NXS Race Preview: Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Kansas Lottery 300
The Place: Kansas Speedway
The Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

NXS Kansas Quick Facts:

Races: 16
Pole Winners: 12
Youngest Pole Winner: Parker Kligerman (10/03/2009 - 19 years, 1 months, 25 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Matt Kenseth (10/17/2015 - 43 years, 7 months, 7 days)
Race Winners: 12
Youngest Winner: Joey Logano (10/03/2009 - 19 years, 4 months, 9 days)
Oldest Winner: David Green (10/04/2003 - 45 years, 8 months, 6 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 2
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Kyle Busch (10/15/2016)
Race Record: Jeff Green 129.125mph (09/29/2001)
Qualifying Record: Matt Kenseth 184.906mph (10/17/2015)

NXS News & Notes:

NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff Round of 8 Begins At Kansas Speedway

With an exhilarating Round of 12 completed in the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs, the remaining title contenders have turned their attention to the Round of 8. Kansas Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway are the three tracks that make up the round, and the Playoff drivers that win the next three races, or are in the top four on the leaderboard at the conclusion of the race at Phoenix, will advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The action gets rolling for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff Round of 8 this Saturday, October 21, at Kansas Speedway for the Kansas Lottery 300 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. 

Below are the seedings for the eight drivers who advanced to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs:

Rank	Driver	Points	Leader	Cutoff	Race Wins	Stage Wins	Playoff Pts
1	William Byron	3,026	0	19	3	3	26
2	Justin Allgaier	3,023	-3	16	2	3	23
3	Elliott Sadler	3,020	-6	13	0	5	20
4	Daniel Hemric	3,009	-17	2	0	2	9
5	Cole Custer	3,007	-19	-2	0	2	7
6	Brennan Poole	3,006	-20	-3	0	0	6
7	Ryan Reed	3,005	-21	-4	1	0	5
8	Matt Tifft	3,004	-22	-5	0	0	4

2016 Playoff Race Quick Recap 
Last season’s Playoff race at Kansas Speedway was won by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Busch led 150 laps of the 200 lap of the event. It was his third consecutive NASCAR XFINITY Series victory at Kansas Speedway. Busch leads the series in wins at Kanas with four wins. The highest finishing 2016 Playoff contender in the event was Elliott Sadler, who finished second.  Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez were tied for the Playoff points lead after the 2016 Kansas race.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff Contenders: Round Of 8

The tension continues to heighten with each round in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs. Below is a look at the eight drivers who are still in contention for a title this weekend:

William Byron (No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) enters the Round of 8 as the No. 1 seed with 3,026 points. During the Round of 12, he posted one top five and an average finish of 12.3. Byron also accumulated 35 stage points in the Round of 12 – the series-most. Byron will be making his series debut at Kansas this weekend, a track he won at last season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.7 (third-best)

·         Three wins, nine top fives, 18 top 10s and two poles

·         Led 228 laps

·         Average Finish of 11.2

Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) enters the Round of 8 as the second seed with 3,023 points. During the Round of 12, he posted two top fives and an average finish of 12.7. Allgaier also accumulated 22 stage points in the Round of 12 – the fifth-most in the series. Allgaier has made six series starts at Kansas, posting one top five, four top 10s and an average finish of 8.3. He started fifth and finished 14th in last season’s Playoff race. 

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6 (second-best)

·         Two wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s and one pole

·         Led 495 laps

·         Average Finish of 13.5

Elliott Sadler (No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) enters the Round of 8 as the third seed with 3,020 points. During the Round of 12, he posted three top 10s and an average finish of 8.3. Sadler has made seven series starts at Kansas, posting three top fives, five top 10s and an average finish of 11.4. In last season’s Kansas Playoff race, he started eighth and finished second. 

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.4 (series-best)

·         11 top fives, 22 top 10s and one pole

·         Led 123 laps

·         Average Finish of 9.4

Daniel Hemric (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) enters the Round of 8 as the fourth seed with 3,009 points. During the Round of 12, he posted three top 10s and an average finish of 6.0 – second-best. Hemric also accumulated 29 stage points in the Round of 12 – the third-most in the series. Hemric will be making his series debut at Kansas this weekend, a track he finished third at in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last season.

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.7 (sixth-best)

·         Six top fives, 15 top 10s and one pole

·         Led 70 laps

·         Average Finish of 12.6

Cole Custer (No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) starts the Round of 8 as the fifth seed with 3,007 points. During the Round of 12, he posted one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 6.3. Custer also accumulated 32 stage points in the Round of 12 – the second-most in the series. Last season, Custer made his series track debut at Kansas with JR Motorsports; he started 19th and finished 35th due to an incident.

