Nascar bristol update

Three drivers are already locked in for the next round of the round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series. Nine spots remain up for grabs heading into the Bass Pro Shops night race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Those three are the winners of the first two playoff races, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., and the regular-season winner, Kyle Larson, who secured points at Richmond Raceway last Saturday.

Several drivers are in a pretty good position. Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Kevin Harvick need less than 30 points to move on. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell are both in their 40s. And if any driver wins who has not yet secured a spot, they will automatically enter.

No active driver has won more at Bristol than Kyle Busch with his three victories.

Sporting News is tracking live updates and lap-by-lap highlights from the NASCAR playoff race at Bristol. Follow for full 2021 Bass Pro Shops night run results.

PLUS: Watch today’s NASCAR race live on fuboTV (7-day free trial)

NASCAR at Bristol Live Updates, Bass Pro Shops Night Race Highlights

8:17 pm: Hamlin stands tall and passes Larson to take the lead. Corey LaJoie, Hamlin and Larson open three at one point on lap 92.

8:15 pm: Elliott gets caught in traffic as Larson makes a move to take the lead. Hamlin takes advantage of a contact made between him and Elliott to move to second.

8:13 pm: Larson has been trying to overtake Elliott for the lead, getting behind him at times, but Elliott has been able to keep him at bay as they continue to weave through traffic.

8:12 pm: The race for the first is still incredibly close on lap 75. Elliott has maintained his lead, but Larson and Hamlin are two seconds behind him.

8:07 pm: Logano had some problems on pit road and he fell quite a bit. He’s 23rd on lap 58.

8:05 pm: The green has come out again. Larson immediately passes Hamlin for the second.

8:01 pm: Elliott, Hamlin, Larson, Keselowski and Harvick remain in the top five coming off pit road.

7:59 pm: There is the caution of the competition.

7:58 pm: Truex has dropped to 10th place and faces pressure from Byron.

7:57 pm: Kurt Busch, who rides 22nd, is having some trouble right now. He needs to perform well in this race to keep his playoff hopes alive.

7:56 pm: Hamlin is back up to second place, with Larson behind him. Competition caution is approaching in seven laps.

7:53 pm: Tyler Reddick says he’s having trouble with his radio. Tell your crew that you can only hear one in three words.

7:51 pm: Brad Keselowski, moving up in sixth place, says on the radio that he feels good about his car.

7:50 pm: Elliott takes the lead on lap seven.

7:48 pm: Chase Elliott was aggressive early on to get past Denny Hamlin, and now he’s gaining ground from leader Martin Truex Jr. on lap five.

7:48 pm: The last round of the round of 16 is underway.

7:46 pm: The NBCSN broadcast says the race caution will come out on lap 40.

7:38 pm: The founder of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, Sherry Pollex, gives the lead to the drivers.

7:35 pm: The kids of the NASCAR drivers and crew sing the National Anthem before the race.

7:30 pm: Ceremonies prior to the running race.

7:15 pm: The weather certainly doesn’t seem to be a problem. Drivers have been through introductions and there are only a few clouds in the sky over the track.

7 pm: Bristol Motor Speedway warning fans of severe weather in the area. According to the Weather Channel, scattered thunderstorms are expected before the start of the race, but the probability of precipitation appears to drop just after the green flag is expected to be waved.

NASCAR start time today

• Weather: 7:30 pm ET (TV time)
• Television channel: NBCSN (TSN5 in Canada)
• Live broadcast: NBCSports.com | NBC Sports App | fuboTV7-day free trial)

The green flag for Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway’s 0.533-mile oval is set to fall at 7:47 p.m. ET.

Rain could be a factor on race night. the National Weather Service Saturday night forecast for Bristol, Tennessee., is for possible showers and thunderstorms before 9 pm The sky will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature of between 60 and 60 degrees Celsius. The winds want to be light. The weather service said there is a 40 percent chance of precipitation.

NASCAR playoff standings

Three drivers are already locked in the round of 16 for the Bristol race. Denny Hamlin was the first to win the first game of the playoffs at Darlington. Kyle Larson (insured on points) and Martin Truex Jr. (race winner) followed in the next race at Richmond.

The last four non-winning drivers after the Bristol race will be eliminated from the playoffs. The remaining 12 drivers will advance to Round of 12, which begins Sept. 26 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

X-Clinched bunk in round of 16.

