Bristol: Start time, TV, live stream, line-up

It’s elimination night at Bristol Motor Speedway. Four drivers are eliminated from championship contention after the Bass Pro Shops Night Race – the final race of the first round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

Sixteen drivers qualified for the playoffs with the hope of winning the 2024 championship. However, by the end of Saturday night, that number will be reduced to twelve as the four drivers with the lowest finishes in the playoff rankings will be eliminated.

One driver who has no fear of elimination on Saturday night is Joey Logano, who secured an automatic spot in the second round by winning the opening race of the playoffs at Atlanta Motor Speedway two weeks ago. Non-playoff driver Chris Buescher kept the other 15 title contenders away from victory lane with a win at Watkins Glen International last weekend.

Bristol could provide a big relief for Denny Hamlin, who has endured a tough playoff run so far. Hamlin, who won at Bristol in March and took the checkered flag at last year’s Bristol Night Race, is currently 13th, six points off the cutline to advance. However, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver should bring plenty of confidence to the Tennessee short-track course, having won the night race three times in his career.

Who will be celebrating in victory lane this Saturday night and who will see their championship dreams dashed? Here’s everything you need to know to prepare for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race:

When does the NASCAR playoff race in Bristol start?

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.

Which TV channel will broadcast the NASCAR playoff race in Bristol?

USA Network will broadcast the Bass Pro Shops Night Race and offer pre-race coverage starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR playoff race in Bristol?

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race can be streamed live on the NBC Sports website and NBC Sports app. The race can also be streamed on Fubo.

How many laps does the NASCAR playoff race in Bristol last?

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race consists of 500 laps on the 0.533 mile track for a total of 266.5 miles. The race consists of three legs (laps per leg) – Leg 1: 125 laps; Leg 2: 125 laps; Leg 3: 250 laps.

Who won the last NASCAR Cup races in Bristol?

Hamlin started third and led 163 laps, including the final 17, before defeating teammate Martin Truex Jr. by 1.083 seconds on March 17, 2024.

And a year ago, Hamlin started second and led 142 laps, including the final 135, before pulling away from Kyle Larson in the race for the playoff spot on September 16, 2023.

What does the driver standings look like before the NASCAR playoff race in Bristol?

X-secured a place in the second round. Two playoff races will eliminate the last four drivers after the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing…2,089
Austin Cindric, Team Penske…2,086
X-Joey Logano, Team Penske…2,084
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports…2,084
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing… 2,079
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing…2,073
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports…2,073
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske…2,072
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports…2,069
William Bryon, Hendrick Motorsports…2,068
Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing…2,049
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing…2,049
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing…2,043
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing…2,037
Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing…2,035
Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing…2,029

What is the lineup for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race in Bristol?

Car number in brackets; (P)=Playoff driver

1. (48) Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet

2. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet

3. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet

4. (19) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota

5. (14) Chase Briscoe (P), Ford

6. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota

7. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

8. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota

9. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

10. (9) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet

11. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

12. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

13. (54) Ty Gibbs (P), Toyota

14. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

15. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota

16. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

17. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

18. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

19. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet

20. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford

21. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

22. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford

23. (6) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford

24. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

25. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

26. (51) Justin Haley, Ford

27. (2) Austin Cindric (P), Ford

28. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

29. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

30. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

31. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

32. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota

33. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

34. (21) Harrison Burton (P), Ford

35. (99) Daniel Suarez (P), Chevrolet

36. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford

37. (66) Josh Bilicki, Ford

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