It is time to go racing in the Music City at Nashville Superspeedway for the Cracker Barrel 400. The 14th race for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, let’s get you ready for Sunday night’s race.
NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway Preview
The NASCAR Cup Series is racing at the Nashville Superspeedway this Sunday night, the Cracker Barrel 400. Last time we were in Nashville, a simple race turned into complete chaos. Austin Cindric spun on the back stretch, triggering five overtime restarts before the race would finish under the checkered flag. Will we see a clean race? Or will the chaos return?
Race Preview:
The Cracker Barrel 400 is a 400-mile, 300-lap race around the 1.333-mile Nashville Superspeedway. Stage cautions will be on laps 90 and 185, with the checkered flag flying on lap 300. There is a prize purse of 11,055,250 dollars available for this race. Goodyear is bringing the same right-side tires that were run at the race in 2024, but a new left side that will wear more. Teams will have 10 sets of tires for qualifying and the race.
The Track: Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway, located in Lebanon, Tennessee, opened in 2001 as a 1.33-mile concrete oval track. Initially hosting races for the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series, it became notable for its concrete surface. After closing in 2011 due to declining attendance, the track reopened in 2021 under Speedway Motorsports ownership, hosting its first NASCAR Cup Series race. Since 2021, it has hosted all three major NASCAR Series.
There have been four Cup Series races at Nashville since 2021. Kyle Larson won the first race, and there have been four different winners: Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, and Joey Logano. Kevin Harvick set the track record in 2022, with a 26.856-second lap.
Cup Series Point Standings:
These are the current point standings following the Coca-Cola 600:
1. William Byron: 499
2. Kyle Larson: 470
3. Christopher Bell: 425
4. Chase Elliott: 415
5. Tyler Reddick: 392
6. Denny Hamlin: 390
7. Ryan Blaney: 363
8. Ross Chastain: 350
9. Joey Logano: 338
10. Alex Bowman: 333
READ MORE: Ross Chastain Captures Glory with Coke 600 Victory
Drivers To Watch:
Three drivers will be joining the field for the Cracker Barrel 400. JJ Yeley will drive the #44 for NY Racing. Chad Finchum will drive the #66 for Garage 66/MBM Motorsports. Lastly, Corey Heim will make another start for 23XI Racing in the #67 Camry.
READ MORE: Corey Heim Becomes 23XI Racing’s First Development Driver
Chevrolet has the most wins at Nashville, with three of the four, and two in the Next Gen era. Kyle Larson has the best average finish with a 4.5 average. Surely Larson wants to put his disaster of an Indy 500/Coke 600 behind him, and the best way to do that is to win. But I think he will have competition from last week’s winner.
Ross Chastain has had good runs at Nashville in the past. A win in 2023 and fifth in 2022, ignoring his DNF in 2024. He has the momentum from that big win last week. I think Chastain can be a contender again in 2025.
Denny Hamlin is due for a win at this track. He was battling with Ross Chastain last year when the shenanigans started. He has an average finish of seventh at this track, and I think he is quite fuming from his lack of fuel at Charlotte last week. Look for Hamlin to lead the Toyotas
While a Ford won last year’s race, Logano was not the fastest car by far. RFK Racing by the numbers has the best finishes among its drivers. Brad Keselowski finished well last week, has run well on 1.5-mile tracks, I think he could be a contender for the Fords this week. I also look at Ryan Blaney, who has a top-five and top-ten here in the three Next Gen races. Look for the #6 and #12 Mustangs on Sunday night.
How To Watch The Cup Series at Nashville Superspeedway:
Here is the weekend schedule for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway:
Saturday, May 31st:
- Practice:
- 4:30 PM Eastern
- Coverage is on Amazon Prime Sports
- Qualifying:
- 5:10 PM Eastern
- Coverage continues on Prime
Sunday, June 1st:
- The Cracker Barrel 400:
- 7:00 PM Eastern
- Coverage is on Prime and the Performance Racing Network
Last Word on Motorsports will have all the action from Nashville Superspeedway’s NASCAR Weekend
Main Photo: Sean Gardner, Getty Images
Recording Date: 6/30/2024
