NASCAR XFINITY Series teams are preparing for the third Dash 4 Cash race, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200 at Dover International Speedway on Saturday, May 14th, which includes two heat races at 40 laps each and the main event of 120 laps. FOX coverage begins at 2 pm ET with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
It’s Baaaaack: Dash 4 Cash Returns
Another $100,000 bonus is on the line this weekend at Dover International Speedway as the NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash will be in full swing for the third round of the popular 2016 program – Saturday’s Ollies Bargain Outlet 200.
The XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash includes Two Heats and a Main at four tracks this season: Bristol Motor Speedway (April 16), Richmond International Raceway (April 23), Dover International Speedway (May 14) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 23).
Erik Jones won the first round of the Dash 4 Cash at Bristol; Ty Dillon captured the second round at Richmond.
Qualifying for each Dash 4 Cash event will set the 40-car field and the starting positions for the Two Heats with the fastest qualifier awarded the Coors Light Pole Award. Odd-numbered qualifiers (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) will start in the first Heat in order, while even-numbered qualifiers (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) will start the second Heat in order.
The Two Heats will set the starting positions for the Main with the top two XFINITY Series regulars in each Heat becoming eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus. The highest finishing driver among the four Dash 4 Cash eligible drivers will earn an award of a $100,000 bonus.
If any driver wins two of the four Dash 4 Cash bonuses available, he/she is all but guaranteed a spot in the 2016 XFINITY Series Chase. In short, two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are equal to one race win in the new XFINITY Series Chase format.
If Ty Dillon can win the Dash 4 Cash this weekend, he will have two Dash 4 Cash bonuses, and as a result, a spot in the XFINITY Series Chase – provided he stays in the top 30 in points.
Dillon has made six starts at Dover, posting four top-tens and an average finish of 14.2.
Sadler Looks to Hulk Up his Points Lead
Elliott Sadler was last seen celebrating in Victory Lane at Talladega Superspeedway on his birthday. Since then, he has had an extra week to enjoy the spoils of winning in the XFINITY Series and capturing the championship standings lead.
As the series returns to action this weekend at Dover for the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200, Sadler can use his veteran experience to put space between him and second-place Suarez in the points (they’re currently tied, though Sadler owns the tiebreaker). Sadler has made 16 starts at Dover, posting nine top-tens and an average finish of 12.9. He placed ninth at Dover last fall.
JR Motorsports has been a good fit for Sadler. In nine starts this season, he has posted one win (Talladega), four top fives and eight top-tens. His consistency producing solid finishes has been the foundation for his success this season. He hasn’t had a DNF and his average finish is a series-leading 6.6 among title contenders.
If He Can Continue Goblin Up Points, Suárez Can Regain Points Lead
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Suárez is still looking for his first win in the XFINITY Series, but his consistency has put him in the hunt for the points lead.
Expect to see Suárez as a man on a mission this weekend at Dover; which as it happens is the track that 13 drivers in series history have recorded their first victory in the XFINITY Series – drivers like Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader and Michael Waltrip to name a few.
“Dover is such a unique racetrack and really unlike any track we visit all season,” said Suárez. “It reminds me a lot of Bristol, but on a much bigger scale. This is the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, so we are going to work hard to qualify well, stay up front in our heat race, and hopefully come away with a win and 100,000 dollars!”
Suárez has made two starts at Dover International Speedway where he’s recorded one top-ten and an average finish of 14.5.
Sunoco Rookie – Wookiee?
Of the Year Round Up: Three Currently in Chase Contention
With nine races in the books, Erik Jones is still the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings leader, followed by Brandon Jones (-26), Brennan Poole (-31), Ryan Preece (-60), Garrett Smithley (-70), Ray Black Jr. (-72), BJ McLeod (-74) and Cody Ware (-109). Of the seven-driver 2016 Sunoco Rookie class, three are now eligible for the XFINITY Chase – Erik Jones (one win – Bristol), Brandon Jones (sixth in championship points) and Brennan Poole (eighth in championship points).
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Erik Jones is now seventh in the XFINITY Series standings – ten points behind Richard Childress Racing’s Brandon Jones. In nine starts this season, Erik Jones has landed one pole, one win (Bristol), five top fives and an average finish of 12.4. Jones now has clinched a spot in the Chase with his win provided he stays in the top 30 in points.
Erik Jones made his series track debut at Dover last season where he started sixth and finished ninth.
“Last year, I had a great Toyota Camry, gained a lot of track time and led laps,” Jones said. “I just made a late-race mistake that cost us a chance at the win. We’ve had fast Toyotas all season and if we can minimize mistakes, I know we will be there at the end with a shot at the Monster Mile.”
Richard Childress Racing’s Brandon Jones sits sixth in the standings, five points behind fifth-place Brendan Gaughan. Brandon Jones has posted four top-tens with an average finish of 10.8. Jones’ path to the Chase is on points at this moment. His sixth-place spot in the standings is good enough to grant him passage if he can stay inside the top-12.
Last but not least, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Brennan Poole is now eighth in the series points, 13 back from seventh-place Erik Jones. Poole is coming off his career-best series finish at Talladega (third). In nine starts, Poole has registered one top-five, three top-tens and an average finish of 13.3.
Poole has made one start at Dover, logging a 12th-place finish.
Noteworthy in the NASCAR XFINITY Series
Extra Seat Time: Seven drivers will be pulling double duty, attempting to compete in the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200 this weekend at Dover International Speedway while also racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Joey Logano, Paul Menard, Josh Wise, Matt DiBenedetto, Travis Kvapil, Timmy Hill and Matt Tifft.
Logano’s Milestones – Joey Logano can tie Kyle Busch for the series-most wins at Dover (five) with a victory this weekend. Logano can also break the tie for the series-most Coors Light poles at Dover (five) with Harry Gant and become the sole leader in poles at Dover in the XFINITY Series. In 12 starts at the one-mile track, Logano has posted four wins, eight top-fives, nine top-tens and an average finish of 4.9.
NASCAR In Delaware: There have been a total of 172 NASCAR national series races (NSCS 92, NXS 64 and NCWTS 16) held in the state of Delaware. All 172 events have been held at one track – Dover International Speedway. The very first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Delaware was the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Dover on July 6, 1969 – winning that race was NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty (Ford). The first XFINITY Series race at Dover was on May 15, 1982 – won by Joe Ruttman (Pontiac).
Delaware Drivers In NASCAR – A total of nine drivers that have competed in at least one NASCAR national series race have their home state recorded as Delaware. Of the nine, only one has competed in the XFINITY Series – CJ Faison. None of the nine Delaware drivers have won a NASCAR national series race.