NASCAR XFINITY Series

Next Race: Heads Up Georgia 250

The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway

The Date: Saturday, Feb. 27

The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90

Distance: 251.02 miles (163 laps)

 

Sadler Strolls into Atlanta as NASCAR XFINITY Standings Leader

New team, new year and a whole new chance to become a NASCAR XFINITY Series champion for series standings leader Elliott Sadler, after he kicked off 2016 by driving the JR Motorsports No. 1 Chevrolet to a top-five finish at Daytona.

Sadler joined JR Motorsports in the off-season, and in 2016 he is working with crew chief Kevin Meendering. In their first race together, the pair posted a fourth-place finish at Daytona – the highest finishing position for a championship contender. He is three points ahead of second-place Darrell Wallace Jr. and four points ahead of Sunoco Rookie candidate Brandon Jones in third.

Sadler is embarking on his 19th year in the series, but the veteran is focusing on one goal – a title.

“I really feel comfortable where I am at,” Sadler said. “But as far as proving something? I just need to prove something to myself. Nobody has more fire looking at me than I do looking at myself. I have a little chip on my shoulder and I think every driver does. You want to win and you want to run up front.”

Sadler has made ten series starts at Atlanta, posting one top-five and five top-tens.

NASCAR’s Loop Data has Sadler ranked tenth-best in the series at Atlanta in two key categories: average running position (15.5) and driver rating (81.9).

No Sophomore Slump Here: Wallace, Suárez Start 2016 Strong

Two stars that picked up right where they left off last season are Roush Fenway Racing’s Darrell Wallace Jr. and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Suárez. Both drivers used the draft to their advantage last weekend and produced solid finishes in the top-ten at the ‘World Center of Racing,’ Daytona International Speedway.

Wallace, from Mobile, Alabama, is now second in the standings just three points back from Elliott Sadler. He finished sixth at Daytona; his best finish at the 2.5-mile facility.

Wallace, 22, has made one start at Atlanta, posting an 11th-place finish last season.

Suárez has also reached a career-best position in the points, currently fourth, just five points back from series standings leader Elliott Sadler and two points back from Wallace in second.

The No. 19 Arris Toyota driver is coming off a Sunoco Rookie of the Year-winning season for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015. This season, he jump-starts his title hunt with a career-best finish at Daytona (eighth).

Suárez only has one start at Atlanta. He started 21st and finished 14th last season.

RCR’s Brandon Jones The Early Leader of the Hot New 2016 Sunoco Rookie Class

Richard Childress Racing’s Brandon Jones gives the old cliché ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ a whole new meaning.

The 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate blew the doors off the competition this past weekend finishing seventh at Daytona – 16 spots ahead of the next best rookie candidate. He now holds a five-point lead in the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over second-place BJ McLeod.

Jones’ career has been brief, but the kid can wheel a car. In six series starts, he has posted one top-five and three top-tens. He even led some laps at Kentucky last season where he finished fifth – his only start on a 1.54-mile track.

Jones, an Atlanta native, returns to his hometown for his first series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Current Sunoco Rookie Standings: Brandon Jones (15); BJ McLeod (10); Brennan Poole (9); Erik Jones (8); Ray Black Jr (7); Ryan Preece (6).

Koch Riding Momentum of Career Best Finish/Points Position

Driving for the newly formed Kaulig Racing, Blake Koch piloted the No. 11 Chevrolet to a series career-best ninth-place finish, putting himself solidly inside the top-five in points.

Kaulig Racing’s owner and president of LeafFilter™ Gutter Protection is Matt Kaulig. Kaulig met Koch back in 2014 when he sponsored a car Koch was then driving for Go Green Racing.

This year, the two have paired up along with a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing to run for the series title. Koch now is just six points behind series standings leader Elliott Sadler.

Koch has made five series starts at Atlanta, posting a best finish of 22nd last season.

Big Points Hole for Erik Jones to Climb

One of the early favorites to win the title this season is rising star Erik Jones. With all his recent success in winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title last season and rallying off several wins in the XFINITY Series, his natural ascension seemed almost certain. That was until this past weekend at Daytona, where he was in an accident involving his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Bobby Labonte that relegated him to a 31st-place finish (second worst of his career) ultimately leaving him back in the points at 22nd-place.

Now facing an uphill climb in the standings, Jones will need to bounce back at Atlanta. Fortunately for Jones, he has made 11 starts on 1.54-mile tracks, posting two wins (Chicago, Texas), six top-fives and eight top-tens. He has one start at Atlanta where he posted a 13th-place finish.

Jones is also running for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. He is now fourth in those standings, seven points back from the leader Brandon Jones.

Atlanta Could be Site of First Series Winner Chase Berth

The new XFINITY Series Chase works much like the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – you win and you’re all but guaranteed in. This weekend could make Atlanta the first track a series regular wins and earns a Chase berth. Below is a reminder of how the 2016 XFINITY Series Chase works:

The seven-race XFINITY Series Chase will begin at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 24, and feature 12 drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

A win in the first 26 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the XFINITY Series Chase, provided the driver is in the top-30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race. Drivers who win two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are also all but guaranteed a Chase berth.

The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of the races at Kentucky, Dover and Charlotte. All drivers will start with their points adjusted to 2,000, with three bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by wins are then filled on points.

Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 8 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins are then filled on points.

The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver is then crowned the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

Double Duty and NASCAR Next Drivers

Paul Menard, Ty Dillon, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick are competing in the XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series races this weekend. …

Seven NASCAR Next alumni will start at Atlanta: Ryan Preece, Darrell Wallace Jr., Daniel Suárez, Erik Jones, Corey Lajoie, Kyle Larson and Jeb Burton.