NASCAR starting lineup at Bristol

Here’s the full NASCAR lineup for Saturday’s playoff knockout race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Bass Pro Shops night race.

In the years after the track was reconfigured in 2007, many a lament of a NASCAR traditionalist came to pit "Old Bristol" against "New Bristol" after a number of races lacking the high contact, highly-strung racing that made the half-mile Tennessee oval famous. If Saturday night is any indication, the old and new Bristol Motor Speedway are one and the same, as the 2021 edition of the Bristol Night Race is one that won't soon be forgotten.

After a late-race dustup between Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick while racing for the lead, Kyle Larson was able to take the top spot from Harvick in the final laps and hold on to win the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. Larson was able to use momentum from the high side to put a slidejob on Harvick, and then held onto his car after receiving the bump and run before navigating lapped traffic in a way that kept Harvick from getting to his bumper on the final lap.

"That was an awesome race. It was so cool to be able to race there for the win," Larson told NBC Sports. "Obviously Harvick and Chase got together and Chase was upset and kind of held him up, and it got Harvick having to move around and use his tires up off the bottom.

"I started to get some diamonds working off (turns) 1 and 2, and just got a big run and decided to pull the trigger and slide him and squeeze him a little bit. And then he had me jacked up down the front stretch, and it was wild. Had my hands full."

Unofficial Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race Top 10:

1. #5 - Kyle Larson
2. #4 - Kevin Harvick
3. #24 - William Byron
4. #12 - Ryan Blaney
5. #48 - Alex Bowman
6. #2 - Brad Keselowski
7. #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
8. #43 - Erik Jones
9. #11 - Denny Hamlin
10. #21 - Matt DiBenedetto

The finish was set up by contact between Harvick and Elliott, as Harvick doored Elliott while racing for the lead in the closing laps, cutting a left front tire down on Elliott's car. After rejoining the race, Elliott sideswiped Harvick's car down the back stretch, and then stayed in Harvick's line, impeding his pace and allowing Larson to close in to make the race-winning move.

Elliott and Harvick ended up having multiple animated conversations on pit road after the race, with the two being separated before continuing their conversation in the privacy of Elliott's hauler.

"I just told him it was a kind of chicken shit move that he did there at the end," fumed Harvick. "We're racing for the freaking win at Bristol, we're three-wide in the middle, and he throws a temper tantrum. I was just trying to get the lead and race him hard. Then he pulls up in front of me and just sits there until I lose the whole lead ... I watched him let the No. 24 go by, and then anytime you run into him, it's a problem.

"... I lost so much there, and then when I got behind the car I kept getting tight off the corner and I couldn't run my line ... [Damn,] I'm ready to rip somebody's freaking head off."

"It's something he does all the time. He runs into your left side constantly at other tracks, and then sometimes it does cut down your left side, other times it doesn't," Elliott said. "He did it to me in Darlington a few weeks ago because he was tired of racing with me, and whether he did it on purpose, it doesn't matter. At some point you've got to draw the line.

"I don't care who he is or how long he's been doing it. I'm gonna stand up for myself and my team, and we'll go on down the road."

While all that occurred, the final race of the round of 16 saw four drivers eliminated from playoff contention: Aric Almirola and Tyler Reddick were both eliminated despite valiant efforts, which saw the two recover from a faulty oil line and losing a lap respectively to be in the mix to advance in the final laps. Kurt Busch was eliminated after struggling with the handling of his car throughout the night, and Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell was eliminated after an unremarkable night.

With a third place finish, William Byron was able to recover from a major points deficit entering the night to advance to the round of 12. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell were able to hang onto spots in the round of 12 despite both suffering cut tires in the closing laps.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Standings:

1. #5 - Kyle Larson - 3,059 points
2. #19 - Martin Truex Jr. - 3,029
3. #12 - Ryan Blaney - 3,024
4. #11 - Denny Hamlin - 3,024
5. #18 - Kyle Busch - 3,022
6. #9 - Chase Elliott - 3,021
7. #48 - Alex Bowman - 3,015
8. #24 - William Byron - 3,014
9. #22 - Joey Logano - 3,013
10. #2 - Brad Keselowski - 3,008
11. #20 - Christopher Bell - 3,005
12. #4 - Kevin Harvick - 3,002

Eliminated from NASCAR Playoffs:

#1 - Kurt Busch
#8 - Tyler Reddick
#10 - Aric Almirola
#34 - Michael McDowell

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Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott go to Elliott's hauler to discuss matters further in private.

