Just three races remain until the NASCAR Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Currently there are seven drivers vying for the last three spots in the title race as the second event in the Round of 8 begins Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.

Kyle Busch punched his ticket to the title race with a win at Martinsville Sunday but a confrontation between Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin stole the headlines. Hamlin wrecked Elliott from the lead with just under three laps remaining, ending his shot at a first career win and a ticket to the championship.

Now, all eyes will be on Elliott as he contemplates retaliation at Texas or tries to dig himself out of a playoff hole which currently sees him in last, 26 points behind Kevin Harvick for the fourth and final spot in the Championship 4 race.

When drivers hit the Texas Motor Speedway pavement Friday, it will mark the second time stock cars have officially been on the 1.5-mile track since it underwent its second re-pave. The track also added a drainage system on the frontstretch and backstretch and re-profiled Turns 1 and 2 (banking reduced from 24 to 20 degrees, racing surface expanded from 60 to 80 feet wide).

Jimmie Johnson won earlier this year at the track when he took the lead from Joey Logano with 16 laps remaining and held on for his first win of the season and his seventh at the Lone Star State track. 

2017 NASCAR playoffs Round of 8 standings

1. Kyle Busch (win)
2. Martin Truex Jr. +67 points above cutoff line
3. Brad Keselowski +29
4. Kevin Harvick +3
    
5. Jimmie Johnson -3
6. Ryan Blaney -6
7. Denny Hamlin -8
8. Chase Elliott -26

NASCAR at Texas 2017 schedule, TV channel

(All times ET)

Thursday, Nov. 2
3-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice 
5-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice 

Friday, Nov. 3
1-2:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App 
3-3:45 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App 
4 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FS1  
5-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBC Sports App
6:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBC Sports App (Will air tape delayed on NBCSN at 11:30 p.m.)
8 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief (147 laps, 220.5 miles), FS1 

Saturday, Nov. 4

3-3:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, CNBC/NBC Sports App
5-5:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, CNBC/NBC Sports App 
6:05 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, CNBC/NBC Sports App 
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), NBCSN/NBC Sports App 

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at Texas on?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 begins at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, November 5 and can be seen on NBC Sports Network and the NBC Sports app. 

What are the stage lengths for NASCAR's AAA Texas 500?

The AAA Texas 500, which is 334 laps and 501 miles, will be broken into three segments: Stage 1 ends on Lap 85, Stage 2 ends on Lap 170 and the final stage ends on Lap 334. 

Which NASCAR Cup Series drivers are racing in the playoff race at Texas?

There are 40 Cup drivers entered in Sunday's race, meaning all will make the race with Friday's qualifying setting their starting positions. Here is the list of participating Cup drivers in alphabetical order by first name: