Noah Gragson to Drive No. 4 in 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Season

Drew Blickensderfer to Call Shots for Gragson and Team

 

Having secured Noah Gragson on a multi-year agreement in July to drive in the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2025, Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is excited to announce Gragson will drive the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, entering the team into a new era.

 

The Las Vegas, Nevada native rose to fame in NASCAR after winning twice in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and thirteen times in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He finished second in the Xfinity Series championship in 2022.

 

Gragson, 26, recently completed his second season in the NASCAR Cup Series and has 59 starts in the premier division. He has seven top-10 and two top-5 finishes, most coming this past season with Stewart-Haas Racing.

 

Yes @NoahGragson, make yourself comfortable. pic.twitter.com/u0CPgbF6w7

— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) January 3, 2025

Drew Blickensderfer will make his return to the organization to serve as the crew chief for Gragson and the No. 4 team. A 16-year Cup Series crew chief veteran, Blickensderfer most recently called the shots for Gragson at Stewart-Haas Racing and will join Gragson at FRM for the 2025 season. In 2024, the duo earned sixteen top-15’s, seven top-10’s and one top-5 and look to build on their success in 2025. In his previous stint with FRM in 2021, Blickensderfer sat on top of the pit box for Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Ford Mustang team, having played a critical role in McDowell’s Daytona 500 win.

 

“I’m excited to be back with Front Row Motorsports,” said Blickensderfer. “I had a great experience working for Bob (Jenkins) and Jerry (Freeze) before, and now returning alongside Noah makes this opportunity even more special.”

 

Along with Blickensderfer, several key members from the former Stewart-Haas No. 10 team will join Blickensderfer and Gragson at FRM, including, Interior Specialist Chris Trickett, Engine Tuner Matt Moeller, Engineer Dillon Silverman, and Transport Driver Matt Murphy.

 

“I’m grateful to have my crew chief, Drew, along with four members from last year’s team join Front Row Motorsports,” said Gragson. “This gives us a strong foundation to hit the ground running in the 2025 season.”

 

 

source: Front Row Media

Driver Noah Gragson Reinstated by NASCAR

Tuesday, a NASCAR spokesperson said that “Noah Gragson has completed diversity and inclusion training with our partners at RISE,” and that that group recommended his reinstatement, restoring his member privileges.

 

Noah Gragson has been reinstated by NASCAR after completing the diversity and inclusion training required following his indefinite suspension last month.

 

Gragson is clear to resume all NASCAR activity.

 

Legacy Motor Club suspended Gragson, a NASCAR Cup Series rookie who was driving the No. 42 Chevrolet, August 5. NASCAR followed with an indefinite suspension, while Legacy subsequently released Gragson from his contract altogether.

 

At the time Gragson stated: “I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media. I understand the severity of this situation. I love and appreciate everyone. I try to treat everyone equally no matter who they are. I messed up plain and simple.”

 

Gragson’s social media activity brought an abrupt end to his season after it was revealed he had liked an insensitive meme on Instagram mocking the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer.

 

Josh Berry drove the No. 42 car at Michigan International Speedway the weekend of Gragson’s suspension, and he, Mike Rockenfeller and Carson Hocevar have taken turns at the wheel since. Next season, John Hunter Nemechek will return to the Cup Series as the team’s full-time driver.

 

Gragson’s future remains unknown. The 25-year-old moved into the Cup Series after four seasons in the Xfinity Series (earning 13 wins) and two full seasons with two wins in the Craftsman Truck Series.

 

pic.twitter.com/UuLYMfal76

— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) September 12, 2023

Let’s wish this young driver the best in the coming future. (Remember Kyle Larson was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR in April of 2020 only to come back and win the 2021 Cup Championship.)

 

 

 

source: MSN Media

Noah Gragson Suspended by Team

Josh Berry to Race the #42 Legacy Motor Club Entry

 

Legacy Motor Club said Saturday that Noah Gragson had been suspended for Sunday’s race at Michigan for “actions that do not represent the values of our team.”

