As the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season nears its end, the excitement is building with just five races remaining. This Friday, August 23, drivers will compete under the lights at Daytona International Speedway for the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola. The race will start at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, has been the site of 65 Xfinity Series races. These races have seen 37 different winners and 44 different pole sitters. Interestingly, only six races have been won from the pole position, with the latest being Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill in the 2023 season opener.
NASCAR legends Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart hold the record for the most wins at Daytona, each with seven victories. This weekend, only three of the 37 past winners will be racing: Austin Hill (2022, 2023, 2024), Jeremy Clements (2022), and Justin Allgaier (2023).
With Justin Allgaier’s recent win at Michigan International Speedway, eight drivers have secured their spots in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. These drivers are Shane van Gisbergen, Chandler Smith, Austin Hill, Sam Mayer, Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, and Riley Herbst.
Currently, AJ Allmendinger (+102), Sheldon Creed (+70), Parker Kligerman (+36), and Sammy Smith (+1) hold the final four playoff spots. Ryan Sieg (-1) and Brandon Jones (-94) are just outside the cutoff, followed by Anthony Alfredo (-115).
Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing returns to Daytona aiming for a season sweep after winning the season opener in February. Hill, a 30-year-old from Winston, Georgia, is familiar with Victory Lane at Daytona, having won the season openers in 2022 and 2023.
Hill enters the weekend with strong momentum, boasting two wins (Daytona, Atlanta), eight top fives, 13 top 10s, and 139 laps led this season. If he wins this weekend, he will join Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the only drivers to sweep both Daytona races in a single season.
Daytona International Speedway is known for its thrilling, unpredictable races. However, some drivers consistently perform well at this track.
Austin Hill is a favorite for this weekend’s Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, given his recent success at Daytona. Another driver to watch is Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports. Allgaier has made 27 starts at Daytona since his debut in 2009, achieving one win (summer 2023), eight top fives, 13 top 10s, and leading 130 laps.
As the regular season winds down, the stakes are higher than ever, and the race under the lights at Daytona promises to be a thrilling spectacle.
Clinch Stats per NASCAR
Already Clinched
The following five drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver postseason field: Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Shane Van Gisbergen, Sam Mayer.
Can clinch via previous wins
The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by a previous winner:
Cole Custer: Would clinch with 50 pointsThe following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by a new winner:
Cole Custer: Would clinch with 55 pointsCan Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
Cole Custer, Riley Herbst, Jesse Love
- Playoff twelve drivers coming into focus as NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to tough Bristol Motor Speedway for Food City 300 - September 17, 2024
- “King of the Modifieds” Luke Baldwin Ready to Race in the Greatest Tradition in Modified Racing at Lake Erie Speedway in the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions 250 - September 17, 2024
- Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Racing: Noah Gragson Bristol Advance - September 17, 2024