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Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick still arguing in the garage area.

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Kevin Harvick slammed his helmet down on top of his car in a rage. Might have gotten his glasses too.

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Chase Elliott accuses Kevin Harvick of making the move he made at other racetracks. Has approval from the crowd.

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Kevin Harvick has choice comments for Chase Elliott in his post-race interview. Accuses Elliott of throwing a temper tantrum and holding him up, costing him the win.

Crowd doesn't like it. "They can boo all they want. I don't care."

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Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick are separated from each other before their confrontation escalates.

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Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick are having an animated discussion on pit road as Kyle Larson celebrates. Pushing and shoving now.

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Kyle Larson hangs on in lapped traffic and holds on to win the Night Race at Bristol. Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott have pulled up alongside each other on pit entry and are clearly unhappy with each other.

Tyler Reddick, Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch, and Michael McDowell have been eliminated from the NASCAR Playoffs.

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Kyle Larson takes the lead from Kevin Harvick and holds on after getting the bump and run. Two to go.

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Is there any other way for a race at Bristol to end?

In the final clash of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 16, several drivers had flat tires and the leaders made contact as the race neared its conclusion, including some crucial bumping between Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick, who were battling for the lead with Kyle Larson. Elliott wound up with a flat and Larson, with help from Elliott's blocking, wound up passing Harvick with three laps remaining to take the checkered flag at Bristol Motor Speedway to win the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

MORE: Elliott, Harvick get in heated exchanges after race

William Byron, who was fighting for a playoff spot, finished third just behind Harvick, while Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Aric Almirola, Tyler Reddick, Kurt Busch and Michael McDowell were eliminated from the Cup Series playoffs.

MORE: Bristol starting lineup

Larson had been in the mix for the top spot all night, finishing second to Denny Hamllin in the first stage and winning the second. He faced challenges late in the third stage as the caution flag was brought out three times in the final 130 laps and he struggled after each restart, but he took advantage of the chaos toward the end and raced past Harvick for the win.

Sporting News tracked live updates and lap-by-lap highlights from NASCAR's playoff race at Bristol. Follow for complete results from the 2021 Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

MORE: Watch NASCAR races live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

NASCAR at Bristol updates, highlights from Bass Pro Shops Night Race

(All times Eastern.)

10:59 p.m.: Elliott and Harvick really getting into it on pit road.

10:59 p.m.: Larson wins the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

10:59 p.m.: One lap to go, Larson has the edge.

10:58 p.m.: Larson passed Harvick with three laps to go. Harvick bumps him and is trying to reclaim the lead.

10:57 p.m.: With 10 laps to go, Harvick leads Larson and Byron.

10:53 p.m.: Now Bell has to make a green pit stop.

10:51 p.m.: It's now Harvick, Larson, Byron in the top three.

10:50 p.m.: Elliott now has a flat tire and has to pit under green.

10:49 p.m.: Busch has moved up a lap by passing Elliott and Harvick. Harvick now fighting with Elliott and takes the top spot.

10:47 p.m.: Kyle Busch has a flat tire. He has plummeted in the playoff standings and is now 11th. He's two laps down in this race.

10:45 p.m.: Larson has been gaining ground on Elliott and Harvick with 50 laps to go. 

10:41 p.m.: It's Elliott leading over Harvick, Larson, Kyle Busch and Byron with 63 laps to go.

10:38 p.m.: Almirola and Reddick, both fighting for playoff spots, are now in a heated contest for 17th.

10:35 p.m.: Now Elliott clears Larson with 87 laps to go.

10:35 p.m.: Larson is able to hold off a surging Elliott on the restart. He's been getting off to slow starts on restarts all night, but has held off challengers on the past three green flags.

10:34 p.m.: Green flag is back out. 93 laps to go in Bristol.

10:30 p.m.: Hamlin is off pit road after getting the tire replaced.

10:27 p.m.: Caution flag back out after Larson and Hamlin bump into one another. The right front on Hamlin's car went down after he bumped Larson trying to move up.

10:26 p.m.: The green flag is back out. Larson leads with Hamlin and Harvick racing right behind him.

10:24 p.m.: Another driver has clinched his spot in the Round of 12.

10:19 p.m.: Houff hits the wall to bring the caution back out. His front right tire looks busted.

