlin – 2009, 2013, 2020
  • Joey Logano – 2018
  • Kyle Busch – 2015, 2019
  • Kyle Larson – 2022
  • Martin Truex Jr. – 2017
  • William Byron – 2021

Qualifying Order

Truck Series
Xfinity Series
Cup Series

What To Watch For

Truck Series

  • Grant Enfinger is the only driver to lock himself into the Championship Four in the Craftsman Truck Series. Following a three-week break and a fresh start, Truck Series Playoff drivers are ready for battle yet again. Notably, Taylor Gray and Nick Sanchez are below the cutline. Both drivers are leaving the Truck Series following this season and would like to win a Truck Championship before it’s too late.
  • Homestead is a wild card in the Truck Series. No Truck Series driver has won back-to-back races at the track in its history, and this year, that will not change as last year’s winner is in the Cup Series. While picking a Playoff driver to win would be a good bet, there is a good crop of hungry youngsters like William Sawalich and Kaden Honeycutt in this race as well.

Xfinity Series

  • Heading into Homestead, Chevrolet is dominating the Xfinity Series Playoff. However, while one Chevrolet driver, A.J. Allmendinger, locked himself into the Championship Four last weekend, four more Chevy’s are under the cutline heading to Florida. Of the six Chevrolet, the two outsiders, Ford’s Cole Custer and Toyota’s Chandler Smith, are clear championship favorites.
  • Homestead and the Xfinity Series have a long history of exciting, close races. When assessing Saturday’s field, only one Playoff driver, Sam Mayer, has a win at Homestead. Mayer, however, will have to fight a tough time entering this weekend.

Cup Series

  • The NASCAR Playoffs are around after a crazy race in Las Vegas. Even year master Joey Logano locked himself into the Round of Four after a late pass at Las Vegas. History would say that he is a championship favorite this year. However, of the past winners at Homestead, Logonao should be nervous about who else will join him in Phoenix.
  • Despite fans’ wishes, Homestead is not the final for the 2024 NASCAR season, nor will it be in 2025. However, it is the final intermediate track of the season. For some drivers that fail to win at Short Tracks, like Tyler Reddick or Ryan Blaney, this could be their final shot at the Championship Four.

Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.

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Even Magic Johnson Has Noticed Michael Jordan’s NASCAR Team Success

by Neha Dwivedi

What’s Happening?

Magic Johnson, who faced Michael Jordan 18 times on the NBA court, including 13 regular-season games and 5 games in the 1991 NBA Finals, recently offered public praise for 23XI Racing’s rise in the 2026 NASCAR season.

The two former NBA players built their rivalry on NBA courts before competing together on the 1992 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team, known as the “Dream Team,” where the pair were known as both friends and fierce competitors. In fact, Magic Johnson played a central role in recruiting Michael Jordan and Larry Bird to join the 1992 U.S. Olympic squad.

The defining clash between Johnson and Jordan came in the 1991 NBA Finals, a season that was the shift from the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” run to the rise of the Chicago Bulls. And now, years later, Johnson turned to social media to compliment MJ’s stock car venture.

The presence of Michael Jordan in the garage has not only drawn fresh eyes to NASCAR, but also widened the sport’s reach beyond its base and placed it on platforms fans haven’t seen in years, like ESPN. The network has not held NASCAR broadcast rights since 2014, and since then, its focus has centered on properties under its umbrella, including the NBA, NFL, and WNBA. But now, even without rights, NASCAR headlines tied to MJ and 23XI Racing’s run have found space throughout their coverage.

MJ’s 23XI Racing team has opened the season with three straight wins with their No. 45 driver, Tyler Reddick. The run began with a win in the Daytona 500, the organization’s first success in that event since its launch in 2021.

Reddick followed with a win at Atlanta and then completed the sweep at the Circuit of the Americas, becoming the first driver in Cup Series history to win the opening three races of a season.

The accomplishment also placed the 23XI Racing team alongside one of the most successful organizations in NASCAR, Petty Enterprises, which last won the first three Cup races of a season in 1963.

When Reddick’s Toyota crossed the start/finish line at COTA, MJ was seen celebrating on pit road with the crew. In post-race remarks, Jordan acknowledged the pressure Reddick carried entering COTA with a chance to sweep the opening stretch. He praised the No. 45 crew and crew chief Billy Scott, and credited co-owner Denny Hamlin as the “mastermind” behind the roster build, citing Hamlin’s role in identifying Reddick’s talent and bringing him into the team.

DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 06: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lionel Racing Reveals First Wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics Diecast

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.

  • This line will include six throwback paint schemes from NASCAR’s 2025 throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. Though they did not release one in 2025, this move restarts an annual tradition of Lionel releasing at least one wave of cars carrying the colors of that prior season’s throwback designs.
  • Included in this wave of cars are Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Sammy Smith. Alongside these paint schemes’ debuts in the Authentics line is a new design for the packaging of the 2026 line of NASCAR Authentics.
  • Last season was somewhat turbulent for Lionel as, alongside issues with tariffs, the brand only released three waves of NASCAR Autentics, one wave of NASCAR Autentics Winners Circle diecast, and two waves of Haulers.
  • Lionel announcing the first wave of 2026 early on in the new year is perhaps a sign that 2026 could return this line to its regular release schedule. The post from Lionel Racing also confirmed that the brand will announce another wave by the end of the week, further hinting at a recommitment to the Authentics line.

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SPARTA, KY - JUNE 26: Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet, talks with his crew during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on June 26, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Chase Pistone, NASCAR Trucks and Nationwide Series Driver, Passes Away

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.

  • Chase’s brothers Nick and Tom Pistone confirmed the North Carolina natives’ passing to LegendsNation.com. The cause of Pistone’s passing is unknown. The family asked that media share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, which is 988.
  • Pistone, the grandson of NASCAR legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, made his way to NASCAR after competing on short tracks in Legends cars and Late Models. He would make his jump to NASCAR via the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005, racing for Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Pistone would continue his NASCAR pursuits in 2006, racing in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series. Unfortunately, these two starts, at Martinsville with the Busch Series and Iowa with ARCA, would be his last for nearly a decade.
  • Pistone returned to NASCAR in 2014, racing in a combined eight NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races. During this season, his final in NASCAR, the then 30-year-old scored his best National Series finish, ninth place in the Truck Series annual trip to Gateway.

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