NASCAR Xfinity Series TEXAS

Allgaier leads the Xfinity Series to Texas

Veteran Justin Allgaier claimed the first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of the 2023 Playoffs last week – his third trophy of the year - and the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet heads into Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (3:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) absolutely expecting another week of high-stakes action on the 1.5-mile Fort Worth high banks.

There are only two championship contenders with past wins at Texas – Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer (2018) and Joe Gibbs Racing’s John Hunter Nemechek (2021). Yet overall, this Playoff field boasts plenty of stellar work at the track with only two races remaining to decide which eight drivers advance to the next Playoff round.

Custer, who is ranked third in the championship has an impressive four top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes in six previous Texas starts. Similarly, Nemechek, who is ranked second to Allgaier in the Playoff standings – but leads in points - has three top-five and four top-10 efforts in five starts.

It will be an important weekend for Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Hill, who won the Regular Season Championship but sits fourth in the Playoff standings heading to the Lone Star State. The driver of the No. 21 RCR Chevrolet has a pair of top-five finishes in four series starts at the track and was runner-up to Noah Gragson in last year’s race.

The 2021 series champion Daniel Hemric, Jeb Burton and Josh Berry are among those with at least three starts at Texas with Hemric’s three top-fives – including a runner-up showing to Tyler Reddick in 2021 – tops statistically among this group.

Two Playoff contenders, JGR’s Sammy Smith and Kaulig Racing’s Chandler Smith will be making their Texas Motor Speedway series debut. They are currently ranked fifth and seventh, respectively, in the Playoff standings.

It’s been a full decade since Playoff driver Parker Kligerman last competed at Texas in the series. His last two starts in 2013 resulted in 12th and 13th place finishes.

Allgaier, with his Bristol, Tenn. win, along with Nemechek, Custer, Hill, Chandler Smith, Hemric, Sammy Smith and Sheldon Creed go into the race weekend above the Playoff cut-off line. Burton is in ninth place, only four points off Creed for that final spot to advance to the Round of 8. Mayer (-12), Kligerman (-22) and Berry (-24) round out the Playoff field for the Texas race.

Not only is the Playoff situation a compelling storyline, but this week’s starting lineup will include a pair of high-profile debuts. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular Daniel Dye, 19, will make his Xfinity Series debut driving the No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet – the first of three events he’ll run in 2023 (also Las Vegas and Phoenix).

And Layne Riggs, 21, son of former NASCAR Cup Series veteran Scott Riggs, will make his first series start in the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

Practice for the race is set for 10:35 a.m. ET on Saturday followed immediately by qualifying (both sessions on the NBC Sports App) and then the 3:30 p.m. ET green flag.

Xfinity Series Playoffs continue in the Lone Star State

The NASCAR Xfinity Series kicked off the 2023 Playoffs last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, and the opening race saw JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier take the checkered flag. With the win, Allgaier clinched his spot in the Playoffs’ Round of 8, which will start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 14.

The Xfinity Series now heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 on Saturday, September 23 at 3:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Although the Fort Worth track has been on the Xfinity Series Playoff circuit since its inception in 2016, this will be the first time the track will play host to the second race of the postseason. Texas has occupied four different spots on the Playoff schedule. Prior to this season Texas Motor Speedway hosted the fourth race in the Playoffs (or the Round of 8 opener) from 2016 – 2020, and then the third race of the Playoffs in 2021 and the postseason opener in 2022.

In total, the 1.5-mile Texas track has hosted 44 Xfinity Series races, producing 24 different race winners and 26 different pole winners. Six races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Ryan Blaney in 2016.

NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Busch has made quite the name for himself at Texas Motor Speedway, holding the record in almost all categories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – most wins (10), poles (four), top fives (17), top 10s (18), lead lap finishes (20), and laps led (1,795).

There are only two previous winners entered in this weekend’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300, and both happen to be Playoff drivers – Cole Custer, who snagged his win in 2018, and John Hunter Nemechek, who took the checkered flag in 2021.

Xfinity Series drivers will have an action-packed Saturday as they hit the track for practice at 10:35 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 11:05 a.m. ET on September 23 (streamed on the NBC Sports App).

Clinch Scenarios: The Playoff run continues

Justin Allgaier clinched hit spot in the Round of 8 with his win at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend, leaving 11 drivers competing for the seven remaining spots. Let’s take a look at clinch scenarios heading into the weekend:

Already Clinched

The following driver has clinched a spot in the 8-driver field of the next round: Justin Allgaier.

Can Clinch Via Points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 7th winless driver in the standings.  The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric or Sammy Smith.

• John Hunter Nemechek: Would clinch with 45 points (46 points if Austin Hill or Chandler Smith wins; 47 points if Daniel Hemric; 49 points if Sammy Smith wins)
• Cole Custer: Could only clinch with help
• Austin Hill: Could only clinch with help
• Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
• Daniel Hemric: Could only clinch with help
• Sammy Smith: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Sheldon Creed or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 6th winless driver in the standings.

• John Hunter Nemechek: Would clinch with 49 points
• Cole Custer: Could only clinch with help
• Austin Hill: Could only clinch with help
• Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
• Daniel Hemric: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Sammy Smith, Sheldon Creed, Jeb Burton, Sam Mayer, Parker Kligerman, Josh Berry

Scouting the Playoff field at Texas

The NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers range in experience at Texas Motor Speedway, from veterans to rookies, so let’s take a look at how they’ve performed on the 1.5-mile track.