10:18 p.m.: Hamlin is riding high as he continues to push Larson for first. Harvick is running third a second behind the leader.

10:15 p.m.: The green flag is back out.

10:14 p.m.: With 130 laps to go, Byron, Kurt Busch, Reddick and McDowell are the four currently out of the playoff picture.

10:11 p.m.: Larson, Hamlin, Harvick and Kyle Busch are the first four off of pit road.

10:09 p.m.: Quin Houff has lost his left rear tire, bringing out the caution flag.

10:04 p.m.: Austin Dillon is now in position for the free pass, taking it away from Kurt Busch. 

10:01 p.m.: Harvick gets caught behind David Starr, allowing Larson to move up and take the lead.

9:59 p.m.: Tyler Reddick is about to be put down a lap. That would make things challenging for him as he's hoping to move on to the next round.

9:55 p.m.: Larson has now moved into third, passing Bell with 183 laps to go.

9:53 p.m.: Harvick finally takes the lead as he passes Blaney from the inside. He's out in front with 192 laps remaining.

9:50 p.m.: Harvick cuts down low and tries to pin Blaney behind traffic, but Blaney is able to escape with the lead and stay in front.

9:50 p.m.: Harvick has really been pushing Blaney running up high on the track.

9:46 p.m.: Larson has moved back up into fifth with 216 laps to go. He fell behind taking the pit stop under caution after winning the second stage.

9:42 p.m.: Blaney nearly hit the wall, but he saves it to stay out in front. Harvick made up a lot of ground on him, but still Blaney remains in first.

9:41 p.m.: Blaney goes right under Harvick to speed out in front and take the lead. Bell and Truex battling back-and-forth for third.

9:40 p.m.: As the green flag comes back out, it's Harvick in the lead with Blaney and Bell right behind him.

9:39 p.m.: NBCSN's broadcast is showing that Harvick, Blaney and Logano have joined Hamlin, Truex and Larson in advancing to the next round of the playoffs.

9:32 p.m.: Larson wins Stage 2 and Hamlin takes second place.

9:32 p.m.: Pit road is now closed with two laps left in the stage.

9:30 p.m.: New tires for Harvick haven't helped him out. He's been unable to pass Byron for fifth place as the stage nears its end.

9:28 p.m.: Hamlin is making some contact with the rear bumper of Larson trying to push him for the lead.

9:27 p.m.: Eighteen laps left in Stage 2 as the race is back to green.

9:25 p.m.: Both Larson and Hamlin looked like they might pit, but decided against it last minute. Those two are running at the top with Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Elliott rounding out the top five.

9:22 p.m.: Most cars are staying out, though Kurt Busch, Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman each take the chance to pit under caution.

9:20 p.m.: Engines have been re-fired as the yellow flag is back out.

9:13 p.m.: The red flag has now been brought out for that crash.

9:11 p.m.: B.J. McLeod and Corey LaJoie are both out.

9:10 p.m.: Pit road hasn't been opened yet as they work to clear it after the crash.

9:06 p.m.: Big crash on Turn 4 of Lap 220 has collected a number of cars.

9:02 p.m.: Larson is able to coast through the traffic, and Hamlin is trying to go under it to keep pace with him in second.

9:01 p.m.: Ryan Newman is out of the race.

8:59 p.m.: Elliott is all the way up to ninth on Lap 194. He's made up quite a lot of ground since he was sent to the rear.

8:57 p.m.: Kurt Busch has moved below the cut line with Alex Bowman moving up just above it.

8:55 p.m.: Almirola is able to stay on the lead lap as the green flag comes back out.

8:54 p.m.: Almirola was black-flagged on that trip to pit road.

8:52 p.m.: Instead of going back to green, they're looking for fluid on the track.

8:50 p.m.: The caution has come back out. Almirola's car is still smoking after a trip to pit road, with his crew saying that there is a liquid leaking.

8:47 p.m.: Larson, Hamlin, Keselowski, Harvick and Blaney are the first five off pit road.

8:46 p.m.: Here's a look at the incident that has brought out the caution.

8:43 p.m.: The caution comes out. Smoke coming out of Daniel Suarez's car, a number of other cars are heading into pit road with damage. Also smoke coming from the back of Aric Almirola's car.

8:40 p.m.: Elliott has moved back up to 21st on Lap 156, but he's still a ways back. That speeding penalty dropped him all the way to the back of the field.

