Kansas

Good news, bad news for NASCAR Cup teams ahead of Kansas playoff race

Published

1 year ago

September 25, 2024

Good news, bad news for NASCAR Cup teams ahead of Kansas playoff race

The second round of the Cup playoffs begin. Two drivers switch rides beginning this weekend. And NASCAR is back at the track that provided the closest finish in series history earlier this year.

Much is happening at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway heading into Sunday’s race (3 p.m. ET on USA Network).

Here is a look at the good news and bad news for Cup teams going to Kansas.

23XI Racing — Good news: Bubba Wallace’s third-place finish at Bristol marked his sixth top-five finish of the season and 11th top 10 of the year. Both are career highs. … 23XI Racing has won three of the last five races at Kansas, getting a victory each from Kurt Busch, Tyler Reddick and Wallace. … Reddick has scored the most points among all drivers at races on 1.5-mile speedways this season. He has 154 points. Bad news: Reddick has scored 11 stage points in the playoffs. That ranks worst among the remaining 12 playoff drivers. … Reddick has scored 69 points in the playoffs. That also ranks worst among the remaining 12 playoff drivers.

Front Row Motorsports — Good news: Michael McDowell has finished 11th or better in each of the last two races this season. … McDowell has started in the top 10 in the last two races at Kansas. Bad news: Todd Gilliland has not started better than 25th in five career Cup starts at Kansas.

Hendrick Motorsports — Good news: Bristol winner Kyle Larson has a series-best eight finishes in the top three this season. … Larson won at Kansas in the most recent Cup race there. He beat Chris Buescher by .001 seconds in the closest finish in series history. … Larson is the only repeat winner in the last eight Cup races at Kansas. … Alex Bowman scored the most points in the first round of the playoffs. He had 120, including a series-best 41 stage points. … Chase Elliott finished third t Kansas in May. Bad news: William Byron has two top-10 finishes in the last eight races.

Three new drivers join this week’s top 10.

Joe Gibbs Racing — Good news: Denny Hamlin’s four Cup wins at Kansas are the most all-time. … Hamlin’s pit crew had the fastest four-tire pit stop at Bristol at 9.3 seconds, according to Racing Insights. … Christopher Bell has won the pole for the last two races at Kansas and three of the last five races there. Bad news: Hamlin has been the leader with 10 laps to go in the last two Kansas races but has not won either. He finished second in September 2023 and fifth in May. … Martin Truex Jr. has finished 20th or worse in the last eight races. … Ty Gibbs has finished no better than 15th in the last four races.

NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race

Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton were eliminated at Bristol.

JTG Daugherty Racing — Good news: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has finished 14th or better in six of the last 13 races. Bad news: Stenhouse has failed to finish five of the last 11 races due to an accident.

Kaulig Racing — Good news: Ty Dillon is in the No. 16 car this weekend. It is his seventh start of the year and his 245th career Cup start. … Daniel Hemric has three top 20s in the last five races. Bad news: Hemric has started 30th or worse in 15 of 29 races this season.

Legacy Motor Club — Good news: Erik Jones finished third at Kansas last September. He was the only non-playoff driver to finish in the top nine in that race. … Jimmie Johnson is back in the No. 84 this weekend. This will be his seventh start of the year. Bad news: John Hunter Nemechek has not started better than 10th in a race this season.

Richard Childress Racing — Good news: Kyle Busch has two Cup wins at Kansas, along with four Xfinity wins and three Truck wins there. Bad news: Busch has finished 25th or worse in each of the past two races. He has finished 25th or worse 12 times this year. … Busch’s career-long winless streak has reached 50 races. … Austin Dillon has had six consecutive finishes of 15th or worse since his Richmond victory.

Rick Ware Racing — Good news: Corey LaJoie makes his debut with the team this weekend. … He will have Kaz Grala as a teammate this weekend. Bad news: The organization has not had a car qualify in the top 25 in eight of the last nine races.

NASCAR’s Elton Sawyer told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio: “We were disappointed as a company for our fans.”

RFK Racing — Good news: Brad Keselowski has finished second in two of the last three races on a 1.5-mile speedway. Bad news: The organization’s last win at Kansas was in October 2012 by Matt Kenseth. … Keselowski has no top 10s in the last four races. … RFK Racing drivers were passed for the win in the last two races on 1.5-mile tracks. … Chris Buescher was finished 15th or worse in four of the last five races at Kansas. The exception was in May when he placed second, losing by .001 seconds to Kyle Larson in the closet finish in series history.

Spire Motorsports — Good news: Justin Haley makes his debut with the team this weekend. … Two of the team’s cars qualified in the top 10 at Bristol, marking the first time the organization had accomplished that feat. Carson Hocevar started seventh. Corey LaJoie, in his final race for the team, started ninth. … The team has had at least one car finish in the top 20 in the last 15 races. Bad news: Zane Smith has six pit road speeding penalties this season.

Stewart-Haas Racing — Good news: Ryan Preece has had three top 20s in a row, which is tied for his longest streak of the season. … Chase Briscoe has three top 10s in the last four races. … Briscoe overcame a 21-point deficit to the cutline after Atlanta, the opening race in the first round, to advance. That’s tied for the largest margin overcome to make it to the second round without a win. … Josh Berry has started in the top 10 in seven of the last 13 races. … Noah Gragson has scored back-to-back top-15 finishes. Bad news: Berry has finished 20th or worse in 10 of the last 11 races.

A look at the winners and losers from the weekend at Bristol.

