The NASCAR Xfinity Series wrapped up the regular season last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway and will now be kicking off the 2024 Playoffs at Kansas Speedway with the Kansas Lottery 300 on Saturday, September 28 at 4 p.m. ET on The CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – the Round of 12 opener.
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 24 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, producing 18 different race winners and 17 different pole winners.
Only two of the Kansas Xfinity 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, but 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 each.
This will be the first time that Kansas Speedway kicks off the Xfinity Series Playoffs. From 2016 to 2020, the track played host to the fourth Xfinity Series Playoff race (the first race in the Round of 8). In 2021, Kansas was the fifth race in the Xfinity Series Playoffs and in 2022 and 2023, Kansas Speedway was not a Playoffs track.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will have an action-packed Saturday, kicking off with practice at 11:05 a.m. ET followed by qualifying at 11:35 a.m. ET on the NBC Sports App.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Kansas Lottery 300
The Place: Kansas Speedway
Track Length: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Saturday, September 28
The Time: 4 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,777,248
TV: CW, 3:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 300 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
Spotlighting the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Field
This season marks the ninth running of the Playoffs in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and this season’s postseason 12-driver field is one to remember.
Drivers from six different organizations have qualified for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, led by JR Motorsports with three contenders (Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Sammy Smith), followed by Joe Gibbs Racing (Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed), Richard Childress Racing (Austin Hill and Jesse Love), Kaulig Racing (Shane van Gisbergen and AJ Allmendinger) and Stewart-Haas Racing (Cole Custer and Riley Herbst) with two each and Big Machine Racing (Parker Kligerman) with one.
All three official engine manufacturers have earned spots in the 2024 Xfinity Series Playoffs, led by Chevrolet with eight cars in the postseason, followed by Toyota and Ford with two each.
Below is a quick look at the 12 Playoff drivers heading into Bristol this weekend:
(Note: Drivers are listed in Playoff standings order)
Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet)
Justin Allgaier currently leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings as he heads to Kansas Speedway this weekend, up +27 points on the Round of 8 cutline. Allgaier leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Playoff appearances with nine. He has participated in every postseason since its inception into the series in 2016 (2024, ‘23, ’22, ’21, ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16) – the only driver to accomplish the feat.
In the first 26 races, Allgaier has posted two wins (Darlington, Michigan), seven top fives,15 top 10s and has led 649 laps.
At Kansas, Allgaier has made 14 Xfinity Series starts amassing four top fives, 10 top 10s and has led 57 laps.
Cole Custer (No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford)
Back to defend his 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series title is Cole Custer who currently ranks second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings, up +21 points on the Round of 8 cutline. This season marks the fifth time Custer has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2024 ‘23, ’19, ’18, ’17).
This year, Custer has collected two wins (Pocono, Bristol), three poles, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s and has led 609 laps in the first 26 races of the season.
Custer has made five Xfinity Series starts at Kansas with 88 laps led and a best finish of 11th.
Austin Hill (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
Austin Hill currently ranks third in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings as he heads to Kansas Speedway this weekend, up +18 points on the Round of 8 cutline. This season marks the third time Hill has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2024, ‘23, ’22).
This year, Hill has collected three wins (Daytona, Atlanta 1, Atlanta 2), one pole, nine top fives, 15 top 10s and has led 151 laps.
Hill has made three starts at the Kansas track, posting two top-five and two top-10 finishes.
Chandler Smith (No. 81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
Heading into the first Playoff race of the season, Chandler Smith currently ranks fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings, up +17 points on the Round of 8 cutline. This will be Smith’s second Playoff appearance (2024, 2023).
This season, Smith has collected two wins (Phoenix, Richmond), two poles, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s and has led 475 laps.
Smith made his Xfinity Series debut last year at Kansas Speedway, posting a 32nd-place finish.
Shane van Gisbergen (No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet)
As the series kicks off the Playoffs, Shane van Gisbergen currently ranks fifth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings, up +10 points on the Round of 8 cutline. This will be the New Zealander’s first Playoff appearance.
Van Gisbergen has had an impressive rookie season thus far, posting three wins (Portland, Sonoma, Chicago), two poles, six top fives, eight top 10s and has led 93 laps.
He will be making his series debut at Kansas Speedway this weekend.
Jesse Love (No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
Heading to Kansas this weekend, Jesse Love currently ranks sixth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings, up six points on the Round of 8 cutline. This will be the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender’s first Playoff appearance.
Love has had a great debut season in the Xfinity Series, posting one win (Talladega), four poles, six top fives, 13 top 10s and has led 304 laps.
He will be making his series debut at Kansas Speedway this weekend.
Sam Mayer (No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet)
Rolling into Kansas Speedway this weekend, Sam Mayer currently ranks seventh in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings, up four points on the Round of 8 cutline. This season marks the third time
Mayer has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2024, ‘23, ‘22).