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.4 (fifth-best)

·         Five top fives and 16 top 10s

·         Led 119 laps

·         Average Finish of 14.1

Brennan Poole (No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet) enters the Round of 8 as the sixth seed with 3,006 points. During the Round of 12, he posted three top fives (most among Playoff contenders) and an average finish of 4.0 – series-best. Poole has made two series starts at Kanas, posting one top-10 finish. In last season’s Playoff race at Kansas, he started 12th and finished seventh. 

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.5 (seventh-best)

·         Four top fives, 15 top 10s and one pole

·         Led 14 laps

·         Average Finish of 13.2

Ryan Reed (No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford) starts the Round of 8 as the seventh seed with 3,005 points. During the Round of 12, he posted one top 10 and an average finish of 12.7. Reed has made three series starts at Kansas, posting an average finish of 15.0. In last season’s Playoff race at Kansas, he started 22nd and finished 16th.

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 76.7 (ninth-best)

·         One win, two top fives and six top 10s

·         Led 16 laps

·         Average Finish of 18.0

Matt Tifft (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) starts the Round of 8 as the eighth seed with 3,004 points. During the Round of 12, he posted three top 10s and an average finish of 8.0. Tifft will be making his series track debut this weekend at Kansas, though he is no stranger to the 1.5-mile track. He made two starts there in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, posting a best finish of 14th last season.  

2017 Performance Stats Rundown

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.6 (eighth-best)

·         Two top fives and 10 top 10s

·         Led 11 laps

·         Average Finish of 14.3

NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.

Christopher Bell Hopes To Play Spoiler at Kansas: The recently announced full-time Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR XFINITY Series driver for 2018, Christopher Bell, is looking to win this weekend at Kansas Speedway and play the spoiler. Series Playoff contenders need a win to advance to Championship 4, but Bell, a full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver for Kyle Busch Motorsports, is not going for the NXS title this season, and therefore showcasing his skills and getting his first series win are all that matters to upcoming star from Norman, Oklahoma. Bell has made four NASCAR XFINITY Series starts this season for JGR, posting a pole, a top five, two top 10s and an average finish of 11.2. This will be his series track debut at Kansas this Saturday.  

Jennifer Jo Cobb Returns To NASCAR XFINITY Series: BJ McCleod Motorsports will have NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb behind the wheel this weekend as she will attempt to make her series season debut at Kansas Speedway. Cobb will become the second female competitor to make a start this season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series alongside Angela Ruch, who made three starts for BJ McCleod Motorsports earlier this year. Jennifer Jo Cobb is from Kansas City, Kansas and has a total of eight series starts at Kansas Speedway in her career, posting an average finish of 29.6. 

Monsters Competing In XFINITY: This weekend the NASCAR XFINITY Series will have six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers competing in the Kansas Lottery 300 on Saturday, October 21 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Gray Gaulding, Reed Sorenson, Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones. Interestingly, none of the MENCS drivers entered this weekend are former series race winners at Kansas Speedway. 

NASCAR XFINITY Series And Kansas: The NASCAR XFINITY Series has held 16 races in the state of Kansas and all were at Kansas Speedway. The first series race at Kansas Speedway was on September 29, 2001, and the event was won by former series champion Jeff Green driving the No. 10 Ford for car owner Greg Pollex. … A total of 17 drivers who have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series race have their home state recorded as Kansas. Of the 17 Kansas drivers, only six have made a start in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, led by Clint Bowyer (Emporia) with 181 starts. Bowyer also leads Kansas drivers in series wins with eight.

MENCS Race Preview: Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Hollywood Casino 400
The Place: Kansas Speedway
The Date: Sunday, Oct. 22
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio                  
Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 80),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 160), Final Stage (Ends on lap 267)

MENCS Kansas Quick Facts

Races: 23
Pole Winners: 15
Youngest Pole Winner: Ryan Blaney (05/13/2017 - 23 years, 2 months, 43 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Mark Martin (10/04/2009 - 50 years, 8 months, 25 days)
Race Winners: 14
Youngest Winner: Joey Logano (10/05/2014 - 24 years, 4 months, 11 days)
Oldest Winner: Mark Martin (10/09/2005 - 46 years, 9 months, 0 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 4
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Kevin Harvick (10/06/2013)
Race Record: Denny Hamlin 144.122mph (04/22/2012)
Qualifying Record: Kevin Harvick 197.773 mph (10/03/2014)

