The NASCAR Xfinity Series continues its Chase run at Dover International Speedway on Saturday, October 1st at 2:30 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports Network. The Drive Sober 200 is the second race in the first set of three, that will decide who’s moving forward and who isn’t. Regan Smith took home the victory in last years race at the Monster Mile.
Elliott Sadler locked his way into the next round of the Chase with his late race victory last weekend at Kentucky Speedway. Furthermore, the veteran driver for JR Motorsports is a top the Chase standings once again. With 27 contests behind him, Sadler has posted three wins, 11 top five’s and 24 top 10’s.
“I think anytime you can put a win on the board it is special, make it the first ever NASCAR Xfinity Series Chase race is special, and it kind of gives us a break the next two weeks so we can go out and race and have fun and be aggressive if we need to,” said 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Chase standings leader Elliott Sadler.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Suarez, began the Chase with a second place result in last week’s event at Kentucky Speedway. As a result, he now sit eight points back of Xfinity series leader Elliott Sadler. Suarez has made three starts at Dover International Speedway. In those races, he has accumulated two top 10’s with an average finish of 12.7.
Sprint Cup part-timer Brendan Gaughan was the biggest mover after last weeks race in the Blue Grass state. The Childress Racing motorist climbed four spots to third in the Chase point standings after his sixth place out-put last week. The veteran driver now sits nine points above Erik Jones in the ninth spot. Currently, through nine starts at Dover, Gaughan has one top 10 and an average finish of 15.3.
Rousch Fenway Racing’s Ryan Reed has been a welcome addition to the Xfinity Series top five point leaders. The young driver sits fourth after beginning last week in the tenth position. His seventh place result at Kentucky was one of his best finishes in 2016.
If Ryan Reed can stay consistent, he should make it to the next round of competition. Reed has five starts under his belt at Dover posting an average finish of 18.8. He took the checkered flag in 14th here in 2015.
Another Roush Fenway racer has moved his way up the Chase later after his performance in Kentucky. Darrell Wallace Jr. now sits in fifth after his eighth place tally. has moved up one spot in the points to fifth following his eighth-place finish at Kentucky.
Darrell Wallace has raced the Monster Mile four times in the Xfinity Series. He has reeled in two pole position efforts, one top five and an average finish of 10.5. The lead-footed driver finished second here earlier this year.
Erik Jones started this inaugural Chase as the favorite to drive of as the 2016 Xfinity Series champion. Unfortunately, all that turned sour after his last outing in Kentucky. The Joe Gibbs Racing’s stand-out started from the pole position and sped off to lead 100 laps.
That was when it all turned bad for the impressive up and comer. Erik Jones was caught in an accident with Ty Dillon, that mired him to a miserable 28th place result. The outcome obliterated his spot in the Chase standings. The talented stud dropped from first to ninth and now needs a clutch performance to just survive.
Erik Jones has competed twice at Dover International Speedway in an Xfinity car. He has posted a win with two top 10’s. Jones also has four victories this year and is my pick to come out victorious on Saturday.
Ty Dillon is bringing up the rear in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Chase point standings. The Childress Racing speedster is 15 points behind Blake Koch and the eighth place cut-off line.
Like Erik Jones, Ty Dillon looked as though he would come out of the race in Kentucky smelling like roses. Instead, after leading 47 laps, he also was caught up in a wreck with four laps to go. Dillon finished out the contest in 27th.
Ty Dillon hopes to turn it all around this weekend at Dover International Speedway. The young talent has raced the Monster Mile seven times in an Xfinity hot-rod. Altogether, he has posted one top five, five top 10’s and an average finish of 12.9.