8:37 p.m.: Hamlin drives Keselowski up top and moves in ahead for the lead.

8:36 p.m.: Keselowski jumps up to take the lead and Hamlin moves in ahead of Larson as well.

8:34 p.m.: Green flag is back out. 

8:32 p.m.: Elliott has been hit with speeding on pit road.

8:31 p.m.: Larson, Elliott, Keselowski, Hamlin and Harvick are the first five off pit road. Hamlin dropping all the way down to fourth after winning the stage.

8:29 p.m.: Coming into the race, Tyler Reddick, William Byron and Michael McDowell needed a lot to happen for them to reach the next round. At the caution, Reddick is in 13th, Byron is in fifth and McDowell is in 20th.

8:25 p.m.: Larson passes Hamlin, but gets caught up in lap traffic. Hamlin retakes the lead as Larson is stuck behind Bubba Wallace. Larson now cutting to the bottom and gets past Wallace, but he can't get past Hamlin, who wins the Stage 1.

8:25 p.m.: Larson has caught up with Hamlin as only five laps remain in the first stage.

8:17 p.m.: Hamlin stays up high and passes Larson to take the lead. Corey LaJoie, Hamlin and Larson go three-wide at one point on Lap 92.

8:15 p.m.: Elliott gets caught in traffic as Larson makes a move to take the lead. Hamlin takes advantage of some contact made between him and Elliott to move into second.

8:13 p.m.: Larson has been trying to make a move on Elliott for the lead, getting right up behind him at times, but Elliott has been able to keep him at bay as they continue to weave through traffic.

8:12 p.m.: The race for first remains incredibly close on Lap 75. Elliott has held onto his advantage, but Larson and Hamlin are both within two seconds of him.

8:07 p.m.: Logano had some issues on pit road and drops pretty far. He's riding in 23rd on Lap 58.

8:05 p.m.: The green is back out. Larson immediately jumps past Hamlin for second.

8:01 p.m.: Elliott, Hamlin, Larson, Keselowski and Harvick all stay in the top five coming off pit road.

7:59 p.m.: There's the competition caution.

7:58 p.m.: Truex has fallen all the way back to 10th, and is facing pressure from Byron.

7:57 p.m.: Kurt Busch, riding in 22nd, is having some issues right now. He needs to perform well in this race to keep his playoff hopes alive.

7:56 p.m.: Hamlin has worked his way back up to second, with Larson right behind him. Competition caution is coming up in seven laps.

7:53 p.m.: Tyler Reddick says that he's having issues with his radio. Told his crew he can only hear every third word.

7:51 p.m.: Brad Keselowski, racing up in sixth, says over the radio that he's feeling good about his car.

7:50 p.m.: Elliott takes the lead on Lap 7. 

7:48 p.m.: Chase Elliott was aggressive early to move past Denny Hamlin, and he's now making ground on the leader, Martin Truex Jr., on Lap 5.

7:48 p.m.: The last Round of 16 race is underway.

7:46 p.m.: NBCSN broadcast says the competition caution will come out at Lap 40.

7:38 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr. Foundation founder Sherry Pollex gives the command to drivers.

7:35 p.m.: Kids of NASCAR drivers and crew sing the national anthem ahead of the race.

7:30 p.m.: Prerace ceremonies underway.

7:15 p.m.: Weather certainly doesn't seem to be an issue. Drivers have been going through introductions and there are only a few clouds in the sky above the track.

7 p.m.: Bristol Motor Speedway warning fans of severe weather around the area. According to the Weather Channel, scattered thunderstorms are expected leading up to the start of the race, but it looks like the chance of precipitation dips just after the green flag is expected to be waved.

NASCAR start time today

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (TV time)
• TV channel: NBCSN (TSN5 in Canada)
• Live stream: NBCSports.com | NBC Sports App | fuboTV ( 7-day free trial )

The green flag for Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series playoff race on Bristol Motor Speedway's 0.533-mile oval is scheduled to drop at 7:47 p.m. ET.

Rain could be a factor on race night. The National Weather Service's Saturday night forecast for Bristol, Tenn. , is for possible showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature in the low to mid-60s. Winds will be light. The weather service said that there is a 40 percent chance of precipitation.

NASCAR playoff standings

Three drivers are already locked into the Round of 12 heading into the Bristol race. Denny Hamlin was the first when he won the playoff opener at Darlington. Kyle Larson (clinched on points) and Martin Truex Jr. (race winner) followed in the next race at Richmond.