 

Gragson will be replaced by Josh Berry in the No. 42 car for Sunday’s race. Berry — who will replace Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024 — succeeded Gragson in the No. 9 Xfinity Series car at JR Motorsports when Gragson moved up to the Cup Series in 2023.

 

“I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media,” Gragson wrote. “I understand the severity of this situation. I love and appreciate everyone. I try to create everyone equally no matter who they are. I messed up plain and simple.”

 

Apparently, the twenty-five-year-old Gragson liked an Instagram meme mocking the 2020 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

 

I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media.
I understand the severity of this situation.
I love and appreciate everyone.
I try to treat everyone equally no matter who they are. I messed up plain and simple. https://t.co/PCX6iMJxRF

— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) August 5, 2023

Gragson is currently in thirty-third place in the 2023 point standings with no top ten finishes. He is second out of two rookies illegible for the Sunoco Rookie of The Year standings.

 

 

source: MSN Media

Legacy Motor Club ready to roll the dice at LVMS

Rookie Driver Noah Gragson Looking for First Cup Win

 

Two Las Vegans in search of their first NASCAR Cup Series victories have teamed up for their first race together on their hometown track this weekend, and nothing could top a win in Sunday's Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube.

 

Legacy Motor Club owner and CEO of Allegiant Travel Company Maury Gallagher and his rookie driver Noah Gragson are ready to put their car in Victory Lane and what better place than in front of friends and family.

 

"Staying local was very important to us, but with a track record like Noah's that just made our decision a lot easier," Gallagher said, "It’s exciting to see Las Vegas growing as a sports capital, but also as a place producing some of the best racers in our sport.”

 

Gragson brings a lot to the newly renamed team. Along with all his swagger comes a belt full of race wins and top-five finishes. Gragson mentioned that starting his first full-time season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver has been a challenge, but he's been lucky to have a mentor like 2004 NASCAR Champion and fellow Las Vegan Kurt Buschto teach him a lot about the sport, especially a lot about the track they call home.

 

"Coming back to my hometown is always good to see family and friends," Gragson said. "It's always great anytime I can get back here, and there would be nothing sweeter than to run well at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend."

 

Fans attending the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube will have a chance to meet Noah on race day from 10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m. on the stage Q&A in the Neon Garage.

 

There’s no place like home! Right, @NoahGragson?

📍Las Vegas | @GoldenKnights pic.twitter.com/vw15llvBB5

— LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (@LegacyMotorclub) March 2, 2023

 

source: Las Vegas Motor Speedway Media

LVMS Going Pink

For South Point 400 Weekend

 

The start-finish line during NASCAR action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will have a different appearance this weekend.

 

To honor October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the speedway has painted the most famous stripe in motorsports pink for this weekend's South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series and Alsco 302 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.

 

Fifteen breast cancer survivors were joined by NASCAR driver and Las Vegas native Noah Gragson, LVMS President Chris Powell, South Point General Manager Ryan Growney, and several officials representing the American Cancer Society of Nevada in applying the ceremonial paint job on Wednesday morning.

 

"This is the first year this event weekend has taken place in October, and it was very important that we honor this noteworthy initiative," Powell said. "I doubt there is anyone among us who doesn't have a friend or relative who has been affected by a form of breast cancer."

 

Each breast cancer survivor has also been invited to attend Sunday's South Point 400 as a guest of the speedway.

 

"I think this is awesome. When I saw you guys were doing this, I knew I had to come because, one, I am a NASCAR fan. Two, I am a breast cancer survivor, also." said Las Vegas local Jodi Collins, who is currently awaiting scan results after finishing all her active treatments. "I hope the track does this every year because I think it's essential to show breast cancer survivors and the rest of the people going through breast cancer that they are supported."

 

Gragson traded in the steering wheel for a paint brush Wednesday but is set for a busy weekend at LVMS. On Saturday, he will take his series points lead in the Alsco Uniforms 302 looking to clinch a spot in the season’s final four. On Sunday, he will make his first ever Cup start at him hometown track as he substitues for the injured Alex Bowman in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

 

"We are starting the weekend right, by being the first ones on the track this weekend, but also by creating these memories that will last a lifetime for these patients and survivors," Gragson said. "I’m super grateful to have the opportunity to come out here and do this, and I will remember this moment on Saturday while I drive over this pink start/finish line."