MENCS News & Notes:

Round Of 12 Cutoff Race

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Kansas Speedway for the Round of 12 cutoff race – the Hollywood Casino 400 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Here is a look at the leaderboard heading to Kansas:

Rank	Driver	Points	Race Wins	Playoff Points	Pts from Cutoff
1	Martin Truex Jr.	3120	1	64	-
2	Brad Keselowsi	3101	1	26	-
3	Kyle Larson	3096	-	34	-
4	Kevin Harvick	3089	-	17	-
5	Denny Hamlin	3088	-	13	-
6	Chase Elliott	3087	-	6	-
7	Ryan Blaney	3076	-	9	-
8	Jimmie Johnson	3074	-	17	-
9	Kyle Busch	3067	-	41	-7
10	Matt Kenseth	3066	-	5	-8
11	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	3052	-	10	-22
12	Jamie McMurray	3045	-	3	-29

Keselowski (2011), Harvick (2016, ‘13), Johnson (2015, ’11,’08,), Busch (2016) and Kenseth (2013, ’12) have all won at Kansas.

Two Kansas winners have gone on to capture the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship – Jeff Gordon (2001) and Jimmie Johnson (2008).

On the bubble, between Jimmie Johnson (eighth), Kyle Busch (ninth) and Matt Kenseth (10th) – all separated by only eight points) – there are a total of nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series titles.

Harvick Hopes For Fall Kansas Repeat

On Sunday, defending Hollywood Casino 400 winner Kevin Harvick will attempt to tie Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for the track wins record by visiting Victory Lane for the third time at the 1.5-mile loop.

In 23 Kansas starts, Harvick claims two wins, seven top fives and 12 top 10s. He boasts the series-best average running position (9.7) at Kansas among active drivers and ranks third in average finish (8.6) and driver rating (105.8).

The No. 4 Ford driver sits fourth on the Playoff leaderboard, 22 points above Kyle Busch on the cutoff line. He can advance to the Round of 8 with no help by earning 41 points.

Kenseth Faces Elimination At Kansas

Matt Kenseth enters Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs cutoff race at Kansas Speedway eight points behind Jimmie Johnson for the final transfer spot to the Round of 8.

Kenseth is in a tough spot, but fortunately he’s been strong at Kansas. In 23 starts there, Kenseth owns two wins seven top fives and 13 top 10s. Among active drivers at the 1.5-mile track, he ranks second in driver rating (106.5), third in average running position (9.9) and fourth in average finish (11.0).

The only way Kenseth can guarantee himself entrance to the Round of 8 is to win Sunday’s race.

Kyle Busch On The Outside Looking In

If the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs ended today, Kyle Busch would be out. He’s currently ninth on the Playoff Grid, seven points behind Jimmie Johnson on the cutoff line.

Busch gets the chance to race his way into the Round of 8 on Sunday at Kansas Speedway. In 19 starts at Kansas, Busch has one win, five top fives, seven top 10s and a 17.7 average finish. Those numbers might seem pedestrian for a driver of Busch’s status, but he has figured the track out recently. In his last five races in the Jayhawk State, Busch has finished no worse than fifth and posted his lone win there during that stretch.

Johnson Continues Quest For 8

It’s make or break time for Jimmie Johnson in his quest for a record eighth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. He currently holds the last transfer spot to the Round of 8, sitting seven points above Kyle Busch on the cutoff line.

Johnson can advance without help if there is no new winner by finishing the race with 49 points.

The No. 48 Chevrolet driver is tied with Jeff Gordon for the Kansas wins record with three checkered flags there. He also claims nine top fives and 17 top 10s. Among active drivers at Kansas, Johnson leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in driver rating (108.7) and has the second-best average running position (9.8) and average finish (8.5).

Logano Looking To Play Spoiler At Kansas

As we saw last week when Ryan Newman almost took the checkered flag at Talladega, a driver doesn’t need to be playoff-eligible to win a race. A spoiler in the Playoffs can take away an automatic qualifying bid to the next round.

Based on recent history, Joey Logano is a strong candidate to play spoiler at Kansas this weekend. In 16 starts at the 1.5-mile track, he claims two wins, six top fives and an 18.9 average finish. All six of his Kansas top fives came in his last eight races there. In the two races he didn’t finish in the top five, he wrecked out of the race.