Justin Allgaier: Already clinched into the Round of 8, Allgaier heads to Texas with 25 starts under his belt. In those 25 starts, he’s posted five top fives, 13 top 10s, and has led 226 laps. His best finish was runner-up in 2021.

John Hunter Nemechek: Currently sitting in second in the Playoff standings, Nemechek heads into the weekend with five Texas Motor Speedway starts, posting one win (2021), three top fives, four top 10s, and has led 158 laps.

Cole Custer: Third in the Playoff standings, Custer has made six starts at the 1.5-mile Texas track, posting one win (2018), four top fives, five top 10s, and has led a total of 16 laps.

Austin Hill: Heading to Texas fourth in the standings, Hill will be making his fifth start on the track. In his four previous starts, he’s posted two top fives, two top 10s, and has led 17 laps. The 29-year-old will be sure to push for the win as he posted a runner-up finish in last year’s Texas Playoff race.

Chandler Smith: In his rookie season in the Xfinity Series, Smith sits in fifth in the Playoff standings. He will be making his series debut at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.

Daniel Hemric: The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Hemric, heads into the weekend sixth in the Playoff standings. He’s made eight starts at Texas Motor Speedway, posting three top fives, four top 10s, and has led 161 laps. In 2021, he posted a runner-up finish at the track.

Sammy Smith: The 19-year-old rookie currently sits in seventh in the Playoff standings. He will be making his series debut at the 1.5-mile Texas track this weekend.

Sheldon Creed: Currently eighth in the Playoff standings, Creed heads to the lone star state with two starts under his belt, posting one top 10 finish.

Jeb Burton: He heads to Texas for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 ninth in the overall standings. He’s made 10 starts at Texas Motor Speedway, posting one to five, three top 10s, and has led 12 laps.

Sam Mayer: In his second Xfinity Series Playoff appearance, Mayer sits in 10th in the Playoff standings. In his three starts at the track, he’s posed one top-five and two top-10 finishes.

Parker Kligerman: In the 11th Playoff spot, Kligerman heads back to Fort Worth, Texas after a 10-year hiatus. He’s made three starts at the track, most recently in 2013 where he posted a 12th-place and 13th-place finish, respectively.

Josh Berry: In the final Playoff spot, Berry heads to Texas Motor Speedway with three starts on his resume, posting two top 10s and having led 46 laps.

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

Layne Riggs to make Xfinity Series debut at Texas – Kaulig Racing will be tapping 21-year-old Layne Riggs for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. He will get behind the wheel of the No. 11 Chevrolet for his debut in the series.

Although this will be his first stint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he has made a total of six starts in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, posting one top five and two top 10s.

“I’m so excited to be making my first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway with a team that has had success in the Xfinity Series,” said Riggs. “I am super thankful to Jeff Coffey at Infinity Communications along with the whole Kaulig Racing organization for giving me this opportunity. I am so ready to get on track.”

Daniel Dye to make three Xfinity Series starts in 2023 – Daniel Dye, who is in his rookie season in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, will be making three Xfinity Series starts this season behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet with Alpha Prime Racing.

Dye will kick off his three-race stint this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway then will continue on to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, before closing out his Xfinity Series run at Phoenix Raceway.

"I'm really looking forward to making my Xfinity debut with Tommy Joe Martins and everyone at Alpha Prime," said Dye. "It's a great opportunity to compete at the next level and get a feel for what the Xfinity car is like before hopefully getting more opportunities in the future."

NASCAR Xfinity Series bristol

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs get underway at Bristol Motor Speedway

Since the postseason’s inception in 2016, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has decided its champion through an ‘elimination-style’ Playoff format, that has a 12-driver field battle it out over a course of seven weeks through three rounds, with the champion being named in the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.

Last season, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs became the sixth different driver to win a NASCAR Xfinity Series title in the Playoff Era (2016-Present), joining Daniel Suarez (2016), William Byron (2017), Tyler Reddick (2018, 2019), Austin Cindric (2020), and Daniel Hemric (2021). Gibbs also became 32nd different NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion all-time (1985-2022).

Following the regular season finale at Kansas Speedway last weekend, the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series 12-driver Playoff field is set and ready to jump into the postseason this Friday, Sept. 15 in the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This season marks the first-time Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted the Playoffs’ opener in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the first-time it has hosted a postseason race in the series. Bristol Motor Speedway is the fifth different track to host the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs’ first race, joining Kentucky Speedway (2016-2017), Richmond Raceway (2018-2019), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2020-2021) and Texas Motor Speedway (2022).

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs Race No. 1 – Race Winners

In total six different drivers have won the first race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, led by Christopher Bell with two victories (both at Richmond) in 2018 and 2019.

Twice a non-Playoff driver has won the postseason opener in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – Tyler Reddick in 2017 at Kentucky Speedway and Josh Berry in 2021 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Interestingly, the winners of the first race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs have never gone on to win the overall championship later that same season. But they did get a shot at it because all of the winners of the first Playoff race, if they were a Playoff contender, have all made the Championship 4 Round the same season of their win – Elliott Sadler (2016), Christopher Bell (2018, 2019), Chase Briscoe (2020) and Noah Gragson (2022).

Catch the start of the Xfinity Series Playoff action at Bristol Motor Speedway with practice and qualifying from 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

Clinch Scenarios: Bristol Motor Speedway

When it comes to the clinch scenarios in the first race of a round in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, the math can be pretty easy – just win. None of the 12-driver Playoff field have clinched a spot in the Round of 8 heading into this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway and their only way of clinching a spot this weekend is to win their way in.

