NSCS: SpongeBob SquarePants 400 Preview

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the Kansas Speedway for the fifth annual SpongeBob SquarePants 400. The race on Saturday will serve as the 11th stop on the 36 race schedule. Jeff Gordon, who is racing in his final full-time Sprint Cup season, comes into the weekend as the defending race winner.

The entry list features 44 different drivers for the fifth annual race and will mean one driver will go home after qualifying. Some of the drivers entered include Erik Jones, Jeb Burton, Joey Gase, Ty Dillon, Brett Moffitt, Brendan Gaughan, Matt DiBenedetto and Michael McDowell.

One driver will have the weekend of his life as he comes into the 1.5-mile oval in the Midwest. Who is that driver? Mr. Erik Jones. Jones will pilot the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota in his Sprint Cup Series debut as Kyle Busch continues to recover from an injury earlier in the year at the Daytona International Speedway. The 18-year old Michigan native has 32 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck and XFINITY Series combined with five victories.

Kansas Speedway serves as the final chance for some of the big name drivers to get into the 2015 Sprint All-Star race. The drivers who will need to step it up a notch this weekend include Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Kyle Larson and Danica Patrick. If one of these drivers were to take a trip to victory lane, it could mean a new winner at the Kansas Speedway as Biffle is the only previous winner there.

Martin Truex Jr. comes into the Kansas Speedway searching for another top 10 finish this season. Since the season begun at Daytona, Truex has finished inside the top 10 in all but one race this year. The New Jersey native sits second in the standings behind Kevin Harvick.

Kansas Speedway serves as the home track for Jamie McMurray, Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer. Each one of these all look to have a good showing in front of their home crowd on Saturday. If one of these three captures the victory on Saturday – they will become the first of these drivers to win at their home track.

Fans can watch the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 live on FOX Sports 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Motor Racing Network will carry the live radio broadcast. You can also watch the race via FOX Sports Go. 

Brett Winningham
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