Up to Speed: Bar Harbor 200 at Dover Preview

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer

It’s the 29^th race of the season, and the third of the Playoffs. Four full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series regulars have combined to score 12 victories. The Xfinity Series returns to Dover International Speedway for the Bar Harbor 200. The Playoff battle, eliminations, and stage racing are just some of the storylines heading into the 29^th race of the season.

Coverage for the Bar Harbor 200 is scheduled to start Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET. Dover has been on the schedule since the inception of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and last hosted the 29^th race of the season in 2011. In 69 races at the 1.0-mile high-banked Concrete Oval, 50 drivers have claimed victory. Jeff Green and Justin Allgaier are the only former winners entered in Saturday’s race.

The last time the Xfinity Series visited Dover, Allgaier took the victory in dominating and thrilling fashion. He led 104 of the 200 laps, holding off teammate Elliott Sadler on the last lap to take the checkered flag by 0.305 seconds. Eight of the 10 drivers in the race that day are entered in Saturday’s field.

By the Numbers

What: OneMain Financial 200, NASCAR Xfinity Series Race 29

Where: Dover International Speedway – Dover, Delaware (Opened: 1969)

TV/Radio: NBCSN, 3:00 p.m. ET / MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90

Track Size: 1.0-Mile High-Banked Concrete Oval

Banking: 24 degrees in the turns, and 9 degrees on the straightaways.

Race Length: 200 Laps, 200 Miles (Three Stages, 45/90/200)

2017 Race Winner: Ryan Blaney – No. 22 Fitzgerald Glider Kits Ford Mustang (Started eighth, 138 laps led).

Track Qualifying Record: Erik Jones (158.318 mph, 22.739 seconds – 10/1/2016).

The Playoff Picture:

After the events of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Christopher Bell is still the only driver with a guaranteed spot in the Round of Eight. Bell leads Daniel Hemric by 33-Points. Tyler Reddick has jumped up to third, 42-Points behind. Cole Custer is now fourth, 49 behind, with Matt Tifft 50 behind. Elliott Sadler and Allgaier (after another accident are both 52-Points behind.

Ross Chastain now hold the cutoff for the Playoffs, 54-Points behind Bell. He is only nine points ahead of Austin Cindric. Ryan Truex is 26-Points out. Also on the outside looking in are Ryan Reed 27-Points behind, and Brandon Jones, 32-Points behind Chastain.

Storylines Heading into the Bar Harbor 200:

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

• Landon Cassill returns to the No. 01 Chevrolet Camaro SS for JD Motorsports.
• Shane Lee returns to the No. 3 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro SS for Richard Childress Racing.
• Ross Chastain will have the Delaware Office of Highway Safety Use Your Melon Campaign as the primary sponsor of his No. 4 Chevrolet Camaro SS for JD Motorsports.
• Ryan Preece returns to the No. 18 Craftsman Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing.
• John Hunter Nemechek will be in the No. 42 Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet Camaro SS for Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Chase Briscoe returns to the No. 60 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing.
• Brandon Brown returns in the No. 90 Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Chevrolet Camaro SS for DGM Racing.

Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)

Friday, October 5

• NXS Practice 1 (12:05 p.m. – 12:55 p.m. on NBCSN)
• NXS Practice 2 (2:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. on the NBC Sports App)

Saturday, October 6

• NXS Qualifying (12:10 p.m. on the NBC Sports App)
• NXS Bar Harbor (3:00 p.m. – 200 laps, 200 miles – on NBCSN, SiriusXM Channel 90, and the Motor Racing Network)