With the racing ‘graduation’ of several of the last two season’s championship contenders – including two-time Xfinity champion Tyler Reddick, Cole Custer, Christopher Bell, and John Hunter Nemechek all to the NASCAR Cup Series this year – the 2020 Xfinity championship field has a distinctive new competitive look.
HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 16: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #2 Tame the Beast Chevrolet, poses with the trophy after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2019, in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – From the season’s beginning on the Daytona high banks to Saturday night’s very final laps of racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway the 2019 Xfinity Series championship battle was intense; ultimately coming down to a contest of speed, skill and bravado among a familiar lineup of drivers who combined to win 22 of the season’s 33 races.
And for the second consecutive year, it was Californian Tyler Reddick who hoisted a hard-earned Homestead race trophy and celebrated his second straight Xfinity Series championship. He led a race-best 84 of the 200 laps Saturday and ultimately prevailed in a good ole NASCAR ‘slingshot’ move that decided an exciting nail-biting lap-by-lap duel in the closing minutes with title challenger Cole Custer.
Reddick took the lead for good with 19 laps remaining and the checkered flag 1.038-seconds ahead of Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Custer and rookie Chase Briscoe. The other two championship eligible drivers – eight race-winner Christopher Bell and Justin Allgaier finished fifth and 14th, respectively.
AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 09: Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 at ISM Raceway on November 09, 2019, in Avondale, Arizona. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Justin Allgaier’s timing was impeccable.
DOVER, DELAWARE – OCTOBER 05: Cole Custer, driver of the #00 Production Alliance Group Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Use Your Melon Drive Sober 200 at Dover International Speedway on October 05, 2019 in Dover, Delaware. Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
DOVER, Del. – In his 100th NASCAR Xfinity Series start, Cole Custer conquered the Monster Mile.