NASCAR viewer’s guide: Nashville Superspeedway

NASCAR returns in full force this weekend with racing in the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn.

NBC and the USA Network open coverage of the second half of the season with broadcasts of Saturday’s Xfinity (USA) and Sunday’s Cup (NBC) race. USA also will televise Xfinity and Cup practice Friday and Xfinity and Cup qualifying Saturday.

NASCAR returned to the 1.33-mile Nashville track last season. Kyle Larson won the first Cup race at the track, leading 264 of the 300 laps, including the final 78.

Kyle Larson figures to carry the favorite’s role into Sunday’s race. In last year’s race, which was run in pounding heat, his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet smashed the rest of the field as he led 264 laps and won by 4.33 seconds, an eternity in today’s NASCAR. He sped away as the final 68 laps were run under green.

The win was Larson’s fourth of the season. He was second in Stage 1 and first in Stage 2.

He’ll be looking for a rebound of sorts after two straight finishes of 12th or worse.

The weekend landscape will be new for Larson as he teams with Kevin Meendering, the No. 5 team’s interim crew chief. Meendering, a Hendrick veteran, replaces Cliff Daniels, who was suspended for four weeks after Larson’s car lost a wheel in the last race at Sonoma Raceway.

Kyle Larson’s team is the latest to be penalized for wheels that wander off race cars.

Other drivers who have been nailed this year: Justin Haley (Daytona), Kaz Grala (Daytona), Todd Gilliland (Auto Club), Corey LaJoie (Phoenix), Bubba Wallace (COTA), BJ McLeod (Talladega), Denny Hamlin (Dover), AJ Allmendinger (Dover) and Justin Haley (Kansas).

Trent Owens (Haley) is scheduled to return to competition this weekend after serving four-week