Logano enters the race off a fourth-place showing at Talladega where he led 59 laps.

Truex Tries For Kansas Sweep

Martin Truex Jr. will attempt to become the second driver to sweep a track this year in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The No. 78 Toyota driver led 104 laps on his way to victory there in May.

Kyle Larson swept Michigan with wins there in June and August.

Truex has been the dominant driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season. He leads the series in wins (six), top fives (14, tied with Larson), top 10s (21), stage wins (19), playoff points (64), average finish (10.7), average running position (7.5), fastest laps (1,146, 16.1%), laps led (1,977, 22.2%) and driver rating (115.0).

NCWTS Race Preview: fred's 250 at Talladega

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
The Date: Saturday, Oct.  14
The Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 12:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 250.04 miles (94 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on lap 94)

NCWTS Talladega Quick Facts

Races: 11
Pole Winners: 11
Youngest Pole Winner: Cole Custer (10/22/2016 – 18 years, 8 months, 29 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr. (10/30/2010 – 52 years, 4 months, 10 days)
Race Winners: 8
Youngest Winner: Parker Kilgerman (10/06/2012 – 22 years, 1 months, 28 days)
Oldest Winner: Mike Wallace (10/22/2011 – 52 years, 7 months, 12 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 3
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Timothy Peters (10/24/2015)
Race Record: Todd Bodine 145.513 mph (10/04/2008)
Qualifying Record: Tyler Reddick (186.827 mph (10/18/2014)



NCWTS News & Notes

Dega Dance

Following an off-week, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will close out the Round of 8 at Talladega Superspeedway Saturday with the Fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Grant Enfinger is the defending race winner, while 2017 Playoffs contenders Christopher Bell (sixth) and Johnny Sauter (seventh) both finished inside the top-10.

2017 NASCAR Playoffs Leaderboard Update

Following the second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs race in the Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, below is an updated Playoffs leaderboard heading into the elimination race at Talladega Superspeedway:

Rank	Driver	Points	Race Wins	Playoff Points	Pts from Cutoff
1	Christopher Bell	2152	1	47	-
2	Ben Rhodes	2105	1	13	-
3	Matt Crafton	2101	-	14	-
4	Johnny Sauter	2098	-	25	-
5	Chase Briscoe	2084	-	10	-
6	Austin Cindric	2082	-	7	-
7	Kaz Grala	2074	-	5	8
8	JH Nemechek	2068	-	14	14

Playoff Bubble Drivers At Talladega

As the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff field gears for its first elimination race of the post-season at Talladega Superspeedway, below is an outlook of how the bubble drivers have performed this season and at the superspeedway if they’ve registered a start:

Chase Briscoe: The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender and Brad Keselowski Racing driver currently sits 10 points above the cutoff line. Briscoe has been on a tear all season – finishing top-25 or better in every race this year. He’s coming off a third-place finish at Las Vegas and has never made a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Talladega.

Austin Cindric: Also a Brad Keselowski Racing driver and a Sunoco Rookie, Austin Cindric sits eight points above the cutoff line heading into Talladega. Cindric has been stout during his Playoffs run as he has finishes of eighth (New Hampshire) and fourth (Las Vegas). He has one career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Talladega – he finished 20th in this race a year ago in the No. 2 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford.

Kaz Grala: Having a strong Sunoco Rookie season for GMS Racing, Kaz Grala sits eight points below the Round of 8 Playoffs bubble. Grala has finished top-10 or better in four consecutive races and will need a strong finish, plus some help, to stay in the 2017 Playoffs. Grala will be making his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Talladega this weekend.

John Hunter Nemechek: Due to mechanical trouble in the opening race of the Round of 8, John Hunter Nemechek is 14 points below the cutoff line heading into Talladega. He will need some help to get in the Round of 6 on points if he doesn’t win the race. Nemechek has two career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Talladega. He finished 32nd there last year due to an engine issue and 11th there in 2015.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Clinch Scenarios At Talladega

-    Matt Crafton (0 Wins, 2101 Points): can clinch this weekend on points with 37 points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 29 points.  He can also clinch with a win this weekend.
-    Johnny Sauter (0 Wins, 2098 Points): can clinch this weekend on points with 40 points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 32 Points. He can also clinch with a win this weekend.
-    Chase Briscoe (0 Wins, 2084 Points): can clinch this weekend on points with 54 Points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 46 Points. He can also clinch with a win this weekend.
-    Austin Cindric (0 Wins, 2082 Points): can clinch this weekend on points with 55 Points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, they would clinch on points with 48 Points.  He can also clinch with a win this weekend.
-    Kaz Grala (0 Wins, 2074 Points): He can clinch with a win this weekend and could clinch on points with help.
-    John H Nemechek (0 Wins, 2068 Points): He can clinch with a win this weekend and could clinch on points with help.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs By Round

The 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs concludes the Round of 8 this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway with the Fred’s 250 on Saturday (1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Below is a look at the remaining NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs rounds and which tracks line up per round.