 

 

source: NASCAR Media

Xfinity Field Set for the Round of 8

Sittin’ pretty in ‘Sin City’

After a wild elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course that went into overtime with Kaulig Racing’s  AJ Allmendinger taking his fourth consecutive win at the track, the Xfinity Series field is set for the first race in the Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

 

.@CLTMotorSpdwy is OFFICIALLY Dinger’s house! 😏

The @NutrienAgRetail Chevy has cleared post-race inspection!#DriveForTheCure250 | #TrophyHunting pic.twitter.com/GD1EJy4nr7

— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) October 8, 2022

The eight drivers still in the hunt for the championship are:

1. Noah Gragson
   
2. AJ Allmendinger
   
3. Ty Gibbs
   
4. Justin Allgaier
   
5. Josh Berry
   
6. Austin Hill
   
7. Brandon Jones
   
8. Sam Mayer
   

 

With a new round comes three new opportunities to make it to the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 5. The first stop is Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 15 followed by Homestead-Miami Speedway on Oct. 22 then Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 29.

 

Any of the eight Playoff drivers could clinch their spot into the Championship 4 with a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend but let’s take a look at how they look heading into the race.

 

As of right now, Noah Gragson, AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs and Justin Allgaier sit above the cutline. Gragson leads the pack with 3,056 points. Not far behind is Allmendinger with 3,044 points. Gibbs slides into third in the standings with 3,038 points followed by Justin Allgaier in the final Championship 4 spot with 3,033 points.

 

Just outside the cutline is Josh Berry (-11) with rookie Austin Hill (-15) sixth in the standings. In the last two spots in the Round of 8 are Brandon Jones (-22) and Sam Mayer (-28).

 

Half the #NASCARPlayoffs field.

All four @JRMotorsports drivers advance to the Round of 8. pic.twitter.com/EI6FTbu71g

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 8, 2022

Sittin’ pretty in ‘Sin City’

Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 will be sure to have fans at the edge of their seats as most of the Playoff field has been pretty lucky at the 1.5-mile track set in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

Multiple Playoff drivers have posted wins at the track while even more drivers have consistently finished in the top 10. Let’s dive into how the Playoff field has performed at the track in ‘Sin City.’

 

Noah Gragson: The driver of the No.9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has seven starts at the track with six top fives and seven top 10s. He finished runner-up when the Xfinity Series was there earlier this season and has an average start of 14.3 and an average finish of 3.6.

 

AJ Allmendinger: The driver of the No.16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet has three starts at the Las Vegas track with one win (2021), one top five, three top 10s and one pole (2022). He has an average start of 4.3 and an average finish of 5.7.

 

Ty Gibbs: The driver of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota is the most recent Xfinity Series winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his two starts, he has posted one win (2022), one top five and one top 10.

 

Justin Allgaier: The driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has 16 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with eight top fives and 13 top 10s. He has a best finish of second (2011, 2018, 2021) and an average start of 10.3 and an average finish of 7.9.

 

Josh Berry: The driver of the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has three starts at the track with one win (2021), two top fives and three top 10s. He has an average start of 8.7 and an average finish of 4.0.

 

Austin Hill: The driver of the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet has two starts at the track with a best finish of 17th.

 

Brandon Jones: The driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has 11 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with two top fives and eight top 10s. He has a best finish of third (2019, 2021), an average start of 12.1 and an average finish of 9.3.

 

Sam Mayer: The driver of the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has two starts at the track with a best finish of 25th.

 

 

source: NASCAR Media

Noah Gragson Fined and Loses Points

Rough Driving at Road America

 

NASCAR officials penalized Noah Gragson after rough driving during last Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Road America, docking him 30 points in the drivers’ standings and fining him $35,000 for violating Sections 4.4.C&E: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct. JR Motorsports also was hit with a 30-point deduction in the owner standings.