Already Clinched

No drivers have clinched a spot in the eight-driver field of the next round.

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith, Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed, Jeb Burton, Sammy Smith, Daniel Hemric, Parker Kligerman

Only two former NASCAR Xfinity Series Bristol Motor Speedway winners are active this weekend, and only one is a current Playoff driver: Justin Allgaier (2010) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2004). But three drivers entered this weekend in the Food City 300 (Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) have won at Bristol in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in their careers: Chandler Smith (2021), Sam Mayer (2020) and Brett Moffitt (2019).

Spotlighting the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Field

This season marks the eighth running of the Playoffs in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and this season’s postseason 12-driver field is one to remember.

Drivers from seven different organizations have qualified for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, led by JR Motorsports with three contenders (Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Josh Berry), followed by Joe Gibbs Racing (John H. Nemechek and Sammy Smith), Richard Childress Racing (Austin Hill and Sheldon Creed), and Kaulig Racing (Chandler Smith and Daniel Hemric) with two each, and Stewart-Haas Racing (Cole Custer), Jordan Anderson Racing (Jeb Burton) and Big Machine Racing (Parker Kligerman) with one each.

All three official engine manufacturers have earned spots in the 2023 Xfinity Series Playoffs, led by Chevrolet with nine cars in the postseason, followed by Toyota with two and Ford with one.

This season’s Playoff contenders include one former series champion (Daniel Hemric, 2021) and two current Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates (Chandler Smith and Sammy Smith). Below is a quick look at the 12 Playoff drivers heading into Bristol this weekend:

(Note: Drivers are listed in Playoff standings order)

John Hunter Nemechek (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

The current NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standing leader, John Hunter Nemechek, heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend up +43 points on the Round of 8 cutline. This season marks the second time Nemechek has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2023, ’19).

This year, Nemechek has posted two poles, six wins, 13 top fives and 19 top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Nemechek has made three Xfinity Series starts putting up two top-five finishes. His career average finish at Bristol is 7.0.

Austin Hill (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)

Austin Hill currently ranks second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings as he heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, up +33 points on the Round of 8 cutline, and just 10 points back from the standings lead. This season marks the second time Hill has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2023, ’22).

This year, Hill has collected three poles, four wins, 15 top fives and 19 top 10s in 26 starts.

Hill made his Xfinity Series career track debut last season at Bristol Motor Speedway; the Georgia native started 15th and raced his way up to a third-place finish.

Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet)

Justin Allgaier currently ranks third in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings as he heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, up +20 points on the Round of 8 cutline, and 23 points back from the standings lead. Allgaier leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Playoff appearances with eight; he has participated in every postseason since its inception into the series in 2016 (2023, '22, '21, '20, '19, '18, '17, '16) – the only driver to accomplish the feat.

This season, Allgaier has posted two poles, two wins, 11 top fives and 15 top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Allgaier has made 22 Xfinity Series starts amassing one pole, one win (2010), 10 top fives and 14 top 10s. His career average finish at Bristol is 11.4.

Cole Custer (No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford)

Heading into Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, Cole Custer currently ranks fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings, up +11 points on the Round of 8 cutline, and 32 points back from the standings lead. This season marks the fourth time Custer has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2023, '19, '18, '17).

This year, Custer has collected four poles, two wins, 10 top fives and 16 top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Custer has made six Xfinity Series starts putting up two poles, two top fives and four top 10s. His career average finish at Bristol is 13.2.

Sam Mayer (No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet)

Rolling into Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, Sam Mayer currently ranks fifth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings, up nine points on the Round of 8 cutline, and 34 points back from the standings lead. This season marks the second time Mayer has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2023, ‘22).

This year, Mayer has posted four poles, two wins, 10 top fives and 16 top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Mayer has made two Xfinity Series starts putting one top five and two top 10s. His career average finish at Bristol is 6.5.

Chandler Smith (No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet)

Arriving at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, Chandler Smith currently ranks sixth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings, up three points on the Round of 8 cutline, and 40 points back from the standings lead. Chandler Smith is one of four drivers this season making their NASCAR Xfinity Series career debuts in the Playoffs, alongside Sheldon Creed, Parker Kligerman and fellow rookie Sammy Smith.

This season, Smith has collected three poles, one win, five top fives and nine top 10s in 26 starts.

This weekend, Smith will be making his NASCAR Xfinity Series track debut at Bristol Motor Speedway. Though this weekend will be his first start in the Xfinity Series at Bristol, he does have four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at .533-mile track posting one win (2021) and three top fives.

Josh Berry (No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet)

Josh Berry currently ranks seventh in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings as he heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, up three points on the Round of 8 cutline, and 40 points back from the standings lead. This season marks the second time Berry has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2023, ‘22).

This year, Berry has posted two poles, nine top fives and 15 top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Berry has made two Xfinity Series starts posting one top-10 finish (seventh in 2022). His career average finish at Bristol is 21.0.

Sheldon Creed (No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)

Heading into Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, Sheldon Creed ranks eighth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings, up two points on the Round of 8 cutline, in the final transfer spot on points. Sheldon Creed is one of four drivers this season that are making their NASCAR Xfinity Series career debuts in the Playoffs, alongside Parker Kligerman and rookies Chandler Smith and Sammy Smith.

