Previewing the NASCAR Xfinity Series Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer

The last time the NASCAR Xfinity Series visited Charlotte Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin took home the victory in exciting fashion. Hamlin held off Austin Dillon on a late restart in overtime and went on to win by 0.291 seconds. Justin Allgaier was the highest finishing Xfinity Series regular in fifth.

The last time a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship contender won at Charlotte Motor Speedway was 2010 when Brad Keselowski took a trip to victory lane. Austin Dillon, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, and Keselowski are the only past winners in the field this weekend.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers in the field this weekend include Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Josh Wise, and Matt Dibenedetto. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regulars in the field this weekend include Brandon Brown, Cole Custer, Spencer Gallagher, and Timmy Hill.

Xfinity Series Chase

After the second Xfinity Series Chase race, both Elliott Sadler who won the first Chase race at Kentucky Motor Speedway, and Daniel Suarez who won the second Chase race at Dover International Speedway have punched their tickets to the Round of Eight.

The 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Chase Grid looks like this:

1. 19 Daniel Suarez [2 wins, Advancing to Round of Eight], 2087
2. 1 Elliott Sadler [3 wins, Advancing to Round of Eight], 2085
3. 7 Justin Allgaier, 2071, +17
4. 62 Brendan Gaughan, 2068, +14
5. 16 Ryan Reed, 2065, +11
6. 6 Darrell Wallace, Jr., 2064, +10
7. 11 Blake Koch, 2058, +4
8. 48 Brennan Poole, 2057, +3
9. 3 Ty Dillon [In Danger of Elimination], 2054 -3
10. 20 Erik Jones [4 wins, In Danger of Elimination], 2053, -4
11. 39 Ryan Sieg [In Danger of Elimination], 2047 -10
12. 33 Brandon Jones [In Danger of Elimination], 2039, -18

What to Watch For

There are several storylines going into this weekend’s race to watch for:

• Will a Cup Series regular win again, or will an Xfinity Series Chase contender take the win? Or will another play the role of spoiler?
• Austin Dillon will be in the No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing.
• Cole Custer will be in the No. 5 Haas Automation Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports.
• Joey Logano will be in the No. 12 PPG Ford Mustang for Team Penske.
• Matt Tifft will be in the No. 18 American Brain Tumor Association Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing.
• Spencer Gallagher returns in the No. 21 Domestic Violence Awareness Chevrolet Camaro for GMS Racing.
• Brad Keselowski will be in the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang for Team Penske.
• Kyle Larson returns for another start in the No. 42 Nature Made Chevrolet Camaro for Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Kevin Harvick will be in the JR Motorsports ‘All-Star No. 88 Car.’
• Jeb Burton returns in the No. 98 The Z Real Estate Group/KW Burlington Ford Mustang for Biagi-Denbeste Racing.

Where and When to Watch (All Times Eastern)

Practice 1: Thursday, October 6, at 3:00 p.m. on NBCSN

Practice 2: Thursday, October 6, at 5:30 p.m. on NBCSN

Qualifying: Friday, October 7, at 4:45 p.m. on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra (Online)

Race: Friday, October 7, at 8:00 p.m. on NBCSN, NBC Sports Live Extra (Online), SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and the Performance Racing Network.