• Thursday, July 18th, 2024
• NASCAR Wire Service - Reid Spencer

Qualifying could be critical in NASCAR Xfinity Series’ return to Indianapolis “big track”

Historically, if there’s one thing that’s been consistent at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, it’s the importance of qualifying to NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers.

Brad Keselowski won the 2012 series debut race at big track from the eighth starting position. Since then, all seven Indy winners have started from the top three spots on the grid, four from the pole position.

Kyle Busch has been the dominant Xfinity Series driver at the Indy oval, winning three times from the pole. He won the last race held there in 2019, leading a race-high 46 laps.

Busch, however, won’t be competing in Saturday’s Pennzoil 250.

In fact, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier is the only former winner entered in Saturday’s race. Allgaier scored an emotional win at the track in 2018.

“It’s great to be going back to the oval at Indianapolis,” Allgaier said. “This is such a special place. I grew up watching races here, and to be able to have the opportunity to go to Victory Lane again on the oval definitely means a lot.

“Hopefully, our Jarrett Chevrolet will be just as strong as we have been throughout this season and we can put ourselves where we want to be in the end. If we can do that, I see no reason why we won’t have the opportunity to kiss the bricks come Saturday afternoon.”

To do so, Allgaier will have to execute a clean race. Though he leads the Xfinity Series with 11 stage wins this season, the speed in his No. 7 Chevrolet has produced just one victory so far, thanks to a series of mishaps and ill fortune.

• Friday, July 19th, 2024
• NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain

Friday Indianapolis Notebook

Chandler Smith led the NASCAR Xfinity Series 55-minute practice early Friday afternoon posting a lap of 166.756 mph in the No. 81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – .060-second better than Parker Kligerman in the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet.

IndyCar veteran Conor Daly was third fastest, followed by Brandon Jones and Riley Herbst. Current championship leader, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer was 11th on the speed chart.

• Pennzoil 250 Presented by Advance Auto Parts
• Pole Winner: Cole Custer
• Age: 26
• Team : No 00 - Haas Automation Ford
• Owner: Gene Haas
• Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
• Cole Custer won the Pole Award for the Pennzoil 250 Presented by Advance Auto Parts with a lap of 53705 seconds, 167582 mph
• This is his 23rd pole in 163 NASCAR Xfinity Series races
• This is his fifth pole and 16th top-10 start in 2024
• This is his first pole in four races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Riley Herbst (second) posted his 10th top-10 start of 2024 and his first in one race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Aric Almirola (third) posted his second top-10 start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway It is his fifth in six races this season
• Jesse Love (15th) was the fastest qualifying rookie

• Drivers Entered: 38
• Laps Scheduled: 100
• Margin of Victory: 0.167 Seconds
• Time of Race: 2 Hours 28 Minutes 8 Seconds
• Average Speed: 101.260
• Cautions: 7 for 29 laps
• Lead Changes: 12
• Green Flag Passes: 1,379 (19.4 passes per green flag lap)

• Pennzoil 250 Presented by Advance Auto Parts
• Race Winner: Riley Herbst
• Age: 25
• Team : No 98 - Monster Energy Ford
• Owner: Tony Stewart
• Crew Chief: Davin Restivo
• Riley Herbst won the Pennzoil 250 Presented by Advance Auto Parts, his second victory in 162 Xfinity Series races
• This is his first victory and ninth top-10 finish in 2024
• This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in one race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Cole Custer (second) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway It is his 16th top-10 finish in 2024
• Aric Almirola (third) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Shane Van Gisbergen (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie
• Cole Custer leads the point standings by 56 points over Justin Allgaier