LEBANON — Nashville Superspeedway is now a firmly-entrenched part of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in Year 6 after the sport’s return to the 1.33-mile track in Lebanon.
The Cracker Barrel 400 on May 31 is under the lights again with some changes on the race track.
NASCAR’s increased horsepower package on tracks smaller than 1.5 miles this season will add to the challenge on the wide, oddly-banked race track.
Denny Hamlin is on the pole after qualifying was rained out on May 30. Cup cars did get on track later in the day for practice.
There will also be some Kyle Busch tributes throughout the day as the sport continues to mourn his death on May 21.
The Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series featured silent Lap 8s in Busch’s honor, and Nashville Superspeedway painted a No. 8 tribute to Busch in the infield grass.
Follow along with the Tennessean’s race updates below:
LIVE LEADERBOARD: Full field leaderboard of NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400
NASCAR says on its officials radio that the command to fire engines will take place at 6:25 p.m. as the weather system drifts away from the track.
RaeLynn completes the National Anthem, but the race is on hold for weather.
The Cracker Barrel 400 has sold out for the fourth consecutive season, Nashville Superspeedway announced pre-race.
The race has sold out five of six seasons since the Cup Series started running the track in 2021.
A couple rain drops can be felt at about 5:45 p.m. CT during pre-race introductions. The skies over turns 3 and 4 are getting darker.
For the NASCAR-only readers, bear with us for a moment.
Vanderbilt basketball coach Mark Byington is speaking at the media center, and he notes his relief that Tyler Tanner is back for next season following a couple weeks of uncertainty regarding Tanner’s possible entry into the 2026 NBA draft.
Byington notes he grew up about 45 minutes from Martinsville Speedway.
First off, it’s very hot. 85 degrees with 59% humidity at current, per the National Weather Service.
The NWS forecasts a 50% chance for precipitation from now through 7 p.m., with percentages dropping during the evening. The radar looks OK for now, but pop-up showers and storms are possible.
The top 10:
- Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
- Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
- Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
- William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
- Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Find the full starting lineup here.
The Cracker Barrel 400 will be aired on the radio by the Performance Racing Network. PRN has affiliates all across the country, including 102.5 The Game (102.5 FM) in Nashville, and their feed can also be streamed on NASCAR.com as well as the NASCAR app. The race can also be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
- Green Flag Time: Approx. 6:20 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 31
- Track: Nashville Superspeedway (1.33-mile oval) in Lebanon, Tennessee
- Length: 300 laps, 399 miles
- Stages: 90 laps, 95 laps, 115 laps
- TV coverage: Amazon Prime Video
- Radio: PRN
- Streaming: HBO MAX app for in-car cameras (subscription required); NASCAR.com and SiriusXM on Channel 90 for audio (subscription required)
The Cracker Barrel 400 will be broadcast nationally on Amazon Prime Video. Other streaming options for the race include HBO MAX for in-car cameras for each driver.
- 2025: Ryan Blaney
- 2024: Joey Logano
- 2023: Ross Chastain
- 2022: Chase Elliott