 

Gragson remains in fourth place in the Xfinity Series standings, but his gap over teammate Josh Berry in fifth place has been reduced to five points. Gragson is a two-time winner this season, with victories at Phoenix and Talladega.

 

Gragson was a central figure in touching off a 13-car crash during the Henry 180, making retaliatory contact with his No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in a battle with Alpha Prime Racing’s Sage Karam. The aftermath of Gragson’s bump clogged the track in the Moraine Sweep section of the 4.048-mile course in the 25th of 48 laps, and Brandon Brown was shaken up in the wreck.

 

Gragson was not penalized during the race, but he was summoned to the Xfinity Series hauler for a post-race consultation with competition officials. Tuesday morning, Elton Sawyer — NASCAR’s vice president of officiating and technical inspection — hinted in an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that punishment was possible with the release of the midweek penalty report.

 

“We have additional information post-race that we didn’t have immediately after the race when we were speaking with Noah,” Sawyer told SiriusXM. “So again, we’ll look at it internally (Tuesday), what we’ve done in the past and in similar situations, but all things are on the table. And during the event, you know, it could rise to a level that you park a vehicle. It can rise to a level that we hold them for several laps. In this particular case, you know, we elected to speak with Noah post-race to make sure we had all the information and facts that we needed. And again, we’ll take a deeper dive into that incident (Tuesday) morning.”

 

Statement from @EarnhardtKelley on today's penalty: pic.twitter.com/uaLrh6iFES

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) July 6, 2022

 

Karam, making just his seventh Xfinity start, finished 31st after the early exit for his No. 45 Chevy. His post-race anger was echoed by team owner Tommy Joe Martins, who said: “I would be embarrassed to be associated with (Gragson). How many times is he going to publicly apologize? Now he’s trying to act like he’s a bad dude, tough guy. Like are you kidding me, that’s the softest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ll tell you what’s tough, trying to come out here and racing with a budget that’s less than a quarter of what they’re doing.”

 

Gragson continued to an eighth-place finish, and remained defiant in post-race interviews. “It’s one thing if you’re faster than someone,” Gragson said Saturday, “but to throw it off in there and run you off the race track in the corner, door you, run you off the track. Finally, after the third time, I’m over it. It’s not the ideal situation for him and his team, but two or three times, I’m done with it.”

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr., co-owner of JR Motorsports, appeared on SiriusXM on Wednesday and said, “I was shocked, to be honest with you, when I saw Noah make that decision. I was just completely shocked and in a bit of disbelief not only that he made that choice but that he, you know, that it created such an accident and got so many other guys involved.”

 

 

 

Gragson, 23, is in his fourth full season of Xfinity Series competition, notching seven career victories so far for JR Motorsports. He made his Cup Series debut earlier this year in the Daytona 500.

 

source: NASCAR Media

NASCAR / ARCA Race Weekend Recap (Talladega SuperSpeedway & DuQuoin State Fairgrounds )

Winners: Ross Chastain (Cup); Noah Gragson (Xfinity); Nick Sanchez (ARCA Series) plus Landen Lewis (ARCA Series West) 

 

 

NASCAR Cup

Ross Chastain Converts Last-Lap Pass, Wins Talladega Thriller

 

One lap. That’s all it took for Ross Chastain to drop a watermelon and raise a trophy in celebration. The 29-year-old Floridian led only the last — typically frantic — lap in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday to take his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory.

 

Chastain was running third behind Erik Jones and Kyle Larson with one lap remaining. Larson pulled out of line to the outside, poised to make a pass for the lead. But Jones pulled in front of Larson to block the momentum while Chastain kept his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet steady below them maintaining pace, ultimately pulling away to the win as the other two cars lost momentum battling each other.

 

“Holy cow, we didn’t do anything,’’ Chastain yelled on his team radio after taking the checkered flag by a mere 0.105 seconds. “We just stayed down there.’’

 

Appreciation.

