TALLADEGA, Ala. — With two races remaining to set the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship field, all four positions are yet to be formally decided.
That could change in this weekend’s United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Aric Almirola – the 2017 series Talladega winner – won last week’s Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas securing a position for the No. 19 Toyota in the owner’s championship at the Nov. 1 Phoenix grand finale.
However, the drivers’ portion of the title race remains very much up for grabs as Talladega moves into the crucial final round schedule for the first time. At least two drivers will now advance based solely on their points position.
Championship leader and 10-race winner, JR Motorsports’ rookie sensation Connor Zilisch finished runner-up to Almirola in a thrilling opener to this round last week at Las Vegas and continued to pad his championship advantage – now 82 points above the cutoff line and 38 up on his teammate and reigning series champion Justin Allgaier.
Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love is 20 points above the cutoff line and Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer is eight points to the good.
JGR’s Brandon Jones is the first driver below the cutoff line, eight points off Mayer. Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed (-21) and JR Motorsports’ Carson Kvapil (-22) and Sammy Smith (-24) are separated by only two points.
Love (third), Allgaier (fourth) and Creed (ninth) finished top-10 in April at the track. Creed has finished in the top-10 at Talladega four consecutive times, one shy of the all-time record.
Love (2024) and the defending Fall race winner Smith are the only current Playoff drivers with Talladega trophies.
Three of the last five races at Talladega have featured a last-lap pass for the win. Love’s RCR teammate Austin Hill won in the Spring race and has proven to be a drafting track master – the only driver in series history to win at all three drafting tracks (Atlanta-five times, Daytona-three times and Talladega once).
Of note, no driver has won race two of this final round and then gone on to claim the championship.