This season, Creed has collected one pole, five top fives and 11 top 10s in 26 starts.

Last year, Creed made his Xfinity Series track debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he started 22nd and finished 37th.

Sammy Smith (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

Arriving at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, Sammy Smith ranks ninth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings, two points back from Sheldon Creed in the eighth and final transfer spot on points. Sammy Smith is one of four drivers this season making their NASCAR Xfinity Series career debuts in the Playoffs, alongside Sheldon Creed, Parker Kligerman and fellow rookie Chandler Smith.

This season, Smith has collected one win, four top fives and 10 top 10s in 26 starts.

Last season, Sammy Smith made his Xfinity Series track debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he started sixth and finished 14th.

Jeb Burton (No. 27 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet)

Jeb Burton currently ranks 10th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings as he heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, back two points from the Round of 8 cutline. This season marks the second time Burton has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2023, ’21).

This year, Burton has collected one win, one top five and five top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Burton has made seven Xfinity Series starts posting one top-10 finish. His career average finish at Bristol is 21.0.

Daniel Hemric (No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet)

Daniel Hemric, the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, currently ranks 11th in the Playoff point standings as he heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, back five points from the Round of 8 cutline. This season marks the fifth time Hemric has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2023, '22, '21, '18, '17) – third-most all-time.

This season, Hemric has collected five top fives and 13 top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Hemric has made seven Xfinity Series starts posting two top-five and five top-10 finishes. His career average finish at Bristol is 10.7.

Parker Kligerman (No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet)

Parker Kligerman rolls into the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings as the No. 12 seed, six points behind Sheldon Creed in eighth. Kligerman earned the final spot in the Playoffs in the regular season finale last week at Kansas, and this week enters postseason for the first time in his career.

This season, Kligerman has collected seven top fives and 13 top 10s in 26 starts.

At Bristol, Kligerman has made seven Xfinity Series starts posting three top-10 finishes. His career average finish at Bristol is 15.5.

Short track ringers to watch for this weekend

This weekend’s Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway (Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is the sixth race on the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule that will be competed on at facility that qualifies as a short track (1-mile in length or less), joining Richmond, Martinsville, New Hampshire, Dover and Phoenix. With five similar sized tracks in the books already, who has had the most success at those events so far this season?

The first thing you notice when looking back at the five short track events already run this season, is Toyota drivers have won four of the five events – Sammy Smith (Phoenix-1), John Hunter Nemechek (Martinsville, New Hampshire) and Ryan Truex (Dover) – the lone exception was Chandler Smith’s (Chevrolet) win at Richmond.

John Hunter Nemechek is the only driver this season to finish inside the top-10 in all five of the previous short track races this season. Five additional drivers have finished inside the top-10 at four of the five short track races this season – Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Sammy Smith and Josh Berry.

The top five in average finish in the five short track events run this season are John Hunter Nemechek (3.0), Chandler Smith (6.2), Sammy Smith (6.6), Josh Berry (6.8) and Austin Hill (7.8).

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

Two-time Xfinity champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to the series at Bristol – This weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, NBC Sports analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be trading in the mic for the driving gloves as he will attempt to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series 2023 season debut. This weekend will be the two-time champion’s 145th start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and his 13th at the .533-mile track.

In Earnhardt’s previous 12 Xfinity Series starts at Bristol, he has put up two poles, one win (2004), seven top fives and nine top 10s. His last start at Bristol was in 2017, where he started 17th and finished 13th. His average finish at the high-speed half-mile is a solid 6.9.

Earnhardt Jr. will be piloting the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend at Bristol, and he will be working with crew chief Jason Stockert.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs Media Day Notebook

Notebooks Items:

• Austin Hill knows he will have to beat John Hunter Nemechek for the title
• John Hunter Nemechek is focused on the goal at hand
• Parker Kligerman is riding momentum of securing final Playoff spot
• Justin Allgaier isn't sure if experience is a plus or minus

September 12, 2023

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

Austin Hill knows he will have to beat John Hunter Nemechek for the title

The 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff drivers met with the media Tuesday afternoon to discuss the seven-race Playoff slate that begins with Friday night’s Food City 300 at the famed Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and concludes with NASCAR’s thrilling triple-header championship week at Phoenix Raceway where a driver will be crowned the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver John Hunter Nemechek holds a 10-point edge over the Regular Season Champion Austin Hill, of Richard Childress Racing. JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier is third, 23 points back, followed by Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer and JR Motorsport's Sam Mayer.

Kaulig Racing’s Chandler Smith, JR Motorsport’s Josh Berry, Hill’s RCR teammate Sheldon Creed, Nemechek’s JGR teammate Sammy Smith, Jordan Anderson Racing’s Jeb Burton, Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric – the 2021 series champion - and Big Machine Racing’s Parker Kligerman round out the group of 12 drivers eligible to contend for the 2023 Xfinity Series trophy.

Hill, 29, earned the Regular Season Championship last week at Kansas Speedway saying, “It just shows no matter how tough the battle is and how tough the uphill climb is we never quite fighting."

The driver of the No. 21 RCR Chevrolet, has four wins this season, including two of the first three races and with the Playoff re-set, will start 10 points behind the six-race winner Nemechek heading to Bristol this weekend.

“No not at all," Hill said of considering himself an odds-on title favorite. “I think the 20 car [Nemechek] has to be the favorite, they’ve just been really fast all season long, they have six wins on the year. The main reason why we were able to win the Regular Season Championship was that we were just very consistent all year where the 20, they had more roller-coaster finishes going, and we were more even-keel.