The bottom four non-winning drivers after the Bristol race will be eliminated from the playoffs. The remaining 12 drivers will advance to the Round of 12, which will begin Sept. 26 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  

x-Clinched berth in Round of 12.

NASCAR starting lineup at Bristol

Here is the complete NASCAR starting lineup for Saturday's playoff elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

Three drivers are already locked up for the next round of the 12 NASCAR Cup Series round. Nine more places are still up for grabs before the Bass Pro Shops night race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Those three are the winners of the first two playoff races – Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. – and the regular season winner – Kyle Larson – who scored points at the Richmond Raceway last Saturday.

Several pilots are in a fairly good position. Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Kevin Harvick all need less than 30 points to move on. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell are both under 40. And if a driver wins who has not yet secured a spot, he is automatically entered.

No active driver has won in Bristol more than Kyle Busch with his three wins.

Sporting News follows live updates and turn-based highlights from the NASCAR playoff race in Bristol. Follow for the full results of the 2021 Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

MORE: Watch Today’s NASCAR Race Live With fuboTV (7 Day Free Trial)

NASCAR Bristol Live Updates, Bass Pro Shops Night Race Highlights

7:38 p.m .: Martin Truex Jr. Foundation Founder Sherry Pollex puts drivers in charge.

7:35 p.m .: The children of NASCAR drivers and crew sing the national anthem before the race.

7:30 p.m .: Pre-race ceremonies in progress.

7.15 p.m .: The weather certainly doesn’t seem to be a problem. The pilots made the introductions and there are only a few clouds in the sky above the runway.

7 p.m .: Bristol Motor Speedway warning fans of severe weather in the area. Scattered thunderstorms are expected before the start of the race, according to the Weather Channel, but it looks like the risk of falling precipitation just after the green flag is waved.

NASCAR start time today

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (TV time)
• TV channel: NBCSN (TSN5 in Canada)
• Direct: NBCSports.com | NBC Sports Application | fuboTV (7 day free trial)

The green flag for Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race on the 0.533-mile oval at Bristol Motor Speedway is expected to fall at 7:47 p.m. ET.

Rain could be a factor on the night of the race. The National Weather Service’s Saturday night forecast for Bristol, Tenn., Is for showers and possible thunderstorms before 9pm. The sky will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature in the 1960s. The winds will be light. The weather service said there was a 40 percent chance of precipitation.

NASCAR Playoff Ranking

Three drivers are already locked in the round of 12 ahead of the Bristol race. Denny Hamlin was the first when he won the playoff opener at Darlington. Kyle Larson (won on points) and Martin Truex Jr. (race winner) followed in the next race in Richmond.

The last four non-winning drivers after the Bristol race will be eliminated from the playoffs. The remaining 12 drivers will advance to the Round of 12, which begins September 26 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

x-Clinched berth in round of 12.

NASCAR starting eleven in Bristol

Here’s the full NASCAR start list for Saturday’s playoff playoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Bass Pro Shops night race.

Three drivers are already locked in for the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12. Nine more spots are still left up for grabs heading into the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

Those three are the winners of the first two playoff races — Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. — and the regular-season winner — Kyle Larson — who clinched on points at Richmond Raceway last Saturday.

Several drivers are in a pretty good position. Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Kevin Harvick all need fewer than 30 points to move on. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell are both within 40. And if any driver wins who has not already clinched a spot, they’re automatically in.

No active driver has won at Bristol more than Kyle Busch with his three wins. 

Sporting News is tracking live updates and lap-by-lap highlights from NASCAR’s playoff race at Bristol. Follow for complete results from the 2021 Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

MORE: Watch today’s NASCAR race live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

NASCAR at Bristol live updates, highlights from Bass Pro Shops Night Race

7:15 p.m.: Weather certainly doesn’t seem to be an issue. Drivers have been going through introductions and there are only a few clouds in the sky above the track.

7 p.m.: Bristol Motor Speedway warning fans of severe weather around the area. According to the Weather Channel, scattered thunderstorms are expected leading up to the start of the race, but it looks like the chance of precipitation dips just after the green flag is expected to be waved.

