NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: DAV 200 Honoring America’s Veterans
The Place: Phoenix International Raceway
The Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
The Time: 4 p.m. (ET)
TV: NBCSN, 3:30 p.m. (ET)
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
Distance: 200 miles (200 laps)
Two to Go: Buescher Close to Title for Roush Fenway Racing
Count ‘em.
Just two races remain until crowning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion for the 2015 season.
Current standings leader, Chris Buescher can clinch the title this weekend if he leaves Phoenix 49 points ahead of second-place in the standings. Buescher is now 24 points up on second-place Chase Elliott.
If he doesn’t reach the magic number of 49 points ahead following Phoenix, he can still win the title no matter what any other driver does if he finishes seventh or better without leading a lap, eighth or better leading at least one lap or ninth or better leading the most laps in the last two races.
“We just need two more solid races to wrap this thing up,” Buescher said. “Phoenix is a unique race track that I really want to have a good race at. I like short track racing and feel that this will be a good weekend for us.”
Buescher has made 31 starts this season, posting two wins (Iowa, Dover), 11 top-fives, 20 top-tens and an average finish of 8.2.
Buescher will have his work cut out for him this weekend though. In three starts at Phoenix he has an average finish of 13.7 and has yet to finish inside the top-ten.
Elliott, Dillon and Smith Need to Win to Have Chance at Catching Buescher
The three drivers who have not been mathematically eliminated from the title hunt in 2015 are second-place Chase Elliott (-24), third-place Ty Dillon (-30) and fourth-place Regan Smith (-31).
If Elliott were to have his best two performances at Phoenix and Homestead by winning both events and leading the most laps he would total out at 1,198 points on the season. To win the title, Elliott would still need Buescher to falter and finish eighth or worse in both of the last two races.
Elliott has made three starts at Phoenix posting one top-five, three top-tens and an average finish of 7.0.
If Dillon were to have the best case scenario for him at Phoenix and Homestead by winning both events and leading the most laps, he would total out at 1,192 points on the season. To win the title, Dillon would still need Buescher to struggle and finish 12th or worse in both of the last two races to catch him.
Dillon has made three starts at Phoenix posting one top-five, three top-tens and an average finish of 6.7.
If Smith were to win both Phoenix and Homestead, while leading the most laps in each, his season point total would be 1,192 points. Smith would still need Buescher to finish 13thor worse in the next two races to win the title.
Smith has made nine starts at Phoenix, tallying one top-five, five top-tens and an average finish of 14.4.
Ross Kenseth Returns for Second Career Series Start
Ross Kenseth, son of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth, will be making his career XFINITY Series career start this weekend in the DAV 200 Honoring America’s Veterans.
Kenseth made his first career start earlier this season for Joe Gibbs Racing at Chicagoland Speedway. He drove the No. 20 Toyota from a second-place starting position to a sixth-place finish.
This weekend the 22-year-old will be attempting to qualify at Phoenix in the No. 80 Toyota for car owner Shigeaki Hattori. This will be the first car Hattori has attempted to field this season.
Last season Hattori gave Ross Chastain, Johnny Sauter and Alex Bowman chances to compete in the XFINITY Series. Chastain has posted the best finish for Hattori as a car owner, finishing 10th at Kentucky last season.
Rookie Sensation Daniel Suarez
Looks to Break into Driver Standings Top-Five at Phoenix
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Suarez is looking to break into the top-five in the XFINITY Series driver standings at Phoenix this weekend. Suarez is just eight points back from fifth-place Elliott Sadler and only one point back from sixth-place and fellow Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Darrell Wallace Jr.
If Suarez makes the top-five in points, he will earn the chance to speak at the banquet and be celebrated by the series with the champion and the other four drivers in the top-five in points.
Suarez finished 11th at Phoenix in his series track début earlier this season, one spot better than Sadler and four spots better than Wallace.
DAV 200: The Second Stop of Three for Erik Jones at Phoenix
Erik Jones continues to impress with his talents in NASCAR, most recently, becoming the youngest driver (19) to attempt a triple header last weekend at Texas. Jones is racking up time on the track lately running in all three NASCAR national series and is on the entry lists attempting to pull triple duty again in Phoenix.
Expect Jones to do well in the XFINITY Series event. He has made 21 starts this season, posting 11 top-fives and 15 top-tens.
Jones has made two starts at Phoenix, posting an average finish of 5.5 – including a fifth-place finish earlier this season.
Notable Drivers Competing in XFINITY Series
Two Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will be competing in the XFINITY Series event this weekend, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. The remaining Sprint Cup drivers entered this weekend are Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon.
2014 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion Anthony Kumpen will attempt to qualify for his second XFINITY Series race at Phoenix in the No. 55 Chevrolet. He placed 28th at Iowa in August after starting 35th. Kumpen’s United States schedule is part of the Nexteer Road to Daytona program designed by Nexteer and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series to get European drivers to race in the U.S.