The NASCAR Xfinity Series wraps up its regular season Friday night on the concrete at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Jeremy Clements (+74 points above cutline), Brandon Jones (+67) and Riley Herbst (+66) hold the three remaining playoff spots and will look to clinch them. Everyone below the cutline are in a must-win situation in order to make the playoffs.
The regular season championship, which comes with 15 playoff points, will also be decided. A.J. Allmendinger (993 points) holds a five-point lead over Austin Cindric (988 points) entering Bristol.
Noah Gragson starts on pole as he seeks a third consecutive win. JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier joins him on the front row.
Another JRM driver, Josh Berry, will replace Michael Annett in the No. 1 car after the organization confirmed Friday afternoon that Annett had re-injured his right leg in a workout. Annett was the first driver below the playoff cutline at 66 points behind Herbst.
Details for Friday’s Bristol Xfinity race:
(All times are Eastern)
START: A group of distribution center warehouse managers for race sponsor Food City will give the command to start engines at 7:38 p.m. … The green flag is scheduled to wave at 7:47 p.m.
PRERACE: Xfinity garage opens at 1 p.m. … Drivers report to pre-race at 6:55 p.m. … Driver introductions are at 7 p.m. … The invocation will be given by Mike Rife of Vansant (Va.) Church of Christ at 7:30 p.m. … The national anthem will be performed by Bristol Motor Speedway fans, led by Food City graphic designer Christina Druen, at 7:31 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 300 laps (159.9 miles) on the .533-mile short track.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 85. Stage 2 ends at Lap 170.
TV/RADIO: NBCSN coverage begins with Countdown to Green at 7 p.m., leading into race coverage … Performance Racing Network’s radio coverage begins at 7 p.m. and also will stream at GoPRN.com; SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the broadcast.
STREAMING: NBCSN
FORECAST: Weather Underground’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 73 degrees, and 15% chance of rain around the start of the race.
TO THE REAR: Josh Berry (driver change, replacing Michael Annett for the race)
STARTING LINEUP: Bristol Xfinity starting lineup
LAST YEAR: Last September at Bristol, Chase Briscoe took the lead from Austin Cindric with six laps to go and went on to win. Brandon Brown clinched the final playoff spot.