This year, Mayer has posted two wins (Texas, Iowa), one pole, seven top fives, 11 top 10s, and has led 192 laps.
He’s made three starts at Kansas Speedway, posting two top-10 finishes.
Riley Herbst (No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford)
Riley Herbst currently ranks eighth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings as he heads to Kansas Speedway this weekend, up three points on the Round of 8 cutline. This season marks the fourth time Herbst has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs (2024, ’22, ’21, ‘20).
This year, Herbst has posted one win (Indianapolis), five top fives, 10 top 10s, and has led 80 laps.
At Kansas, Herbst has made five Xfinity Series starts posting one top 10 finish.
Sheldon Creed (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
Heading into Kansas Speedway this weekend, Sheldon Creed ranks ninth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings, just three points outside the Round of 8 cutline. This will be his second Playoff appearance (2024, 2023).
This season, Creed has collected two poles, 13 top fives, 17 top 10s, and has led 108 laps.
He has made two starts at Kansas, finishing 11th and third, respectively.
A.J. Allmendinger (No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet)
A.J. Allmendinger ranks 10th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings, four points outside the Round of 8 cutline. This will be his third Playoff appearance (2024, ’23, ‘22).
Allmendinger has posted five top fives, 14 top 10s and has led 116 laps this season thus far.
He has made three starts at Kansas Speedway, posting one top five, two top 10s, and has led a total of 10 laps.
Sammy Smith (No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet)
Arriving at Kansas Speedway this weekend, Sammy Smith ranks 11th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff point standings, nine points back on the Round of 8 cutline. This will be his second appearance in the Xfinity Series Playoffs (2024, 2023).
This season, Smith has five top fives, 13 top 10s and has led 55 laps in 26 starts.
He has made two starts at Kansas Speedway, posting one top 10 finish.
Parker Kligerman (No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet)
Parker Kligerman rolls into the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs point standings as the No. 12 seed, 12 points behind Riley Herbst in eighth. Kligerman earned the final spot in the Playoffs in the regular season finale last week at Bristol, and this week enters postseason for the second-time in his career (2024, 2023).
This season, Kligerman has collected four top fives, 12 top 10s and has led 24 laps in 26 starts.
At Kansas, Kligerman has made four Xfinity Series starts, posting one top five and two top 10s.
For more information, click here for complete NXS Playoff bios
Xfinity Clinch Scenarios: Kansas 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. However, there is only one driver entered in this weekend’s Kansas Lottery 300 who has won at the Kansas track, and it isn’t one of the 12 Playoff drivers – it’s JR Motorsports’ Brandon Jones (2019, 2020).
| NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Playoff Projection Following Bristol Motor Speedway – 9/20/24 | |||||||
| Rank | Driver | Vehicle | Points | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | +/- Cutoff |
| 1 | Justin Allgaier | 7 | 2,034 | 2 | 14 | 34 | 27 |
| 2 | Cole Custer | 00 | 2,028 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 21 |
| 3 | Austin Hill | 21 | 2,025 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 18 |
| 4 | Chandler Smith | 81 | 2,024 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 17 |
| 5 | Shane Van Gisbergen # | 97 | 2,017 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 10 |
| 6 | Jesse Love # | 2 | 2,013 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 6 |
| 7 | Sam Mayer | 1 | 2,011 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 4 |
| 8 | Riley Herbst | 98 | 2,010 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 3 |
| 9 | Sheldon Creed | 18 | 2,007 | 0 | 1 | 7 | -3 |
| 10 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | 2,006 | 0 | 1 | 6 | -4 |
| 11 | Sammy Smith | 8 | 2,001 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -9 |
| 12 | Parker Kligerman | 48 | 1,998 | 0 | 1 | -2 | -12 |
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Toyota and Kansas Speedway go hand in hand – Although we’ve seen multiple winners in Victory Lane at Kansas Speedway, there is one manufacturer who has dominated at the 1.5-mile Kansas track – Toyota.
A Toyota car has taken the checkered flag in nine of the last 12 races (Chevrolet – 2, Ford -1).
Fans can expect all Toyota drivers in the field to fight to add another win to the OEM’s resume but only two who are in the Playoff field – Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed. The JGR duo surely have luck on their side as 12 of the last 17 races have been won by a JGR driver at Kansas Speedway.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year Update – The 2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year class has officially completed its first fulltime regular season, and two drivers were able to lock themselves into the Playoffs – Jesse Love and Shane van Gisbergen
Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love (2,013 points), who currently sits sixth in the Playoffs standings, was leading the rookie class all season long but is now second to Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen (2,017 points), who is currently the fifth seed in the Playoffs.
Sliding into third is Young’s Motorsports’ Leland Honeyman Jr with 391 points and rounding out the competition is Hailie Deegan with 174 points.