1 million @MooseFraternity members, America’s 🍉 farmers, all the men and women at Trackhouse. These wins are for all of us. @TeamTrackhouse @TeamChevy @WatermelonBoard #WatermelonEveryday | #FeelWhole pic.twitter.com/HCzdWHaGqv

— Ross Chastain (@RossChastain) April 25, 2022

 

Pole: Christopher Bell

Click Here for Race Results

 

Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, May 1 for the DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne at Dover Motor Speedway.

 

 

 

NASCAR Xfinity

Noah Gragson Holds Off Jeffrey Earnhardt, Wins in Talladega Overtime

 

It was an Earnhardt Saturday in Earnhardt country.

 

Grabbing the lead on a restart in the third overtime, Noah Gragson  — driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports — won the Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway.

 

Gragson beat Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, who was driving a black No. 3 Chevrolet in a special appearance for Richard Childress Racing, which fielded Dale Sr.’s car during his heyday.

 

“This team at JR Motorsports, they never quit,” Gragson said. “We’ve had a kind of a rough last month, just not getting the finishes that we wanted … I couldn’t make moves on the top there very much at the beginning of the race, so I just kept running the bottom — running the bottom — and we‘d get shuffled back and keep moving back up.

 

“I‘m living the dream here — I‘m just so thankful to get this opportunity,” said Earnhardt, whose crew chief, FOX Sports broadcaster Larry McReynolds, was serving his first stint on a pit box since 2000. “Thanks to RCR for building this amazing race car. We were fast all weekend long. “We just fell a little short there, but congrats to Noah. He‘s good at plate races.”

 

Great race today @NoahGragson! https://t.co/ZzKF4Qh9PE

— Bass Pro Shops (@BassProShops) April 23, 2022

 

Pole: Jeffrey Earnhardt

Click Here for Race Results

 

Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, Apr. 30 for the A-GAME 200 at Dover Motor Speedway.

 

 

 

NASCAR Trucks

Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Friday, May 6 for the Dead On Tools 200 at Darlington Raceway.

 

 

 

ARCA

Nick Sanchez Slips Through to Steal Victory at Talladega for Second ARCA Menards Series Win

 

When Nick Sanchez got shuffled out of the lead pack with 11 laps to go in Saturday’s General Tire 200, it appeared his shot at winning at Talladega Superspeedway was over.

 

Two laps later, Sanchez made a daring, three-wide move to take the race lead moments before a caution flag waved to end the race early, allowing him to claim his second ARCA Menards Series victory dating back to last year and first of the 2022 season.

 

The ARCA Menards Series race at Talladega ended nine laps early so Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race could start on time. Prior to a restart with 13 laps left, teams were informed that the next flag – checkered or caution – would end the race.

 

“They told me the last caution was going to end it, so I was driving pretty aggressive just trying to get to the front before someone wrecked,” Sanchez said.

 

“It was kind of every man for himself right there,” Sanchez said. “Me and my Max Siegel No. 2 did great. Thank you Max Siegel, everyone from NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Team Chevy.”

 

Rev'd up for the #GeneralTire200 victory 🏆@Nicksanchez080 | @RevRacin pic.twitter.com/CFdiBTuvPX

— Talladega Superspeedway (@TALLADEGA) April 25, 2022

 

Pole: Drew Dollar

Click Here for Race Results

 

Next Race: The ARCA Series will return on Saturday, May 14 for the Dutch Boy 150 at Kansas Speedway.

 

 

 

ARCA - West

Landen Lewis Leans on Mentor Ron Hornaday Jr.’s Advice, Wins West Series Debut at Kern County

 

Less than a year after winning in just his second ARCA Menards Series appearance at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois, Lewis managed to take home a checkered flag in his ARCA Menards Series West debut Saturday evening in the Salute to the Oil Industry NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California.

 

Although Kern County is more than 2,500 miles away from his hometown of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, Lewis quickly took a liking to the half-mile facility during the weekend and is eager to make more trips to the West Coast following his victory.

 

“I’m kind of speechless at the moment,” Lewis said in Victory Lane. “This place is pretty freaking awesome, and I’m definitely going to be making a trip back while also running on the West tour some more.”