ROUND OF 8
Fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Talladega Super Speedway
(Saturday, October 14 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

ROUND OF 6
Texas Roadhouse 200 at Martinsville Speedway
(Saturday, October 28 at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

JAG Metals 350 at Texas Motor Speedway
(Friday, November 3 at 8 p.m. on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway
(Friday, November 10 at 8:30 p.m. on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

CHAMPIONSHIP 4Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
(Friday, November 17 at 8 p.m. on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sauter Looking For Another Dega Win

Reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter is looking to make his mark in the final race of the Round 8. Sauter was victorious at Talladega in 2013 and finished seventh there in back-to-back seasons (2016 and 2015).

Sauter had a rough night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his last race out but still managed to finish 10th. He finished ninth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs opening race at New Hampshire.

Sauter currently sits fourth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs point standings and remains a threat to win anywhere, any week.

First Timers At Talladega
 
There are six Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders making their track debut at Talladega Superspeedway in Saturday’s Fred’s 250 (1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). They include: Chase Briscoe, Wendell Chavous, Stewart Friesen, Noah Gragson Kaz Grala and Justin Haley.

Cody Coughlin, Austin Cindric and Grant Enfinger are the three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie contenders who have made previous career starts at Talladega Superspeedway.

In 11 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Grant Enfinger (10/22/2016) and current NBC NASCAR analyst Parker Kligerman (10/06/2012) are the only two drivers to win their first series race at Talladega.

Current NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Tyler Reddick (10/18/2014) is the only driver to win his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole at Talladega.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.

From The Booth To The Truck: Two current NASCAR broadcasters in Parker Kligerman (NBC Sports) and Regan Smith (FOX Sports) will be racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this weekend at Talladega. Kligerman won at Talladega in 2012 – becoming the youngest winner at Talladega in series history. Smith has one career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Talladega and finished ninth there in 2007.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Standings Update: Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 4 Toyota Tundra leads ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota by 51 points in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner standings after 18 races this season. GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado (-54), Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 19 Ford F-150 (-71) and GMS Racing’s No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado (-78) round out the top five.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturer Standings Update: Through 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season, Toyota leads Chevrolet by 33 points in the manufacturer standings, 673-640. Ford occupies third place with 570 points.

MENCS Race Preview: Alabama 500 at Talladega

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Alabama 500
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
The Date: Sunday, Oct. 15
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio                  
Distance: 500.08 miles (188 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 55),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 110), Final Stage (Ends on lap 188)

MENCS Talladega Quick Facts

Races: 96
Pole Winners: 41
Youngest Pole Winner: Chase Elliott (05/01/2016 - 20 years, 5 months, 3 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Mark Martin (10/23/2011 - 52 years, 9 months, 14 days)
Race Winners: 46
Youngest Winner: Bobby Hillin Jr (07/27/1986 - 22 years, 1 months, 22 days)
Oldest Winner: Harry Gant (05/06/1991 - 51 years, 3 months, 26 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 14
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Ricky Stenhouse Jr (05/07/2017)
Race Record: Mark Martin 188.354mph (05/10/1997)
Qualifying Record: Bill Elliott 212.809mph (05/03/1987)

MENCS News & Notes

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Travels To Talladega

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs travel to the second race of the Round of 12 – Sunday’s Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Here’s how the rest of the Playoffs leaderboard shakes out as we head to Talladega.

Rank	Driver	Points	Race Wins	Playoff Points	Pts from Cutoff
1	Martin Truex Jr.	3106	1	64	-
2	Kyle Larson	3072	-	34	-
3	Kevin Harvick	3069	-	17	-
4	Chase Elliott	3059	-	6	-
5	Denny Hamlin	3056	-	13	-
6	Kyle Busch	3055	-	41	-
7	Jimmie Johnson	3051	-	17	-
8	Jamie McMurray	3044	-	3	-
9	Matt Kenseth	3043	-	5	-1
10	Brad Keselowski	3042	-	20	-2
11	Ryan Blaney	3039	-	8	-5
12	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	3034	-	10	-10

Remember, drivers still earn playoff points for stage wins (one) and victories (five).

