Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s October racing slate has already delivered a NASCAR Cup Series finish, with Chase Briscoe winning the South Point 400 on Oct. 4. Next up: the Mopar NHRA Las Vegas Nationals, scheduled for Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
That puts two very different kinds of racing on the local calendar this month. The Cup cars have run their 267-lap race on the oval. The NHRA’s drag racers are due back at the speedway complex for a weekend of straight-line competition. Las Vegas has its October motorsports bookends, with one green flag already in the rearview mirror and another approaching.
Briscoe takes the South Point 400
Briscoe, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, led a race-high 175 laps and won both stages before taking the checkered flag. He finished 1.376 seconds ahead of Kyle Larson, according to NASCAR’s race report.
The win marked Briscoe’s second Cup Series victory of the season. It also gave him a boost in the championship standings, with five races left in the season at the time of the race. Sunday’s result was a big one for the No. 19 team, not just another Las Vegas trophy for the case.
One Cup race, settled on the track
The 2026 South Point 400 was held Sunday, Oct. 4, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The official speedway event listing identifies it as a NASCAR Cup Series race. The headline result came from the Cup field, not a three-series NASCAR weekend like the one described in some past schedules.
Briscoe’s victory came after a close fight at the front in the closing laps. Larson and Tyler Reddick pressed him late, but contact between the two challengers in the final corner helped Briscoe hold on. The margin at the finish was 1.376 seconds.
For local fans, the South Point 400 is the familiar oval-track spectacle: a full field, repeated laps, and a winner who has to manage traffic and timing over a long race. This year, the top story was Briscoe’s control of the day, from the stage wins to the finish.
NHRA brings a different kind of speed
The next major racing event on the calendar is the Mopar NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge, set for Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The event is part of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Unlike the South Point 400, the NHRA event runs on a drag strip, where competitors race head-to-head down a straight course. It is a sharp change in format, even though both events share the same speedway complex. Oval laps give way to short, high-powered runs, and the winner’s challenge shifts from managing a long race to delivering a fast, clean pass.
The event’s full name and dates are listed by the speedway. Fans planning to attend should use the organizer’s event page for current ticket and schedule information. Event details can change, so check again before heading out.
Two October dates, two racing styles
The October slate puts NASCAR and NHRA racing on the same Las Vegas calendar, but not on the same weekend. The South Point 400 took place Oct. 4. The NHRA Nationals are scheduled for the final days of the month, from Oct. 30 into Nov. 1.
That distinction matters for anyone building plans around race day. The NASCAR Cup race is complete, with Briscoe’s win now the month’s headline result. The NHRA weekend is still ahead, and its format, venue within the complex, and event details differ from the oval race.
For Las Vegas motorsports fans, October is delivering both kinds of noise: the Cup cars have had their say, and the drag strip gets its turn next. Briscoe banked the win. NHRA gets the last word on the month.
