What’s Happening?

For some, it’s the best of times, but for others, it’s the worst of times. The NASCAR Xfinity Series is on a three-week hiatus, and now is as good a time as any to look at the most disappointing drivers of the Xfinity Series season.

• To be included, drivers must perform below what they were expected in the pre-season. If a driver is towards the bottom of the standings, but either people expected them to be there or it’s been a pattern beyond just this season, they’re not necessarily disappointing as much as they’re performing to expectations.
• Drivers towards the middle or top of the standings might also be included if they are below what people expect. If someone is consistently a Championship contender and suddenly struggles to make the Playoffs, they could be included on this list.
• Just because a driver is on this list doesn’t mean they cannot turn their season around. However, time is limited, with the Xfinity Series Playoffs only seven races away.

A.J. Allmendinger

Surprisingly, Kaulig Racing demoted A.J. Allmendinger back to the Xfinity Series for 2024 due to sponsorship issues despite winning a Cup Series race at the Charlotte Roval last fall. However, many expected Allmendinger to be a Championship contender in the Xfinity Series. Thus far this year, he hasn’t been that great.

He hasn’t won a race, and he’s only led 36 laps with three top-10s. He does sit sixth in the points but hasn’t been relevant throughout the year. It’s about as disappointing as a sixth-place points season can get.

Josh Williams

Sticking with Kaulig Racing, Josh Williams was one of the most intriguing signings of last Silly Season. A journeyman driver finally gets his chance with a top team that can win races. Well, it hasn’t panned out.

He currently sits 18th in points with only three top-10 finishes. He’s easily the worst Kaulig Racing Xfinity Series driver of the season, contributing to an overall downturn in performance for Kaulig.

Sammy Smith

Samm Smith took the calculated risk of leaving the Toyota pipeline to join JR Motorsports in 2024. While he hasn’t been outright terrible, he hasn’t been great, especially after a season in which he won his first race and finished sixth in points.

Smith is three points out of the Playoffs, with Ryan Sieg being the last driver currently in. Missing the Playoffs would be an absolute failure for Smith, and he might do so if he is not careful.

Hailie Deegan

Expectations weren’t high for Hailie Deegan coming into 2024, but who expected her to be booted from her ride 17 races into the season? That’s about as bad as it can get, and it comes after she again underperformed in equipment that was seemingly capable of more.

Was AM Racing the best situation for Deegan? Maybe it wasn’t, but that doesn’t make this season any less disappointing. Time will tell if Deegan can get another chance in NASCAR.

Brandon Jones

Brandon Jones went from the doorstep of the Championship 4 in 2022 to out of the Playoffs in 2023, and he is on the same pace in 2024. His move from JGR to JRM was seen as a lateral move from good organization to good organization, and performance was expected to remain the same. That hasn’t happened.

Whether or not Jones returns to the team in 2025 remains a mystery. There was some minor speculation about him leaving at the end of 2023, but that was just rumors. He has only seven races to win or gain 71 points on Ryan Sieg and leap frog teammate Sammy Smith in the standings.

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