Truex Advances To Round Of 8 With Charlotte Win
Martin Truex Jr. continued his dominant season with a win in the Round of 12 opener at Charlotte. With the victory, he automatically advances to the Round of 8, which begins at Martinsville on Oct. 29.

Truex will carry at least his 64 playoff points – 30 for his six wins, 19 for his 19 stage wins and 15 for his regular season championship – into the Round of 8. He can still earn even more in the upcoming races at Talladega and Kansas.

Truex’s victory was his fifth at a 1.5-mile track this season, tying Carl Edwards (2008) for the most in a year. He still has races at Kansas, Texas and Homestead to break Edwards’ mark.

The No. 78 Toyota driver has led 1,977 laps this season – 23 away from 2,00. If he accomplishes the feat, he will become only the fourth driver since 2000 to lead 2,000 or more laps in a single season, joining Kevin Harvick (2015 – 2,294 laps led and 2014 – 2,137 laps led), Jimmie Johnson (2009 – 2,238 laps led) and Jeff Gordon (2001 – 2,320 laps led).

In the Modern Era (1972 to Present), only 11 drivers have led 2,000 or more laps in a single season.

Rank	Driver	Seasons with At Least 2,000 Laps Led
1	Cale Yarborough	7
2	Darrell Waltrip	7
3	Dale Earnhardt	4
4	Richard Petty	3
5	Rusty Wallace	3
6	Jeff Gordon	3
7	Bobby Allison	2
8	Kevin Harvick	2
9	David Pearson	1
10	Jimmie Johnson	1
11	Dale Jarrett	1

Truex leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in wins (six), top fives (14, tied with Kyle Larson), top 10s (21), stage wins (19), average running position (7.3), driver rating (115.7), fastest laps run (1,143, 16.4%) and laps led (1,977, 22.7%).

Elliott Scores Another Runner-Up Finish

Chase Elliott scored his second consecutive runner-up finish and third of the Playoffs in Sunday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. As a result, he shot up from ninth on the Playoff leaderboard to fourth (16 points above Matt Kenseth on the cutoff line).

The runner-up marked the sixth career second-place showing for Elliott, who is still trying to win his first race.

Elliott will try to tackle Talladega this weekend, where he has a career-best finish at the track of fifth (spring 2016). He finished 12th (fall 2016) and 30th (spring 2017) in his other two starts at the 2.66-mile behemoth.

Stenhouse Goes For Third Restrictor-Plate Win Of The Season

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is trying to establish himself as the new restrictor-plate ace in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season. He took the checkered flag in the May Talladega race and the July Daytona contest.

He’ll go for the Talladega sweep and his third restrictor-plate win of the season in Sunday’s Alabama 500.

Stenhouse’s success at Talladega shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. He has three top fives, five top 10s and a 10.4 average finish at the Alabama track.

A win on Sunday would automatically advance Stenhouse to the Round of 8. Currently, he sits last on the Playoff leaderboard, 10 points behind Jamie McMurray on the cutoff line.

Talladega has been swept seven times by six different drivers: Pete Hamilton (1970), Buddy Baker (1975), Darrell Waltrip (1982), Dale Earnhardt (1990, 1999), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2002) and Jeff Gordon (2007).

Talladega Knight: Earnhardt Jr. Takes Final Ride At Alabama Track

No driver is more beloved at Talladega than Dale Earnhardt Jr.

On Sunday, the restrictor-plate ace will make his last start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

In 34 starts at Talladega, Earnhardt boasts six wins, 12 top fives, 16 top 10s and a 15.6 average finish. His 91.0 driver rating at the Alabama track leads active drivers who have more than three starts there.

Earnhardt ranks sixth all-time in career superspeedway wins with 10 (six at Talladega and four at Daytona). Every eligible driver in the top 11 is in the NASCAR Hall of Fame: Dale Earnhardt (13 superspeedway wins), Cale Yarborough (12), Jeff Gordon (not yet eligible, 12), Richard Petty (12), David Pearson (11), Bobby Allison (10), Earnhardt Jr. (not yet eligible, 10) Fireball Roberts (seven), Bill Elliott (six), Buddy Baker (six), Dale Jarrett (six).