“I don’t’ see us being a clear favorite, I think the 20 probably is, but we’re a good enough organization to make it to the Final Four and if you can make it to the Final Four, anything can happen."

And although Hill has two Xfinity wins and a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory on the Daytona superspeedway - he bristles at being labeled merely a “big track specialist,” noting that during his career he’s won on every style of race track. And he’ll need to in this seven-race run for a title that includes the half-mile Bristol high-banks and the Charlotte ROVAL among its Playoff venue list.

“I kind of laugh anytime someone says that [superspeedway specialist] because if you look at my wins at the Truck level, I won on all different types of tracks," Hill said. “I won on the dirt track. I won at Watkins Glen (road course). I won on superspeedways and mile-and-a-halves so a lot of different race tracks.

“I’ve always felt like I could win on any given track we go to. … but it gives me a little bit of a chip on the shoulder. I’ve always been the guy no one really talks a lot about, always been the dark horse, so it kind of just gives me a little chip on my shoulder and want to prove to everybody that I can win on all these sorts of race tracks. All you have to do is look at what we’ve done this season."

John Hunter Nemechek is focused on the goal at hand

Although he battled Austin Hill vigorously for the Regular Season Championship, John Hunter Nemechek will still start the Playoffs ranked atop the leader board courtesy of his series-best six victories in 2023. Even with his position leading the series to start the Playoff run, the 32-year-old North Carolinian refuses to consider himself an odds-on favorite for his first major racing title.

Legacy Motor Club announced last week that Nemechek will drive the No. 42 Toyota for that team next year in the NASCAR Cup Series – a huge opportunity for the well-tested driver. He’d like to take a Xfinity Series championship with him to the new team.

“To be honest, I think it’s just noise to us," said Nemechek, who led a dominating 154 of the 200 laps in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in last week’s regular season finale at Kansas Speedway.

“We’re not really focused on being the favorite or not being the favorite. We’re focused on just running every race like we know how to do and to go out and race every single race track, every single week and put some emphasis on trying to win, but also having good weeks and not letting bad weeks affect your Playoff run.

“I don’t think the standpoint of being a favorite or not being a favorite really affects us or the mental side of things."

Parker Kligerman is riding momentum of securing final Playoff spot

Parker Kligerman goes into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs on a high-momentum finish to the regular season, grabbing the 12th and final Playoff berth in the last regular season race. And the driver of the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet thinks that kind of high-energy rally the team pulled off only a week ago will be important to maintain as he embarks on his first career Playoff run.

Interestingly, he said his team actually approached the race in Daytona – even before the regular season finale – as if it were the cutoff race to set the Playoff field. His team has had to perform at a full-volume high level every week to earn a Playoff spot.

“I wanted to force myself to lock into a high-pressure scenario for a 100 laps and perform at a high level," said the 33-year-old Kligerman. “That was what I felt like allowed us the best chance to compete for a win with a lot on the line and I feel like just the last four or so weeks, we’ve done that every week as a race team and I feel like it’s really has kept us on our game.

“It’s kept us pushing and I think now going into the Playoffs we don’t have to change a thing. We don’t have to rachet anything up, we don’t have to change our thought process or mentality, we just can keep doing what we’ve been doing because we’ve been under this pressure cooker for the last month or so. I think there’s other teams that have had a chance to relax, or change their mentality or be more aggressive and they’re going to have to adjust. We’re already there. We’ll just keep doing this for another seven weeks and see what happens."

Kligerman, who is a well-respected pit reporter for NBC Sports in addition to his racing role, said he would not work the Phoenix race for the network should he advance to the Championship 4 in the season finale.

“They’ve been so gracious and supportive through this. … where if I’m a part of the Championship 4 most likely you won’t see me on the broadcast on Sunday and that’s out of respect, personally for myself and the race team knowing what media goes along with an event that week," Kligerman said, adding, “Out of respect for both entities that would be one of the adjustments I’d make but outside of that, I’m committed to doing my TV work the same level I have through the season and I don’t see it being an issue."

Justin Allgaier isn't sure if experience is a plus or minus

The NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran and perennial championship contender Justin Allgaier said Tuesday that sometimes being that experienced competitor works against him. Ranked third in the Playoff Standings with wins at Charlotte and Daytona (2), the 37-year-old driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet likes his title chances, but warned that having a lot of experience doesn’t necessarily translate into a season trophy.

“I think as a veteran and somebody that’s got experience, you sometimes come in a little more tentatively, maybe you don’t put yourself in positions you would even in the regular season to try to win races because you know that maybe sometimes being safe is a better route," said Allgaier, whose best title run was runner-up in 2020.

“But winning races is also really ultra important. If you can win a race each round and lock your way into Phoenix, it’s a lot easier than it is to point your way in. I think sometimes with experience comes reservation. I’ve got plenty of gray hair here to prove that I’ve done my fair share of crashing. I think you just race differently than you would if you’re kinda young and tenacious and have a little bit of a different outlook on what it takes to be successful.

“I also don’t know how many more opportunities I’ll have," Allgaier continued. “You never know when that next opportunity is going to come to have a shot to go for a championship, so you try to almost hold it in close and not let it go and sometimes I think, maybe throwing caution to the wind would be a better approach."

