Everything you need to know before 2024 Bristol night race, Round of 16 finale

Hendrick Motorsports is the team to beat in the Tennessee hills

Alex Bowman's playoffs couldn't be off to a better start. Not only does he enter Saturday's race 41 points above the cut line, but a blazing lap during Friday's qualifying session put the veteran on the pole. Teammates Kyle Larson (second) and William Byron (third) will join Bowman up in the top five, with Chase Elliott qualifying 10th. No matter what type of track the Cup Series goes to, it's no surprise to see Rick Hendrick's fleet of cars up front.

Ty Gibbs eyes first career win, Round of 12 berth

Gibbs may have qualified 13th, but it was the No. 54 that topped the practice charts on Friday afternoon. Gibbs finished ninth at Bristol in March after leading 137 laps and led 102 laps en route to a fifth-place finish in last year's Bristol night race. A win isn't imperative for Gibbs, who enters Saturday's race six points above the cut line, but winning his first race in the playoffs would go a long way in determining the fate of Gibbs' second Cup Series season.

Long road ahead for Suarez, Cindric in quest for Round of 12 spot

Austin Cindric (+43) and Daniel Suarez (+36) both have sizable advantages over the cut line entering Saturday's race, but less than stellar qualifying efforts of 27th (Cindric) and 35th (Suarez) mean neither driver is locked into the Round of 12 yet. Anything can happen at Bristol, and if both drivers go a lap down early, they could be vulnerable to a heartbreaking elimination. Cindric and Suarez have silenced the critics through the first two races of the postseason, but they can't let the bright Bristol lights get the best of them. 

The 2024 Bristol night race will go green shortly after 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, with coverage on USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.