NXS: ToyotaCare 250 Race Preview

The NASCAR XFINITY Series travels to Richmond International Raceway for the 30th annual ToyotaCare 250. The event on Saturday will serve as the eighth race of the season for the series. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who will not race in this event, enters the weekend as the defending race winner.

Entry List:

A total of 42 drivers are entered into the ToyotaCare 250. That means two cars will go home after qualifying on Saturday at 10:05 a.m. ET. live on FOX Sports 1. The session will be a multi-car / three round format.

Storylines:

Daniel Hemric left Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend with a little more money in his pocket. That is because he left the track as the Dash4Cash winner and took home an extra $100,000.

Not only did the young racer win the Dash4Cash bonus last weekend, but he also won the second stage of the Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300. He went on to finish fifth and moved into the top five of the series driver standings.

“This whole day is just a testament to everyone on the No. 21 Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet team and everyone at Richard Childress Racing,” said Hemric after the race at Bristol. “I was hoping we could get up there and earn the overall victory, but to take home the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash prize and win Stage 2 of the race is big for this group.”

As the series heads to Richmond International Raceway this weekend, Hemric will lean on his teammates for advice.

“The amount of teammates I have to lean on at Richard Childress Racing is going to be a big advantage for me heading into Richmond,” Hemric said. “A lot of the guys we have inside our shop have run there a lot of times, they have experience in the day races and the night races, and have been a part of that scenario. Looking at the short track race package, we could take what we learned at Phoenix and Bristol and apply it to Richmond. On the backside of that, my wife, Kenzie, ran pretty well at Richmond in the NASCAR K&N Series. I’m going to lean on her for a bit of advice as well and make the most of the weekend.”

Through seven races this year, Hemric holds one top five and three top 10 finishes. He continues to search for his first career XFINITY Series win.

Kyle Benjamin will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut on Saturday for Joe Gibbs Racing. The South Carolina native will pilot the No. 20 ToyotaCare Toyota with crew chief Christopher Gabehart.

“I can’t think of or ask for a better opportunity than to make my NASCAR XFINITY Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing.  I’m excited and I am looking forward to representing ToyotaCare by driving the No. 20 JGR Toyota Camry at Richmond International Raceway this Saturday,” Benjamin said in a release. “I do have some experience in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East to draw from for my XFINITY Series 7debut at Richmond and I feel confident that I can be competitive right out of the gate.  I think Richmond is a track that suits my driving style well and I really tend to like worn out tracks that you have to roll around the corner and pick up the gas late. That’s one of the key things that fits my driving style.  I have had lots of success at places like Richmond, so I look to continue that success and have lots of fun at Richmond.”  

In 32 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts, Benjamin holds five victories, 14 top five and 19 top 10 finishes. One of those wins came earlier this month at Greenville-Pickens Speedway where he started on the pole and led 46 circuits.

Elliott Sadler continues leading the series standings by 16 points over teammate William Byron. Justin Allgaier, also a JR Motorsports driver, comes into the weekend at Richmond sitting third in points. Rounding out the top five is Ryan Reed and Daniel Hemric. Darrell Wallace Jr., who sits sixth in points going into this weekend’s event, is tied with Hemric.

Sadler is excited about racing at his home track on Saturday.

“I love racing at home. There’s nothing like racing in front of my family and friends,” said Sadler. “It’s just a short drive up from where I was born and raised– and it’s just a fun track. My JR Motorsports team is hungry for our first win of the season and when we get another top 10 this weekend, kids will eat free (on Monday, May 1) thanks to our partner, Golden Corral.”

Byron is also looking forward to the upcoming weekend.

“I am very excited to get to Richmond this weekend,” said Byron. “I think our No. 9 Liberty University team is ready to get in a rhythm of races and Richmond has always been a good track for JRM. I am ready to get in the car and see what we can do this weekend.”

Where to Watch:

The ToyotaCare 250 will air live on FOX Sports 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET. on FOX. The Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM Channel 90 will carry the live radio broadcast.

Brett Winningham
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