Quick Notes: JR Motorsports announced this week it has re-signed driver Sam Mayer for a third season. The 20-year-old will be competing in his second NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs this year and was optimistic about an extended future with a championship team. “It really has become a home for me, and we’ve obviously had a lot of success together as an organization." Mayer earned his first two career series wins this year and conceded with a smile “winning solves everything". … Mayer’s JR Motorsports teammate Josh Berry will be making his second NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff run in the No. 8 JRM Chevrolet before moving to the Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR Cup Series team next year seceding retiring driver Kevin Harvick in the team’s No. 4 SHR Ford. Berry said he definitely thinks about his decade-long tenure with JRM driving late models and in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. “I’m still trying to process that. At this point, I’m trying to enjoy it a little bit and not worry so much about the last seven races and reflect on the past decade. No matter what happens this last Playoff run, I’m extremely grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had at JR Motorsports. They changed my life. Dale changed my life and Kelly and everybody there had an influence on me."

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff field will be set this weekend in tight battle

The moment has finally arrived for full-time drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, whose Playoff field will be written in stone after Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

Ten drivers already have clinched berths in the postseason. Eight are in on wins: series leader Austin Hill, John Hunter Nemechek, Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith and Jeb Burton. Two have qualified on points: Josh Berry and Sheldon Creed.

Daniel Hemric will clinch simply by scoring one point at Kansas, even if a driver below him in the standings wins the race.

That leaves Riley Herbst and Parker Kligerman to battle for the final Playoff spot, with Herbst holding a one-point lead entering the decider. Herbst surged back into the final Playoff-eligible position with a sixth-place finish last Saturday at Darlington, where a late-race wreck relegated Kligerman to 24th.

Herbst, still seeking his first Xfinity Series win, will be keeping a close eye on points throughout Saturday’s race.

“At the end of the day, we show up at the race track each and every weekend to contend for the win,” said Herbst, who climbed as high as second in the standings before a rash of five DNFs (did not finish) in 10 races placed him squarely on the Playoff bubble. “It’s cool to be back in the Playoffs at the moment, and I’m hoping we can keep ourselves in contention. 

“We never wanted to be in this position with how solid we were at the beginning of the year, but I know that we can bounce back from this. My hope is that we can go out, contend for the win and lock ourselves in the Playoffs with a victory, but we’re also going to be conscious of the points. We’re in the better position right now above the cut line, so it’s about finding that balance.”

At the top of the standings, the Regular Season Championship likewise won’t be decided until Saturday. Hill holds a lead of 23 points over Nemechek and 33 over Allgaier. The regular-season winner gets a bonus of 15 Playoff points, with 10 going to the runner-up and eight to the third-place driver. 

NASCAR Xfinity Series  Kansas Speedway

Following the Yellow Brick Road all the way to Kansas Speedway

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be wrapping up the regular season this weekend at Kansas Speedway with the Kansas Lottery 300 on Saturday, September 9 on NBC, the NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Kansas Speedway, located just outside of Kansas City, Kansas, is a 1.5-mile track with variable banking in the turns (17 to 20 degrees). It has hosted 23 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, producing 18 different race winners and 16 different pole winners. Only two races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Kyle Busch in 2016. Not only is Busch the last driver to win from the pole, he also holds the record for most wins (four), top fives (eight), laps led (544), and is tied with Justin Allgaier for most top 10s at 10.

Two previous winners are entered in this weekend’s Kansas Lottery 300 – John Hunter Nemechek (2018) and Brandon Jones (2019, 2020). The track is as equally special to both drivers as Kansas Speedway is home to their first Xfinity Series wins.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will have an action-packed Saturday, kicking off with practice at 10:05 a.m. ET followed by qualifying at 10:35 a.m. ET on the USA Network, the NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Playoff Clinch Scenarios: Kansas Speedway

Time is up for drivers still vying for their spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. A total of 10 drivers have clinched their way into the post season already, leaving just two spots up for grabs this weekend. Here’s a look at the clinch scenarios as we had into the Kansas Lottery 300:

Already Clinched

The following 10 drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver postseason field: Austin Hill, John Hunter Nemechek, Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith, Jeb Burton.

Can Clinch Via Points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 5th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed or Daniel Hemric.

• Daniel Hemric: Would clinch regardless of finish
• Riley Herbst: Would clinch with 54 points
• Parker Kligerman: Would clinch with 55 points

The following drivers could clinch on points with a win by Riley Herbst:

• Daniel Hemric: Would clinch with 1 point
• Parker Kligerman: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Parker Kligerman or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 4th winless driver in the standings.

• Daniel Hemric: Would clinch with 1 point
• Riley Herbst: Could only clinch with help
• Parker Kligerman: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Daniel Hemric, Riley Herbst, Parker Kligerman, Brandon Jones, Brett Moffitt, Parker Retzlaff, Kaz Grala, Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements, Anthony Alfredo, Josh Williams, Joe Graf Jr.

Can Clinch Regular Season Championship

Additionally, the Regular Season Championship could be clinched by the following drivers:

• Austin Hill: Would clinch with 38 points
• John Hunter Nemechek: Could only clinch with help
• Justin Allgaier: Could only clinch with help

One race. Two spots. Who’s in?

There are only two spots left up for grabs in the Xfinity Series Playoffs this weekend at Kansas, but 12 drivers will be trying to race their way in on Saturday.