 

Hear from @landenlewis99 after his @ARCA_Racing West win @KernRaceway in the #NAPAAUTOPARTS150 pic.twitter.com/XKP8z1AMmu

— Steven Blakesley (@StevenBlakesley) April 24, 2022

 

Pole: P.J. Pedroncelli

Click Here for Race Results

 

Next Race: The ARCA Series will return on Saturday, June 4 for the Portland 100 at Portland International Raceway.

 

Superstar Racing Experience

Next Race: The SRX Series will return on 06/18/2022 for the SRX Series Season Opener at Five Flags Speedway.

 

source: NASCAR Media

Richmond Raceway Returns

76th Xfinity Series Race – ‘ToyotaCare 250’

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be heading to Virginia to compete at the .75-mile track, Richmond Raceway, this weekend for the ToyotaCare 250 on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. This will be the 76th Xfinity Series race at Richmond Raceway. The previous 75 Xfinity races at Richmond have produced 39 different pole winners and 37 different race winners.

 

Kevin Harvick leads the Xfinity Series at Richmond Raceway with the most wins (seven), top fives (18) and top 10s (21). Kyle Busch’s name is also written in the Richmond Raceway record books as he holds the qualifying record at 129.348 mph and has led a record 1,497 laps.

 

Only two former Xfinity Richmond winners are entered this weekend, JR Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier with two wins (2020 sweep) and the current point standings leader Noah Gragson  (2021).

 

Fans last saw Noah Gragson secure the victory by a margin of .381-second last season. His win in Richmond marked his second of the 2021 season, after having won at Darlington Raceway just the week before. Gragson went on to win one more time last season at Martinsville Speedway.

 

 

source: NASCAR Media

Photos From Phoenix Raceway

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 UniFirst Chevrolet, gives a thumbs up to fans during
the red carpet prior to the Ruoff Mortgage 500 during at Phoenix Raceway.

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, signs autographs for fans during the
red carpet prior to the Ruoff Mortgage 500 on March 13, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, signs autographs for fans
during  the red carpet prior to the Ruoff Mortgage 500 during at Phoenix Raceway.

Harrison Burton, driver of the #21 DEX Imaging Ford, greets a young fan during the red
carpet prior to the Ruoff Mortgage 500 during on March 13, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Maytag Ford, stands on the grid prior to the
Ruoff Mortgage 500 during at Phoenix Raceway on March 13, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Rheem - Capitol Container Toyota, stands on the grid
during the Ruoff Mortgage 500 during at Phoenix Raceway on March 13, 2022.

Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Maytag Ford, races during the the Ruoff
Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 13, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Rheem - Capitol Container Toyota, races during the
Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 13, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the #14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, crosses the finish line to win
the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 13, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the #14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, celebrates in victory lane after
winning the the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 13, 2022.

 

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Trevor Bayne, driver of the #18 Devotion Nutrition Toyota, poses for photos after winning
the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200.

 

Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 Valvoline Chevrolet, (L) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the
#47 Fry's/NOS Chevrolet, talk on the grid during practice for for the Ruoff Mortgage 500.

Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Sports Clips Haircuts Toyota, waits on the grid during pre-race
ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway.

Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Maytag Ford, poses for photos after winning
the pole award during qualifying for the Ruoff Mortgage 500 on March 12, 2022.

Ryan Blaney prepares to qualify for the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway
on March 12, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, prepares
for the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway.

Trevor Bayne, driver of the #18 Devotion Nutrition Toyota, leads the field to start the
NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

Noah Gragson leads Brandon Jones, driver of the #19 Menards/Jeld-Wen Toyota,
Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Chevrolet, and Trevor Bayne.

Noah Gragson takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series
United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, celebrates
in the Ruoff Mortgage victory lane after winning the United Rentals 200.

Noah Gragson celebrates with his crew after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series
United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

 

 (Photos by Getty Images)

Exploring the Round of 8 Xfinity Playoff

Drivers at Kansas Speedway

 

This weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway will be the second race of the Round of 8 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. All eight drivers are still fighting for their spot in the Championship 4 Round – with only three chances to do so beginning last weekend at Texas, Kansas this weekend, and Martinsville on Halloween weekend. Currently, there are no drivers locked into the Championship 4 Round so let’s take a look at the driver performances at Kansas Speedway.