Keselowski Can Produce Another Wild ‘Dega Finish

Brad Keselowski is no stranger to success at Talladega. In fact, he’s had some wild finishes at the 2.66-mile Alabama track.

In 2009, the No. 2 Ford driver won his first career race at Talladega for Phoenix Racing, turning Carl Edwards on the final lap to take the checkered flag.

In 2014, Keselowski entered the Talladega Playoff race in a "win or go home" situation following a run-in the previous weekend with Matt Kenseth at Charlotte. Keselowski blocked out the distractions and won the race to make the Round of 8.

The Team Penske driver will attempt to muster some of the same magic for Sunday’s Alabama 500. He is currently 10th on the Playoff leaderboard – two points behind Jamie McMurray on the cutoff line.

Keselowski boasts four wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s and a 14.9 average finish in 17 career starts at Talladega.

NXS Race Preview: Drive for The Cure 300 at Charlotte

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Drive for The Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, Oct. 7
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

NXS Charlotte Quick Facts:

Races: 71
Pole Winners: 46
Youngest Pole Winner: Chase Elliott (10/10/2014 - 18 years, 10 months, 12 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Harry Gant (10/08/1988 - 48 years, 8 months, 28 days)
Race Winners: 34
Youngest Winner: Kyle Busch (05/29/2004 - 19 years, 0 months, 27 days)
Oldest Winner: Harry Gant (10/05/1991 - 51 years, 8 months, 25 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 11
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Austin Dillon (10/09/2015)
Race Record: Mark Martin 155.799mph (05/25/1996)
Qualifying Record: Jimmie Johnson 187.735mph (10/14/2005)

NXS News & Notes:

Round Of 12 Cutoff Race: Last Chance For Contenders To Move On In The Playoffs

As the Round of 12 of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs comes to a close this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, time is of the essence for the 12 contenders to either win their way into the next round or score as many points as possible to secure a spot. Below is the current NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings heading into this weekend for the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina this Saturday, October 7 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Rank	Driver	Points	Leader	Cutoff	Race Wins	Stage Wins	Playoff Pts
1	Justin Allgaier	2,107	0	54	2	3	23
2	William Byron	2,104	-3	51	3	3	26
3	Elliott Sadler	2,094	-13	41	0	5	20
4	Cole Custer	2,093	-14	40	0	2	7
5	Daniel Hemric	2,090	-17	37	0	2	9
6	Brennan Poole	2,082	-25	29	0	0	6
7	Matt Tifft	2,067	-40	14	0	0	4
8	Ryan Reed	2,055	-52	2	1	0	5
9	Brendan Gaughan	2,053	-54	-2	0	1	3
10	Michael Annett	2,048	-59	-7	0	0	1
11	Blake Koch	2,043	-64	-12	0	2	5
12	Jeremy Clements	2,035	-72	-20	1	0	5

Playoff Contenders In Position To Advance To The Round Of 8
Eight drivers are currently in position to move on to the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs Round of 8. Below is a quick look each driver’s performance at Charlotte and what they will need to do to advance this weekend.

Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) currently holds the Playoff standings lead with 2,107 Points; 54 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings).  Allgaier can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 on points with 3 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 1 point scored.  He can also clinch a spot with a win this weekend. Allgaier has made 14 series starts at Charlotte, posting three top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 11.8.

William Byron (No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) is second in the Playoff standings following Dover with 2,104 points; 51 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Byron can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 on points this weekend with 7 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 5 points. Byron can also clinch a spot in the next round with a win this weekend. Byron made his series track debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier this season; he started 13th and finished 14th.

Elliott Sadler (No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) sits third in the Playoff standings with 2,094 points; 41 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Sadler can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 17 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 15 points.  He can also advance with a win this weekend. Sadler has made 21 series starts at Charlotte, posting five top fives, nine top 10s and an average finish of 17.1.

Cole Custer (No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) sits fourth in the Playoff standings with 2,093 points; 40 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Custer can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 18 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 16 points. He can also advance to the next round with a win this weekend. Custer has made two series starts at Charlotte, posting one top five and two top 10s. His average finish at Charlotte is 5.5.

Daniel Hemric (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) is currently fifth in the Playoff standings following Dover with 2,090 points; 37 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Hemric can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 21 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 19 points. Hemric can also advance to the next round with a win this weekend. Hemric made his series track debut at Charlotte earlier this season; he started fourth and finished 13th.