2021 Xfinity Series champion and Kaulig Racing driver Daniel Hemric has set himself up nicely to make his way into the post season, currently 55 points above the cutline, as he looks to secure his spot in the postseason for the sixth-time in his career (2017, ’18, ’21, ‘22). Hemric has made six starts at the Kansas track, posting two top fives, three top 10s, one pole and has led 143 laps. The 32-year-old has come extremely close to finding Victory Lane at Kansas Speedway, finishing runner-up in 2018 and 2020.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst, who currently holds the final Playoff spot on points, will also be looking to lock himself in this weekend with a win. Herbst holds a slight edge (one point) over Parker Kligerman in 17th the first spot outside the Playoffs cutline. In Herbst’s’ four starts at Kansas Speedway, he’s posted one top-10 finish (2020).

Sitting in 14th in the Playoff outlook standings, -79 points below the cutline, JR Motorsports’ Brandon Jones could very well clinch his way into the 2023 Playoffs with a win this weekend at Kansas, which would mark his seventh Playoff appearance (2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022). He’s done well at the 1.5-mile Kansas track, posting two wins (2019, 2020), three top fives and five top 10s.

The remaining eight drivers below the postseason cutline will have to win their way into the Playoffs this weekend.

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

Double duty drivers at Kansas Speedway – Two drivers who have already secured their spots in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs will be sticking around Kansas Speedway on Sunday to run in the Hollywood Casino 400 – Cole Custer and Sheldon Creed.

Custer will be getting behind the wheel of the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford for his fifth Cup Series start of the season. The 25-year-old driver has made six Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway in his career, posting a best-finish of seventh in 2020.

Creed will be piloting the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet for his career debut in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“I’m excited to race a Cup race for the first time as that’s been the dream for a long time,” said Creed. “Whelen is a great company and I’m appreciative for their support in allowing us to do this with Live Fast Motorsports.”

Sunoco Rookie of the Year update – The NASCAR Xfinity Series 2023 rookie class will be wrapping up its first full regular season this weekend at Kansas Speedway and two contenders will be heading to the Playoffs in their debut season – Chandler Smith and Sammy Smith.

Chandler Smith continues to lead the pack as he has all season long with one win (Richmond), five top fives, nine top 10s and 706 points.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Sammy Smith still sits close behind with one win (Phoenix), four top fives, 10 top 10s and 629 points.

Jordan Anderson Racing’s Parker Retzlaff has posted one top five and six top 10s this season, accumulating 483 points.

Closing out the competition is Blaine Perkins with 199 points.

Rajah Caruth to run at Kansas Speedway – Truck Series regular Rajah Caruth will once again be getting behind the wheel of No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet for his seventh Xfinity Series start of the 2023 season.

This will be his second start in the series at Kansas Speedway. In his debut last season, he posted a 25th-place finish.

In his six previous Xfinity Series starts this season, he posted a best-finish of 16th at Darlington Raceway.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Weekend Preview: Darlington Raceway

September 1, 2023

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

Race for final NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff spots heats up at Darlington

As the NASCAR Cup Series begins its Playoff with Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, the NASCAR Xfinity Series still has two races left to decide its full postseason field.

That situation should gain considerable clarity in Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at the Track Too Tough to Tame (3:30 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Currently, however, there is uncertainty at both the top and bottom of the Playoff grid. 

Last Friday at Daytona International Speedway, Parker Kligerman rode a fourth-place finish into the top 12 in the Xfinity Series standings, displacing Riley Herbst, who was relegated to a 24th-place result by power steering issues and a blown tire.

Kligerman leads Herbst by 20 points for the 12th and final Playoff-eligible position, but Kligerman has posted a best finish of 13th in three Xfinity Series starts at Darlington. Herbst, on the other hand, boasts two top fives in seven starts at the 1.366-mile track, with a best of third in last year’s spring race.

Kligerman, however, continues to overachieve with his No. 48 Big Machine Racing team. He comes to Darlington riding a streak of six straight top-10 results, most recently a third at Watkins Glen and the fourth at Daytona.

“Our incredible run of races as we rumble toward the Playoffs has created serious momentum for our team,” Kligerman said. “This is a great way to head to Darlington, one of my favorite tracks, and we had great speed there in the spring (when he finished 13th).

“We have made other improvements from the spring that also give me confidence… I know if we keep doing what we have been the last 11 weeks, we can end this summer on a high note.”

At the other end of the spectrum, the battle for the Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship got more interesting when Justin Allgaier entered the conversation with his victory last Friday at Daytona.

Allgaier vaulted into second place in the standings, 27 points behind series leader Austin Hill. John Hunter Nemechek, who has swapped the series lead with Hill throughout the season, is one point behind Allgaier in third.

Those three drivers are among the eight who already have qualified for the Xfinity Playoffs.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Darlington this weekend,” Allgaier said. “We finished second (to NASCAR Cup driver Kyle Larson) here in the spring, and I can’t think of a better place to come to off of a win than here. 

“We’ve had extremely strong cars the last couple of years here, and I feel very confident that our Hellmann’s Chevrolet will be just as fast again on Saturday. Hopefully, we can go out and execute the way we have been and continue to close that gap on the point lead and the Regular Season Championship.”

Allgaier has two victories and 12 top 10s in 16 career starts at Darlington. He has finished in the top five (including the two wins) in four of his last five races at the Lady in Black.

