After a historic weekend in the Windy City (Chicago), the NASCAR Xfinity Series is now heading back to Atlanta Motor Speedway to race under the lights for the Alsco Uniforms 250 on Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m. ET (USA Network, the NBC Sports App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
There have been 34 NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, producing 21 different race winners and 18 different pole winners. Seven races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Kyle Busch in 2021.
NASCAR Cup Series regular Kevin Harvick holds just about every Xfinity Series record at the Atlanta, Georgia track – most wins (five), top fives (11), top 10s (13), lead lap finishes (13), laps completed (3,135) and laps led (973).
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill is the track’s most recent winner. The Winston, Georgia native actually has two wins at his home track – summer 2022 & spring 2023. If he pulls off another win this Saturday, he’ll become just the second Xfinity Series driver in Atlanta Motor Speedway history to win three consecutive races, joining Kevin Harvick (2014, 2015, 2016).
Drivers will skip practice this weekend and will kick off the doubleheader weekend at the 1.54-mile Atlanta track with qualifying on Saturday, July 8 at 4:05 p.m. ET on the USA Network and streamed on the NBC Sports App.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Alsco Uniforms 250
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, July 8
The Time: 8 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,654,863
TV: USA, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 251.02 miles (163 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 40),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 163)
Race For The Win: Three previous Atlanta winners entered this weekend
Although Austin Hill clearly knows what it takes to be successful at Atlanta Motor Speedway winning the last two races at the 1.54-mile track, he isn’t the only driver entered in this weekend’s Alsco Uniforms 250 that has made the trip to Victory Lane. Joining him on the winners list is JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier and Cup Series regular Ty Gibbs.
Allgaier, who’s Atlanta win came in 2021, will be returning to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend looking for redemption after falling victim to an incident earlier this season at the 1.54-mile track. The veteran driver has made 15 starts at the track, posting one win (2021), three top fives and nine top 10s. This season thus far, he’s posted one win (Charlotte), nine top fives and 11 top 10s.
Gibbs will be getting behind the wheel of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for his fifth Xfinity Series start of the season. The 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Gibbs, snagged his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his series debut at the track in 2022. In his four starts in the series this season, he has posted three top fives and three top 10s.
Wins Needed: Three drivers to watch at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier and Ty Gibbs will be sure to race their competitors hard for the chance to add another Atlanta trophy to their respective trophy cases, but three drivers in the field that will be sure to give them a run for their money this Saturday are Riley Herbst, Daniel Hemric and Justin Haley.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst has given the Atlanta track a go six times in the Xfinity Series and has posted two top fives and four top 10s. Fans can expect the 24-year-old driver to be on his A-game this weekend as he is still looking to post his first-ever Xfinity Series win. With the success he’s had on the 1.54-mile Atlanta track, he could add his name to the winner’s list and secure his spot in the 2023 Xfinity Series Playoffs.
Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric has also put up some good stats at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In his eight starts, he’s posted three top fives and five top 10s. Hemric is looking to post his first win of 2023. Earlier this season, he posted a runner-up finish at Atlanta, missing the win by a mere .085 seconds.
Cup Series regular Justin Haley will be pulling double duty and driving the No.10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet in this weekend’s Alsco Uniforms 250 at Atlanta, a track that has treated him well. He has finished 10th or better in all five of his Xfinity Series starts at the track. His most recent Xfinity Series stint at Atlanta Motor Speedway was earlier this season where he finished 10th.
Postseason Countdown: NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs update
With another win by Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer this past weekend at the inaugural Chicago Street Race, five spots are still up for grabs for the 2023 Xfinity Series Playoffs as the series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time this season.
The following seven drivers have already secured their spots in the Playoffs by virtue of wins: John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Hill, Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith and Jeb Burton.
Currently in the eighth spot in the Playoff outlook is JR Motorsport’s Josh Berry, who made it to the Championship 4 Round last season. He’s posted seven top fives and 11 top 10s this season thus far. Earlier this season, he posted a seventh-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway and in last year’s summer Atlanta race, he finished runner up. Berry is currently +81 points over the Playoff cutline.
Just three points behind Berry is his JRM teammate Sam Mayer, who made his first Playoff appearance last season, and ultimately finished seventh in the standings. Mayer is currently +45 points above the Playoff cutline.
Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed takes up the 10th spot with 445 points, 193 points behind current points leader John Hunter Nemechek and +42 points above the postseason cutoff.
The final two spots in the Playoff outlook are occupied by Daniel Hemric (+33 points) and Riley Herbst (+26 points), respectively. Right below the cutline is Parker Kligerman, who is 26 points behind Herbst.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Cole Custer to run three Cup Series races this season – SHR’s Cole Custer, who ran a full-time NASCAR Cup Series schedule last season, will be making a return to the series this weekend with Rick Ware Racing behind the wheel of the No. 51 Ford. He will also join the team later this season at New Hampshire and Pocono.
“RWR is building a solid program and I’m happy to help keep it growing in the right direction. It’s fun to be part of their group and hopefully we’ll have some solid runs together,” said Custer.
This is not the first time Custer has made some starts with the team, although his last stint with RWR was in 2021.
“We have put a lot of effort into elevating our program the past two years and having Cole come race with us again is great for the team,” said Rick Ware. “He has won at every level he’s competed in and is having a strong season in the Xfinity Series this year.”