NASCAR start time today

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (TV time)
• TV channel: NBCSN (TSN5 in Canada)
• Live stream: NBCSports.com | NBC Sports App | fuboTV (7-day free trial)

The green flag for Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race on Bristol Motor Speedway’s 0.533-mile oval is scheduled to drop at 7:47 p.m. ET.

Rain could be a factor on race night. The National Weather Service’s Saturday night forecast for Bristol, Tenn., is for possible showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature in the low to mid-60s. Winds will be light. The weather service said that there is a 40 percent chance of precipitation.

NASCAR playoff standings

Three drivers are already locked into the Round of 12 heading into the Bristol race. Denny Hamlin was the first when he won the playoff opener at Darlington. Kyle Larson (clinched on points) and Martin Truex Jr. (race winner) followed in the next race at Richmond.

The bottom four non-winning drivers after the Bristol race will be eliminated from the playoffs. The remaining 12 drivers will advance to the Round of 12, which will begin Sept. 26 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  

x-Clinched berth in Round of 12.

NASCAR starting lineup at Bristol

Here is the complete NASCAR starting lineup for Saturday’s playoff elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

Two NASCAR Cup Series playoff races are in the books, and three drivers have punched their tickets to the Round of 12. 

It has been a successful opening round for Joe Gibbs Racing, which celebrated victories at Darlington Raceway with Denny Hamlin and at Richmond Raceway one week ago with Martin Truex Jr. Hendrick Motorsports also got some good news at Richmond when regular-season champion Kyle Larson clinched a berth in the next round of the playoffs on points.

Now the action turns to Tennessee's Bristol Motor Speedway for the first elimination race of the playoffs. Following Saturday night's race, four drivers will be sent packing and see their 2021 championship aspirations dashed, while nine additional drivers will join Hamlin, Truex and Larson in the second round.

Here is everything you need to know to get ready for Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway:

START TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET. GREEN FLAG: 7:47 p.m. ET

TV: NBCSN. Pre-race broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.

RADIO:Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. 

STREAMING:NBC Sports website (for those who sign in with their cable/satellite provider) and NBC Sports app.

RACE DISTANCE: 500 laps around the 0.533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway for a total of 266.5 miles.

STAGE LENGTHS (laps per stage): Stage 1: 125, Stage 2: 125, Stage 3: 250.

LAST TIME: Joey Logano won the inaugural dirt race at Bristol on March 29, leading 61 laps and holding off Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by 0.554 seconds. And one year ago in the 2020 playoff race, Kevin Harvick led 226 laps, including the final 32, before edging Kyle Busch by 0.310 seconds. 

PLAYOFFS: Here are the standings prior to Saturday night's race at Bristol Motor Speedway (x-clinched berth in round of 12):

1. x-Kyle Larson, 2,151; 2. x-Denny Hamlin, 2,127; 3. x-Martin Truex Jr., 2,113; 4. Joey Logano, 2,093; 5. Ryan Blaney, 2,081; 6. Kevin Harvick, 2,078; 7. Chase Elliott, 2,072; 8. Christopher Bell, 2,070; 9. Brad Keselowski, 2,066; 10. Kyle Busch, 2,061; 11. Aric Almirola, 2,056; 12. Kurt Busch, 2,053; 13. Alex Bowman, 2,053; 14. Tyler Reddick, 2,048; 15. William Byron, 2,035; 16. Michael McDowell, 2,015. 

LINEUP: The starting lineup was determined by using NASCAR’s competition-based formula. Martin Truex Jr., who won last Saturday's playoff race at Richmond Raceway, will start on the pole alongside his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin.

Here is the lineup for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race (car number in parentheses):

1. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

2. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota

3. (22) Joey Logano, Ford

4. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet

5. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet

6. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota

7. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford

8. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford

9. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota

10. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford

11. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

12. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford

13. (8) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet

14. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet

15. (1) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet

16. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

17. (42) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

18. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

19. (21) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford

20. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford

21. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet

22. (43) Erik Jones, Chevrolet

23. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

24. (6) Ryan Newman, Ford

25. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

26. (41) Cole Custer, Ford

27. (37) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet

28. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

29. (77) Justin Haley, Chevrolet

30. (38) Anthony Alfredo, Ford

31. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

32. (78) BJ McLeod, Ford

33. (52) Josh Bilicki, Ford

34. (00) Quin Houff, Chevrolet

35. (51) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet

36. (53) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet

37. (15) James Davison, Chevrolet

38. David Starr (66), Toyota