NASCAR Xfinity Series darlington

Xfinity heads back to the Lady in Black

After some superspeedway action at the World Center of Racing, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will be heading to Darlington Raceway for the penultimate race in the regular season. Drivers will take on the Lady in Black for the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 on Saturday, September 2 at 3:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Heading into the weekend, this will be the 67th NASCAR Xfinity Series race at “the track too tough to tame.” The previous 66 races have produced 36 different race winners and 32 different pole winners. Fifteen races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Denny Hamlin in 2017.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin sits as the track’s winningest driver in the series, tallying eight wins (1993, 1994 sweep, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 sweep). He’s also set the record for most poles (eight), top fives (14), top 10s (18) and laps led (972).

The track has also been memorable for some drivers as it has been a place of “firsts”. Justin Ashburn (2003), Denny Hamlin (2004) and John Jackson (2011) all got their first Xfinity Series starts at The Lady in Black while Kyle Busch (2004) and Ross Chastain (2018) each won their first poles here. There is yet to be a driver to post their first career Xfinity Series win at Darlington Raceway.

Saturday, September 2 will be a one stop shop for drivers. They will kick off their morning with practice at 10:35 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 11:05 a.m. ET on the NBC Sports App before gearing up for the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 later that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Is the track “Too Tough To Tame?”

Darlington Raceway’s 1.366-mile has been nicknamed the “the track too tough to tame” but for some, the taming has come easy as four drivers entered in this weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race have conquered the Lady in Black – Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Cole Custer and Kyle Larson.

JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier is coming off a long-awaited win at Daytona International Speedway and heads to Darlington as the only drivers with multiple wins at the track. In his 16 starts, he has posted two wins (2021, 2022), seven top fives and 12 top 10s. He posted a runner-up finish when the series ran at the track earlier this season for NASCAR’s official throwback weekend.

JRM teammate Brandon Jones hasn’t quite had the season he was hoping for but could very well snag his first win of the season this weekend at Darlington Raceway. He’s made 11 starts at the track, posting one win (2020), one pole (2022), two top fives and five top 10s.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer has been dominant on the 1.366-mile South Carolina track, posting a top-five or top-10 finish in all four of his starts. His win came in 2019 in a race where he bested Tyler Reddick by a mere .602 seconds.

Cup Series regular Kyle Larson will get behind the wheel of the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for his third Xfinity Series start of the 2023 season. One of his previous starts this season was at Darlington Raceway where he landed himself in Victory Lane. If Larson wins again this Saturday, he’ll become the ninth different driver to post back-to-back wins at the track, following Ron Bouchard (1984 sweep), Darrell Waltrip (1985, 1986), Dale Earnhardt (1986, 1987), Harry Grant (1989, 1990), Dale Jarett (1990, 1991), Mark Martin (1993, 1994 sweep, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 sweep), Jeff Burton (2001, 2002 sweep) and Denny Hamlin (2006, 2007).

Clinch scenarios: Two to go in the regular season

There are only two races left in the regular season so drivers will be pushing the limits to secure their spot in the 2023 Playoffs. As we head into the weekend, let’s take a look at the clinch scenarios:

Already Clinched

The following 8 drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver postseason field: Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith, Jeb Burton.

Can clinch via points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 4th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed or Daniel Hemric.

o   Josh Berry: Would clinch with 21 points

o   Sheldon Creed: Could only clinch with help

o   Daniel Hemric: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Parker Kligerman or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 3rd winless driver in the standings.

o   Josh Berry: Would clinch with 54 points

o   Sheldon Creed: Could only clinch with help

Can clinch via win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

o   Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed, Daniel Hemric, Parker Kligerman, Riley Herbst, Brandon Jones, Brett Moffitt, Kaz Grala, Parker Retzlaff, Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements, Anthony Alfredo, Josh Williams, Joe Graf Jr.

Can clinch Regular Season Championship

Additionally, the Regular Season Championship could be clinched by the following drivers:

o   Austin Hill: Could only clinch with help

It’s crunch time at Darlington Raceway

Eight drivers have clinched their way into the Playoffs, leaving four spots up for grabs. Sheldon Creed, Josh Berry, Daniel Hemric and Parker Kligerman currently hold those spots on points and will be sure to give it all they have to secure their spot.

Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed has made three starts at Darlington Raceway. Although he’s yet to snag a win at Darlington, he did post a runner-up finish in last year’s September race. If he makes it to the post season, it will mark his first Xfinity Series Playoff appearance.

JR Motorsports’ Josh Berry has made five starts at the Lady in Black, posting one top five and three top 10 finishes. Like Creed, he has also come extremely close to tasting victory, finishing runner-up in 2021. Berry made his first Xfinity Series Playoff appearance last season where he made it to the Championship Four.

Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric has nine Darlington starts under his belt, posting one top five and three top 10 finishes. He’s no stranger to making Playoff runs, already with four Xfinity Series Playoff appearances on his resume and even a championship trophy in his trophy case (2021).

Big Machine Racing’s Parker Kligerman has three stints at Darlington Raceway with a best finish of 13th. Kligerman is in his second full-time Xfinity Series season. If he manages to stay above the cutline, he will make his first Playoff appearance.

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year update – The regular season is on the verge of wrapping up and Chandler Smith continues to lead the pack as he has all season long with one win (Richmond), five top fives, nine top 10s and 675 points.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Sammy Smith still sits close behind with one win (Phoenix), four top fives, 10 top 10s and 609 points.

Jordan Anderson Racing’s Parker Retzlaff has posted one top five and six top 10s this season, accumulating 456 points.

Closing out the competition is Blaine Perkins with 196 points.