NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Virginia529 College Savings 250
The Place: Richmond International Raceway
The Date: Friday, Sept. 11
The Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
TV: NBCSN, 7 p.m. (ET)
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
Distance: 187.5 miles (250 laps)
Buescher Commands Championship Lead with Nine Races Remaining
After watching his point lead dwindle for three consecutive weeks in August, Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher needed to turn up the heat at Darlington.
And he succeeded.
Buescher placed fifth for his 11th top-five this season, while his closest championship contender – Ty Dillon – finished 15th. He now leads second-place Dillon by 29 points and third-place Chase Elliott by 35 points.
On Friday, the 22-year-old Texan returns to the site of his worst finish of the 2015 season – Richmond International Raceway where he finished 20th in April – for the Virginia529 College Savings 250. In four career starts at Richmond, Buescher has two top-ten finishes with a best result of seventh last spring.
Meet Virginia: Sadler, McClure Right at Home at RIR
Local fans will likely cheer for two drivers entered in the Virginia529 College Savings 250 who have their home state recorded as Virginia – Elliott Sadler and Eric McClure.
Sadler, currently fifth in the XFINITY Series standings, hails just down the road from Richmond International Raceway in Emporia, Virginia. He is searching for his first win this season, but has four top-five and 12 top-ten finishes in 24 starts. Sadler has never won a national series race in his home state. In 24 XFINITY Series starts at Richmond, he claims two top-five and ten top-ten finishes.
McClure calls Chilhowie, Virginia home. He has competed in all 24 XFINITY Series races this season with a highest finish of 17th at Daytona.
Suarez Earns Third Top-Three Finish of Rookie Season,
Second $100,000 Dash 4 Cash Bonus
Show him the money!
Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings leader Daniel Suarez logged his third top-three result of the season when he placed third at Darlington on Saturday, finishing ahead of Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon and Brian Scott to earn his second $100,000 bonus in the last installment of the XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash program.
The Monterrey, Mexico native led 14 laps and almost won the race on fuel strategy until his teammate Denny Hamlin passed him with three laps to go.
Suarez has posted six top-fives, 11 top-tens and two poles during his rookie year in the XFINITY Series. His next race is Friday’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Suarez placed sixth at Richmond in April and finished 19th in his first start there in 2014.
Scott Set for 200th Start at Arguably his Best Track
Brian Scott will make his 200th career XFINITY Series start in Friday’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway – arguably his best track on the circuit.
Still chasing his first career win, the 27-year-old Richard Childress Racing driver has a good shot at visiting Victory Lane at Richmond where he has led 285 laps – his most at any track. In 12 Richmond starts, Scott claims three top-fives, four top-tens and two Coors Light Pole Awards. He has placed no lower than seventh in his last four Richmond starts.
Scott ranks eighth in the XFINITY Series standings on the strength of four top-five and 15 top-ten finishes.
Chastain Delivers Top-Ten Finish
Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Ross Chastain produced a tenth-place finish at Darlington, his fourth top-ten showing this season. The Florida native continues to get stronger each week with two top-tens and five top-20s in his last six starts. Chastain has shown the ability to pass cars as his average finish (20.5) is more than four positions higher than his average start (24.7).
Notable Non-Regulars in the Field at Richmond
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon, along with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings leader Erik Jones are on the XFINITY Series entry list at Richmond for Friday.
All four drivers have XFINITY Series wins this season Logano, with four; Busch and Dillon with three; and Jones with two.
Busch’s five Richmond wins rank second at the track among active drivers.
Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award Announced
Comcast announced the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award, honoring NASCAR team members for their outstanding charitable endeavors. Comcast’s XFINITY brand is the title sponsor of the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The annual award will celebrate the philanthropic efforts being made by race teams across all three national series. Comcast is honoring an individual from each national series, with one of the three earning the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award. Recognizing their efforts, Comcast is donating $60,000 in the winner’s name to their affiliated charitable organization. A $30,000 contribution will also be made to the remaining finalists’ charitable organizations
Ryan Truex Returns
Ryan Truex will make his first NASCAR XFINITY Series start since 2012 in the No. 98 for Biagi DenBeste Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports.
Josh Berry Season Debut for JR Motorsports
Josh Berry will make his season debut in the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.