Bristol Motor Speedway is one of four tracks to host the regular season finale in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2016, and there have been 80 NASCAR Xfinity Series races held at Bristol Motor Speedway since the inaugural event in 1982.
This weekend marks the fourth-time Bristol has served as the regular season finale since the inception of the Playoffs in the series in 2016.
As the Xfinity Series heads into “The Last Great Colosseum,” JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier holds a 43-point edge over Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer in second in the standings. He is also the current NASCAR Xfinity Series driver point standings leader, and can earn the 2024 title and the 15 bonus Playoff points that come with it.
If Allgaier accomplishes the feat and wins this season’s Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship, he will become the second driver since the inception of the title in 2017 to win it twice, joining AJ Allmendinger (2021, 2022). Allgaier is one of six drivers to win the title and won his first Regular Season Championship in 2018.
With only one race left to earn a spot in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, fans can expect some action-packed racing this Friday in the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway as the 12-driver Playoff field will be finalized.
To this point, 10 of the 12 Playoff spots have been claimed – Austin Hill, Shane van Gisbergen, Justin Allgaier, Chandler Smith, Sam Mayer, Cole Custer, Jesse Love and Riley Herbst are in on their respective wins, while AJ Allmendinger and Sheldon Creed clinched their spot on points.
Currently occupying the final two open Playoff spots are Parker Kligerman (+85 points above the cutline) and Sammy Smith (+43 points). Just outside the cutline, fighting for their spot, are Ryan Sieg (-43 points back from the cutline) and Brandon Jones (-148 points). Sieg can still mathematically point his way into the postseason (would need help), but Jones and drivers ranked below him in the standings outlook are in a must-win situation this weekend.
The Bristol race is the one last chance to make the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, and here are the clinch scenarios facing the competitors heading into this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The following 10 drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver postseason field: Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Chandler Smith, Austin Hill, AJ Allmendinger, Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, Riley Herbst, Shane Van Gisbergen, Sam Mayer.
Only three drivers entered this weekend in the Food City 300 have hoisted the race winning trophy in Victory Lane, two are vying to make the Playoffs – Justin Allgaier and AJ Allmendinger – and the third is potentially making his final career start in the series – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, who clinched his spot in the 2024 Xfinity Playoffs on points, won at Bristol in 2021. Allmendinger has made three starts at Bristol posting one win (2021), one top five and three top 10s. He also leads all active drivers with more than one start at Bristol in average finish with a 5.6.
JR Motorsports owner/driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made 13 Xfinity Series starts at Bristol posting one win (2004), seven top fives and nine top 10s.
Xfinity Series drivers will have a packed Friday as they head to hit the grid at 2 p.m. ET for practice, followed by qualifying at 2:40 p.m. ET on the USA Network and streamed on the NBC Sports App.
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