As the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season advances to Kansas Speedway for the fourth event of the Chase, analyst and former champion Kevin Harvick has revealed his prediction for the Hollywood Casino 400. During the latest episode of his podcast, Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, he and his co-hosts, Kaitlyn Vincie and Mamba Smith, assessed the field to determine which driver holds the best chance of securing a victory on the 1.5-mile track this Sunday, September 27.
Harvick selected Ryan Blaney, the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, as the clear favorite to reach victory lane. Blaney enters the weekend holding the sixth position in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings, trailing the current leader, Kyle Larson, by 52 points. His 2026 campaign has been strong, characterized by three wins, seven top-five finishes, and 12 top-10 results across 29 races, maintaining an average finishing position of 12.03.
The veteran driver’s history at Kansas Speedway adds weight to Harvick’s selection. In his 23 previous Cup Series appearances at the venue, Blaney has secured five top-five finishes and nine top-10 results, boasting an overall average finish of 15.57. While Harvick backed Blaney, his colleagues offered different perspectives for the upcoming playoff race; Kaitlyn Vincie threw her support behind Kyle Larson, who is aiming for his second win of the season, while Mamba Smith selected Christopher Bell to claim his second victory of the year.
Fans can follow the action as the fourth race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase unfolds this Sunday. The event is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. ET start and will be broadcast live on the USA Network. For those preferring audio coverage, the race will be available through the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The report also notes that picking the 2026 Hollywood Casino 400 winner, Harvick said [55:20]. The report also notes that get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.
