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The NASCAR Xfinity Series takes to the track for the first time in 2024 this weekend at the Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR’s 2nd tier National Touring Series often puts on great racing during the race weekend, and, typically, more Xfinity teams show up to a race weekend than Cup Series teams. Today, we take a look at the 27 drivers competing full-time for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.
Cole Custer is the defending Series Champion, and he was a ray of sunshine with SHR having a dark year on the Cup Series side. He returns to SHR in the Xfinity Series this season despite some speculation from fans that he may move back up to the Cup Series. Those aspirations will have to wait for at least one more year, but, this year, he is a candidate to win the Championship once again.
After a trying first half of the season, Sam Mayer turned it on late capturing 4 wins and a Championship 4 berth. If he improves on ovals and keeps his car on the track in 2024, some Cup Series teams may come calling as Silly Season heats up during the summertime. For now, Mayer is a serious threat to win the Championship, and he just might be the top driver at JRM by the time the season concludes.
Jesse Love moves straight up to the Xfinity Series after a dominant ARCA Menards Series season in 2023. He won 10 races and the Series Championship with Venturini Motorsports, but, the Xfinity Series will prove to be a new challenge for him. He will no longer have the massive equipment advantage he enjoyed in ARCA, so, it will be interesting to see how he handles the fierce competition of the Xfinity Series.
Dawson Cram replaces Brennan Poole as the anchor driver at JD Motorsports for 2024. He entered 18 Xfinity Series races in 2023, failing to qualify for 8 and withdrawing from 9. However, he recorded his best career finish in the last race of the season at Phoenix, 19th.
Anthony Alfredo makes the move from B.J. McLeod Motorsports to Our Motorsports for 2024. Alfredo competed for Our in 2022 full-time, recording 4 top-10s and a 15th-place points finish. Our failed to record a top-10 in 2023 with Blaine Perkins, David Starr, and Kyle Weatherman all competing for the team.
Now one of the elder statesman of the series, Justin Allgaier returns to JRM in 2024 in search of that elusive Xfinity Series Championship. He’s made 6 Championship 4s since 2016, but he has failed to take home the big trophy. He wants that big trophy worse than many in this series.
Sammy Smith made the surprising move in 2023 Silly Season to move from Joe Gibbs Racing in the #18 car to JR Motorsports in the #8 car. The move was likely lateral in terms of equipment, but, it opens up some interesting possibilities for Smith’s Cup Series future with Chevrolet teams like Spire, Hendrick, and Trackhouse.
Brandon Jones lagged behind his JRM teammates all season long in 2023. He failed to make the Playoffs or win a race, so, he is ready to move on to 2024. He came to JRM after nearly making the Championship 4 at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2022, so, the potential is there for a major comeback.
Josh Williams is getting the opportunity of a lifetime. He moves up from DGM Racing to Kaulig Racing full-time in 2024. A journeyman driver who worked his way up through the ranks is now getting a chance with a top team. Can Williams prove that he belongs in 2024?
In 2024, Hailie Deegan becomes the first female to compete full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since Danica Patrick in 2012. Deegan moves up to AM Racing after an underwhelming stint in the Truck Series featuring 0 wins and only 5 top-10s in 3 seasons. Her solid Xfinity Series run at Las Vegas in 2022 gave Ford and AM Racing hope that she can turn it around in 2024.
A.J. Allmendinger makes the jump down from full-time Cup Series competition to full-time Xfinity Series competition with Kaulig Racing in 2024. Allmendinger figures to be a threat for the Championship this season, and he may be the favorite on every road course the series competes on. A 17-time Xfinity Series winner, Allmendinger will be tough to beat in 2024.
Sheldon Creed had an ugly exit from Richard Childress Racing after a run-in with teammate Austin Hill at Martinsville in the Round of 8 in 2023. Now, that’s in the rearview mirror, and Creed has an incredible opportunity to race for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024. With Martin Truex Jr. potentially on the verge of retirement, this could function as an audition for Creed to make it to the Cup Series.
Austin Hill returns to Richard Childress Racing for 2024 on a multi-year deal. Hill was a threat to win the Championship in 2023 before Martinsville happened with Creed, but, 2024 is a new year. With rookie teammate Jesse Love, Hill will take the role as team leader for the season.
Jeb Burton is back at Jordan Anderson Racing after getting the team its’ first NASCAR win at Talladega in 2023. Burton provides a solid veteran presence for the team, and he has proven he can win races if the cards fall right. Watch for Burton to be a dark horse on superspeedways this season.
Kyle Sieg will drive for his dad, Rod Sieg, at RSS Racing in 2024. He has 2 career top-10s in 50 races for the team, but, this will be his first full-time season.
Blaine Perkins joins RSS Racing full-time after spending 2023 on part-time deals with Our Motorsports and SS Greenlight. While he attempted 31 races in 2022, Perkins will compete full-time for the first time in 2023.
Parker Retzlaff is back at Jordan Anderson Racing alongside Jeb Burton for 2024. Retzlaff had 7 top-10 finishes in 2023 for JAR, and he finished 16th in the points standings. Look for Retzlaff to potentially compete for a Playoff spot in 2024.
Ryan Sieg comes back for his 11th Xfinity Series season in 2024. He struggled some in 2023, failing to post a top-5 and finishing 18th in the points standings. He is a veteran of the series, so, it will be interesting to see how he competed this season.
Leland Honeyman Jr. joins one of the Xfinity Series newest teams in 2024. Young’s Motorsports expands from the Truck Series into the Xfinity Series for 2024. He made 8 Xfinity Series starts in 2023 between Alpha Prime and MBM at the age of 18, and his best finish was 21st at the Charlotte Roval.
Ryan Ellis joins Alpha Prime Racing full-time for 2024. A journeyman driver, Ellis will make his first full-time season in 2024 after 11 part-time seasons in the Xfinity Series. He made 31 starts in 2023 for Alpha Prime.
Brennan Poole joins Alpha Prime full-time for 2024. He spent 2023 with JD Motorsports, making 23 starts in the Xfinity Series. This will be his first full-time Xfinity Series season since 2017.
Parker Kligerman was one of the feel-good stories of the 2023 Xfinity Series. He made the Playoffs for Big Machine Racing despite not winning a race. The driver/broadcaster/podcaster is set for another busy season in 2024.
Jeremy Clements once again competes for his own race team in 2024. He is coming off of a difficult 2023 where he failed to register a top-10. A former winner in the series, Clements looks to recapture that same success in 2024.
Chandler Smith makes the move from Kaulig Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing for 2024. It was a small surprise as Smith had signed a multi-year deal with Kaulig, but, he is back in the Toyota pipeline at Gibbs. Similar to Creed, Smith is set to potentially audition for the #19 Martin Truex Jr. car should he retire.
Kyle Weatherman is getting a full-time opportunity in 2024, replacing Josh Williams at DGM Racing. He made 25 starts in 2023 with multiple teams including DGM. It will be Weatherman’s first full-time Xfinity Series season.
SVG stole NASCAR headlines in the summer of 2023 by winning the inaugural Chicago Street Race. He now joins Kaulig Racing on a development contract with Trackhouse Racing including a full Xfinity Series season and a partial Cup Series schedule. SVG factors to be a favorite on road courses, but, his ultimate goal is to improve on ovals.
Riley Herbst finally broke through and won his first race at Las Vegas in the fall of 2023. With that out of the way, Herbst can focus on making the Playoffs for SHR, something he failed to do in 2023. With teammate Cole Custer winning the Championship in 2023, the pressure is on Herbst to perform.
These are the stars you can watch in the Xfinity Series as the NASCAR season rolls on. It figures to be a great season.