 

Austin Cindric: The driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford has made four starts at Kansas Speedway in his Xfinity Series career. His first start was in 2019 and he started fourth and finished 39h due a to a crash on the opening lap of the race. Most recently, the series visited Kansas in 2020 and Cindric started second but finished 28th after being involved in another incident. He has a best finish of runner-up from the spring Kansas race in 2020. He has an average start of 3.3 and an average finish of 23.5.

 

AJ Allmendinger:  The driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet will visit Kansas Speedway for the second time of his Xfinity Series career and the first time since 2007. He made his first and only start at Kansas in 2007 and started eighth but finished 25th.

 

Justin Allgaier: The driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet will make his 12th Kansas Speedway start on Saturday. His first start at the track came in 2009 when he started 18th and finished sixth. He has three top fives and eight top 10s in his 11 starts at the track. He has an average start and finish of 10.7. Most recently, he finished 10th in this race last season.

 

Noah Gragson: The driver of the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has made three Xfinity Series starts at Kansas Speedway. In those three starts, he has a best finish of 13th from his first start in 2019. Most recently, he started on the pole in 2020 and finished 36th after being involved in an incident. He has an average start of 7.0 and an average finish of 21.3.

 

Daniel Hemric: The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota will make his fifth start at Kansas on Saturday. He has two top fives and three top 10s in his previous four starts and has led 128 total laps. He has an average start of 5.8 and an average finish of 7.3. Most recently, he started third and finished runner-up at this race in 2020.

 

Harrison Burton: The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has made three Xfinity Series starts at Kansas Speedway. He has one top five and one top 10 in those three starts with a best finish of third in the spring Kansas race in 2020. Most recently, he started 18th in this race in 2020 and finished 11th.

 

Brandon Jones: The driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota will make his seventh Xfinity Series start at Kansas on Saturday. His first came in 2016. Kansas has been good to Jones in the past as he has two wins, two top fives and four top 10s. He won this race in 2019 and he won the spring race at Kansas in 2020. Most recently, he started fifth and finished ninth in this race in the 2020 season. He has an average start of 6.7 and an average finish of 11.0. He’s led 20 total laps at Kansas.

 

Justin Haley:  The driver of the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet will make his fourth start at Kansas this weekend. He has one top five and three top 10s at the track, meaning he has never finished outside of the top-10 in all three of his starts. He has an average start of 11.0 and an average finish of 5.7. His best finish came last season in this race when he started ninth and finished fourth.

 

So we asked @NASCAR_Xfinity Series drivers what they would do if they won the @Kansas_Lottery 🤑 #KL300 x #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/SgUT2Y5XDG

— Kansas Speedway (@kansasspeedway) October 22, 2021

 

Clinch Scenarios: Following the Yellow Brick Road

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs Round of 8 began last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway but with a non-Playoff driver winning the event, all eight drivers in the Playoffs are still fighting for their spot in the Championship 4 Round this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Currently none of the eight drivers have clinched a spot in the final round.

 

Already Clinched

No drivers have clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round.

 

Can Clinch Via Points

If a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the fourth winless driver in the standings. The same points requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from AJ Allmendinger, Austin Cindric or Justin Allgaier.

 

• • AJ Allmendinger: Could only clinch with help 
• • Austin Cindric: Could only clinch with help 
• • Justin Allgaier: Could only clinch with help

 

If there is a new winner from Noah Gragson 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 third winless driver in the standings.

 

• • AJ Allmendinger: Could only clinch with help 
• • Austin Cindric: Could only clinch with help

 

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: 

• AJ Allmendinger
• Austin Cindric
• Justin Allgaier
• Noah Gragson
• Daniel Hemric
• Justin Haley
• Harrison Burton
• Brandon Jones.

 

 

source: NASCAR Media