The NASCAR Xfinity Series wrapped up its 10th race of the season last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway and will have this weekend off as the series prepares Darlington Raceway’s Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 on May 11 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Last Saturday, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ryan Truex found Victory Lane for his second consecutive win at his home track of Dover. Because he is a part-time driver in the Xfinity Series, Truex is not eligible for the Playoffs. Of the eight different winners in 10 races this season, only four of them have clinched their spot in the 2024 Playoffs by virtue of wins – Austin Hill (Daytona, Atlanta), Chandler Smith (Phoenix, Richmond), Sam Mayer (Texas), and Jesse Love (Talladega).
Chandler Smith currently holds the lead in the Xfinity Series points standings with 394 points. Although yet to post a win this season, Cole Custer is right on his tail, just one point back.
Sliding in at third is Austin Hill (-17) with his rookie Richard Childress Racing teammate Jesse Love right behind him in fourth (-57).
Also, searching for a win this season is series veteran Justin Allgaier, who sits in fifth in the standings with 313 points (-81). Riley Herbst (-91), AJ Allmendinger (-99) and Sheldon Creed (-117) assume the next three spots.
Parker Kligerman has had some solid finishes this season, putting him at ninth in the points standings with 261 points (-133). Anthony Alfredo (-147), Sammy Smith (-147) and Brandon Jones (-162) round out the top 12 in points with Ryan Sieg still in the Playoff hunt with 225 points and some near wins the last few weeks.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200
The Place: Darlington Raceway
Track Length: 1.366 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Saturday, May 11
The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,371,756
TV: FS1, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 200.8 miles (147 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 147)
The Lady In Black Wants To Dance: Darlington Raceway standouts
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is off this weekend but will be back in action next weekend at Darlington Raceway for the Crown Royal Purple Bag 200 on Saturday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Three drivers in the field have conquered the 1.366-mile track and will be pushing to land themselves in Victory Lane yet again as they look to score their first win of the season – JR Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer.
Allgaier is a force to be reckoned with at Darlington, with two wins (2021, 2022), seven top fives and 13 top 10s in his 17 starts. He’s had a string of strong finishes in his last six starts at the track, all in the top 10.
Jones’ win at Darlington came in 2020 after taking the lead from Ross Chastain in the final two laps. In his 12 starts, he’s posted one win (2020), two top fives and five top 10s.
Custer has never had a bad race at Darlington, posting a win in 2019 and a top-five finish in four out of his five starts. His only finish outside the top-five was in his debut at the track in 2017 where he finished ninth.
All gas, no brakes: Kansas Speedway up next for some
Although the NASCAR Xfinity Series will not be competing this weekend at Kansas Speedway alongside the Cup Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, there are two drivers who will be using the weekend to get some more time in the driver’s seat in the Cup Series – Austin Hill and Riley Herbst.
Hill will be getting behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. This will be his second Cup Series start of the 2024 season and his first at Darlington Raceway.
Herbst will be joining Rick Ware Racing behind the wheel of the No. 15 Ford. This will also be his second Cup Series start of the season and his first at Darlington Raceway.
Counting Their Money: Dash 4 Cash bonus was another success
In the final race of Dash 4 Cash, Our Motorsports’ Anthony Alfredo snagged the final NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash win, taking home the $100,000 bonus. He beat his competition – Riley Herbst, Jesse Love, and Ryan Sieg – with a ninth-place finish to take home the big check at Dover.
The overall Xfinity Dash 4 Cash program proved to be another year of success. The program saw four different winners this year. Alfredo was joined by Aric Almirola (Richmond), Sam Mayer (Texas) and Ryan Sieg (Talladega) as the four Dash 4 Cash winners this season.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Noah Gragson to run select Xfinity Series races – Xfinity Series alum Noah Gragson, who now runs fulltime in the NASCAR Cup Series in the No. 10 Stewart- Haas Racing Ford, will be back in action in the Xfinity Series for four races this season.
He will be getting behind the wheel of the No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford with the help of a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing. Rette Jones Racing has competed fulltime in the ARCA Menards Series.
His first race will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway this month, followed by Nashville, Michigan, and Daytona. The Charlotte race will be his first Xfinity Series start since the 2022 championship at Phoenix Raceway.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to compete in the Xfinity Series again and hope to pick up where we left off,” said Gragson.