Team Penske — Good news: Joey Logano has won three playoff races at Kansas, the most among all drivers. … Austin Cindric has had two of his five top 10s this season in the playoffs. Bad news: Austin Cindric and Logano are tied with Daniel Suarez with 13 finishes of 21st or worse. That the is most among any of the remaining playoff drivers. … Ryan Blaney has failed to finish three of the last five races. … Blaney has one top-10 finish in the last seven Kansas races.

Trackhouse Racing — Good news: Ross Chastain has three top 10s in the last four races. Bad news: Daniel Suarez has two top 10s in 15 Cup starts at Kansas.

Wood Brothers Racing — Good news: Harrison Burton has four top-25 finishes in the last six races . Bad news: Burton was eliminated from the playoffs after Bristol. … He has finished 30th or worse in four of his five Cup starts at Kansas.

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Kansas

Sheriff: 6 arrested after large drug bust in northwest Kansas

Published

19 hours ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Sheriff: 6 arrested after large drug bust in northwest Kansas

THOMAS COUNTY—Law enforcement in northwest Kansas are investigating six suspects on multiple drug allegations after a drug enforcement investigation.

On Tuesday, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office concluded a six-month investigation into the trafficking and distribution of narcotics in Thomas County, according to Sheriff Joel Nickols.

As part of this investigation, deputies executed a total of five residential search warrants within Thomas County during December 2025. As the investigation progressed, the Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

On January 13, 2026, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office executed two additional search warrants in Colby, Kansas. Deputies served a search warrant on multiple storage units located within the city limits of Colby, while the Kansas Bureau of Investigation simultaneously executed a search warrant at a residence also located in Colby.

As a result of these investigations, multiple pounds of controlled substances were seized. Items recovered included large quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, THC products, psilocybin mushrooms, Suboxone, and other illicit opiates and stimulants.

A total of six suspects have been arrested in connection with these cases. The sheriff office did not release the names of the suspects or possible charges in the case.

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Kansas

Kansas to receive $2.1M to help formerly incarcerated residents find jobs

Published

1 day ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Kansas to receive .1M to help formerly incarcerated residents find jobs

TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) – The Sunflower State will receive more than $2 million to expand job training and education programs for formerly incarcerated residents.

The Kansas Department of Corrections announced on Wednesday, Jan. 14, that it has joined a 4-year national initiative aimed at breaking barriers that prevent those with criminal records from finding work.

“Kansas has long recognized the profound impact education and workforce programs have on our incarcerated population, and our state’s selection for the Fair Chance to Advance State Action Networks is true recognition of the strides we have made,” said Governor Laura Kelly.

Kansas is 1 of 4 states chosen for Jobs for the Future’s Fair Chance to Advance State Action Networks. The state beat out 30 other applicants.

What Kansas Will Receive

Over the next four years, state leaders said Kansas will receive:

Up to $2.1 million in funding
$1.8 million in technical assistance
Access to a secure data-sharing platform
Participation in a national learning network

Officials indicated that Maine, North Carolina and Oregon also joined the program.

Kansas statehouse in Topeka(Heilman, Matthew | KWCH)

Why it Matters

State leaders noted that more than 70 million Americans have records of arrest, conviction or incarceration. Many face discriminatory hiring practices and legal restrictions that limit job opportunities.

“States play a critical role in creating education and workforce systems that open doors to opportunity,” said Molly Lasagna, Senior Strategy Officer at Ascendium Education Group. “When leaders align policy, funding, and data around a shared commitment to economic mobility, they can build pathways that work for learners and employers alike—especially for individuals with histories of incarceration that have been traditionally excluded from those opportunities.”

Kansas officials said connecting formerly incarcerated residents to education and employment reduces recidivism and address workforce shortages.

“Connecting returning citizens to training, education, and employment opportunities sets them up for success upon their release and reduces recidivism,” Gov. Kelly noted. “Our efforts are rooted in the core belief that when we invest in people, we create safer communities, a thriving workforce, and a stronger state for all.”

How Kansas Will Use the Funding

The state plans to:

Strengthen collaboration among state agencies
Improve reentry metrics and tracking
Expand employer engagement
Connect education programs during incarceration to job opportunities after release

“As Kansas experiences significant economic growth and workforce demand, state leaders are showing interest in how fair chance employment can contribute to the state’s future‚” said Rebecca Villarreal, Senior Director at JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement.

FILE - Job application — FILE – Job application(KSWO)

Get Involved

State leaders said they are forming a 5-person advisory board of people directly impacted by incarceration. Applications are now open.

“We are excited to collaborate with the bipartisan, inter-agency leaders from across Kansas who are committed to strengthening the state’s workforce, supporting businesses, and creating pathways to quality jobs for learners with histories of incarceration,” Villarreal said.

According to KDOC, the Coleridge Initiative, a nonprofit focused on data-driven public policy, will provide technical support. Mathematica will evaluate the program.

Jobs for the Future launched the initiative in 2024 with support from Ascendium Education Group.

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Kansas

Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash

Published

2 days ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash

OAKLKEY, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.

The collision was reported at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday on K-25 highway just south of County Road D. The location was about 15 miles northwest of Oakley.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s online crash log, a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan was northbound on K-25 when it left the roadway to the right — or east — side and overcorrected back onto the roadway.

A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.(Source: MGN)

The vehicle then began sliding sideways into the east ditch, where it rolled once.

The minivan then came to rest upright facing southeast in a field.

The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, Terri Threlkeld, 50, of Page City, was transported to Logan County Hospital in Oakley with serious injuries. The patrol said Threlkeld wasn’t wearing her seat belt.

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