NASCAR XFINITY Series

Next Race: PowerShares QQQ 300

The Place: Daytona International Speedway

The Date: Saturday, Feb. 20

The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: FS1, 3 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90

Distance: 300 miles (120 laps)

Championship or Bust for Dillon

Ty Dillon has one goal on his mind for the 2016 – a NASCAR XFINITY Series title.

“It’s winning races or bust for me,” Dillon said. “I know with that will come a championship opportunity. So we get locked in that Chase, you have to win the races, just like they have in the Sprint Cup Series.”

The No. 3 Richard Childress racing driver placed third in the series last year on the strength of 12 top-fives and 25 top-tens. In 2014, he finished fifth in the point standings with one win, seven top-fives and 24 top-tens.

He begins his title quest in Saturday’s PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Dillon placed third in the same race last season and has an average finish of 14.8 in five XFINITY Series starts at Daytona. 

Ryan Reed Looks to Kick 2016 Off Like Last Year… With a Win

As the XFINITY Series field roared down the Superstretch and towards turn three on the last lap at Daytona last season, Ryan Reed faked going into the turn high and dove his No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford to the bottom of the track and locked it to the double yellow line as he flew into the lead passing Brad Keselowski. Reed was then able to hold off the remaining ensuing efforts at his position as he glided his Ford across the start/finish line and into Victory Lane. It was Reed’s sole win of 2015, but he returns to Daytona looking to become the fifth driver in series history to win back-to-back season-opening races, joining Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip.

Reed has made four career XFINITY Series starts at Daytona, posting one win (2015), two top-fives and an average finish of 9.0.  

Moving On Up: Erik Jones Takes Truck Championship

and Graduates to XFINITY Series

Most pundits will agree Erik Jones is the next big thing rising through the ranks of NASCAR. After claiming the Camping World Truck Series title last season, the 19-year-old Michigan native has turned his full attention to the XFINITY Series.

Jones will drive the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with crew chief Chris Gabehart in 2016.

Jones is no stranger to the XFINITY Series. He has already made 26 starts over the last two seasons posting two wins (Texas and Chicago), 13 top-fives, 20 top-tens and average finish of 8.9.

The young JGR prodigy has made two series starts at Daytona, posting one top-ten and an average finish of 13.0. 

Super Sophomores: Suárez, Wallace Go for Championship

in Second XFINITY Series Season

A year after battling for the XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, Daniel Suárez and Darrell Wallace Jr. are both back ready to compete for the championship.

Suárez, who ended up taking home the rookie honors, finished fifth in the final standings, posted eight top-fives, 18 top-tens and three Coors Light Pole Awards last season. He had an average start of 8.1 and an average finish of 11.7. He won the pole in last year’s Daytona summer race.

Last season, Wallace finished seventh in the series standings on the strength of three top-fives and 14 top-tens. He recorded an average start of 12.7 and an average finish of 11.8. Wallace has a high finish of seventh at Daytona International Speedway.

Suárez and Wallace are alumni of both NASCAR Next and NASCAR Drive for Diversity. 

Former Series Champions are No Slouches in Daytona 500 Qualifying  

Last Sunday, 2014 XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott added his name to a prestigious list of former series champions who have gone on to win the pole for the Daytona 500. Elliott is the ninth driver in NASCAR History to win the XFINITY Series championship and go on to start on the pole for the Daytona 500, joining Austin Dillon, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Greg Biffle, Jeff Green and Bobby Labonte.

Elliott is just the sixth Sprint Cup Series rookie to win the pole for the Daytona 500 joining Austin Dillon, Danica Patrick, Jimmie Johnson, Loy Allen Jr and Mike Skinner. 

Familiar Faces – New Teams In 2016

Don’t be too surprised seeing several drivers wheeling for new teams in 2016. The front offices of several of the race teams were definitely busy during the off-season with roster management. Below is a look at a few drivers who will be competing for a new team in 2016.

Former series champion, Bobby Labonte (1991) will be driving part-time in the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing this season. Labonte will have a full-schedule this weekend as he will be running Saturday with Joe Gibbs Racing before jumping in a car for Go Fas Racing and running his 24th career Daytona 500 on Sunday.

Labonte has made eight series starts at Daytona, posting two top-tens and an average finish of 20.9.

JR Motorsports will be welcoming a whole new cast of drivers. Elliott Sadler will now be in the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Returning to the series this season is Justin Allgaier in the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Sadler has made 13 series starts at Daytona, posting four top-fives, six top-tens and an average finish of 15.3. Sadler finished second in the July race at Daytona last season. Allgaier, however, hasn’t driven an XFINITY Series car since 2013, but when he did, he made ten starts at Daytona, posting five top-tens. 

Sunoco Rookies to Watch In 2016

Everyone knows the awkward feeling of your first day of school. You don’t know your way around anywhere, and you don’t know very many people, but there’s still an exciting feeling about entering the next stage in your life. Many of the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates will likely feel like that this weekend as they embark on their first season in the XFINITY Series.

As of this week, there are four drivers entered as Sunoco Rookies for 2016: Brandon Jones (Richard Childress Racing), Brennan Poole (Chip Ganassi Racing), Ryan Preece (JD Motorsports) and Erik Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing).

Brandon Jones is from Atlanta, Georgia and turns 19 on Thursday, Feb. 18. He has one top-five and two top-tens in five career XFINITY Series starts.

Poole, from The Woodlands, Texas is 24 years old. Poole made 17 XFINITY Series starts last season, logging two top-tens.

Preece is a graduate of the NASCAR Next program. He hails from Berlin, Connecticut is 25 years old. Preece mad three XFINITY Series starts from 2013-14

Erik Jones, 19, calls Byron, Michigan home. The NASCAR Next alum has made 26 starts over the last two seasons, posting two wins (Texas and Chicago), 13 top-fives, 20 top-tens and average finish of 8.9.