This weekend is the NASCAR Xfinity Series cut-off race at Kansas Speedway, and there are plenty of storylines to watch heading into this race. From the regular season Championship battle to the final Playoff spot, there is plenty to watch out for in this weekend’s race.
The final Playoff spot is up for grabs, and it is the definition of a toss-up. Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed, and Daniel Hemric are locked into the Playoffs on points, so it comes down to Riley Herbst and Parker Kligerman, who are only separated by one point.
Kligerman has not raced at Kansas since 2013, but he finished seventh in that race. Herbst has one top-10 at Kansas, which came back in 2020. Of course, both of them get in with a win as well. However, any new winner not named Berry, Creed, or Hemric will knock both drives out of the Playoffs.
Brandon Jones is always someone to watch out for since he is in JR Motorsports equipment, and the number 9 car won there last year with Noah Gragson. Anyone else who is lower in the standings is going to be willing to try something crazy to get that win they desperately need.
Kansas is not a race track that usually breeds surprise winners. However, desperate drivers and teams could create some interesting scenarios on Saturday afternoon.
Three drivers head into the regular season finale within striking distance of the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season Championship. Austin Hill leads the points with John Hunter Nemechek in second (-23) and Justin Allgaier in third (-33).
Hill is in the catbird seat to win the regular season Championship, but, a miscue early in the race could cause this battle to become quite interesting. He finished 12th in the rain-shortened race at Kansas last fall.
Allgaier finished second at Kansas last fall, and he has four career top-5 finishes at the track. JR Motorsports is a threat at Kansas, and that came true last year with Gragson winning. However, it was JGR driver Ty Gibbs who led the most laps, and the guy who drives that car this year is John Hunter Nemechek.
Everyone in this battle is very much in it. Which one will come out on top on Saturday?
The top 10 in points all get Playoff points for where they finish in the regular season, and only fourth place is currently locked in. Not only are the top three up for grabs, but so are fifth and sixth, seventh through ninth, and 10th.
Not only are Herbst and Kligerman fighting for Playoff eligibility, but whoever gets that spot could one Playoff point for finishing 10th in the standings. Sammy Smith is currently 28 points back of Herbst, so he could take that extra bonus point as well.
Teammates Sam Mayer and Josh Berry are fighting for fifth place, which is worth one extra point than sixth. Mayer currently holds fifth by 16 points. Sheldon Creed, Daniel Hemric, and Chandler Smith currently sit in seventh through ninth, and the three are separated by only six points. It may only be one point between drivers, but that one point can be very valuable.
It will be an interesting race on Saturday afternoon as the Xfinity Series Playoff field is set. Which driver will get the upper hand after Saturday?