Brennan Poole (No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet) is sixth in the Playoff standings with 2,082 points; 29 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Poole can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 28 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 26 points. Poole can also clinch a spot in the next round with a win this weekend. Poole has made four starts at Charlotte, posting two top 10s and an average finish of 14.0.

Matt Tifft (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) is currently seventh in the Playoff standing with 2,067 points; just 14 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Tifft can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 44 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 42 points.  Tifft can also advance to the next round with a win this weekend. Tifft has made two series starts at Charlotte posting one top 10 and an average finish of 17.0.

Ryan Reed (No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford) is currently in the eighth and final transfer spot of the Round of 12 Playoff standings with 2,055 points; just two points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Reed’s best chance to clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend is with a win. Otherwise, he can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 on points with 53 points.  He could also clinch on points with a new winner and help. Reed has made eight series starts at Charlotte posting an average finish of 13.9.

Contenders Outside Playoff Cutoff And Looking In

Charlotte Motor Speedway is the host of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff Round of 12 cutoff race, making this weekend an ‘all or nothing’ scenario for the following Playoff contenders that are currently outside the cutoff to advance to the next round. Below is a quick look at what they will need to do to advance to the Round of 8, and their series career performance at Charlotte.

Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) is currently the first Playoff contender outside the cutoff to advance to the Round of 8, in ninth, with 2,053 points. Gaughan is only two points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed in the final transfer position.  Gaughan can advance with a win, but can only clinch on points with help. Gaughan has made 11 series starts at Charlotte posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 14.4. He finished ninth at Charlotte earlier this season.

Michael Annett (No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) sits 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings with 2,048 points; seven points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed. Annett can advance to the Round of 8 with a win, but can only clinch on points with help. Annett has made 11 series starts at Charlotte posting two top 10s and an average finish of 20.0.

Blake Koch (No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) is 11th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings with 2,043 points; 12 points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed in the final transfer position. Koch can advance to the Round of 8 with a win, but will need help to clinch on points.  Koch has made eight series starts at Charlotte posting an average finish of 23.9. Koch posted his career-best finish at Charlotte (12th) in last season’s Playoff race, ultimately advancing him to the next round.

Jeremy Clements (No. 51 Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet) is currently ranked 12th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings with 2,035 points; 20 points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed in the final transfer position. Clements is not out of it yet, he can advance with a win, and still could clinch on points with help. Clements has made 18 series starts at Charlotte posting an average finish of 21.8.

NASCAR Fitness Challenge At NASCAR Hall of Fame

Racing doesn’t end on the track as athletes from top teams in NASCAR will go head-to-head in the NASCAR Fitness Challenge powered by Lilly Diabetes for charity Wednesday on the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza. Among the more than 50 participants are NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Ryan Reed, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Michael McDowell, former Wake Forest University defensive lineman and current jack man at Joe Gibbs Racing Nate Bolling, as well as rear tire carrier on Germain Racing’s No. 13 and former Bowling Green linebacker Paul Swan.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.:

Angela Ruch Returns: Angela Ruch is the only female competitor to make a start in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this season, and is returning this weekend to attempt to qualify for the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It will be her third start of the season for B.J. McLeod Motorsports in the No. 78 Chevrolet. Though Ruch’s average finish is a 31.0, in each of her first two starts at Kentucky earlier this season she has posted positive place differentials of +10 and +3. Ruch is one of seven women all-time to compete at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series; the other six female competitors were Patty Moise, Danica Patrick, Johanna Long, Shawna Robinson, Jennifer Jo Cobb and Tammy Jo Kirk.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings Update Following Dover: William Byron holds the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings lead with 286 points, and has a 40-point gap between himself and Daniel Hemric in second with 246 points. Cole Custer is currently third in the rookie standings with 229 points; followed by Matt Tifft (200), Spencer Gallagher (137) and Ben Kennedy (134). This weekend the rookies will showcase their skills at Charlotte where Custer leads the young pack with an average finish of 5.5; followed by Hemric (13.0), Byron (14.0), Tifft (17.0), Kennedy (25.0) and Gallagher (30.0).

Monster Energy Drivers To Watch For: This weekend there will be eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers attempting to qualify for the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina this Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Reed Sorenson, Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney, Corey LaJoie, and Alex Bowman are all entered. Ryan Blaney will looking to make it two in a row after winning at Dover last weekend. The Drive for the Cure 300 will be Alex Bowman’s series season debut this weekend, and his team debut with Chip Ganassi Racing; driving the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.