This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series head to Charlotte Motor Speedway. It will serve as the elimination race in the Round of 16 Cup Series Playoffs, trimming the field to 12 drivers.
Instituting the Playoff system in the NASCAR XFINITY Series was meant to be a way to level the playing field for NASCAR's Triple-A division, a goal furthered when Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regulars were limited in the XFINITY Series attempts.
After making contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. mid-race, Martin Truex Jr. was able to rebound. He took the lead from his teammate Kyle Busch with 25 laps to go en route to his sixth victory of the season.
In what was dominating fashion, the No. 20 of Christopher Bell won at Richmond Raceway, the first race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. With the win, he is locked into the Round of 8.
Playoff driver Brad Keselowski won the Pole Award for Saturday nights 62nd Annual Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway with a lap of 21.229 seconds, 127.185 mph. This was Keselowski's second pole at Richmond and his 17th of his career.
Martin Truex won Stage 2 at Las Vegas and later passed Kevin Harvick for the lead with 20 laps to go. Truex then eased to victory and secured his place in the next round of the playoffs.
Josh Berry won the Last Chance Qualifier race while Austin Cindric outbattled Corey LaJoie for the second spot after a spirited side-by-side battle over the closing laps. Berry and Cindric will compete in the Clash Main Event at Bowman Gray Stadium
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Corey LaJoie is filling in for the injured Brad Keselowski tonight in the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, driving the No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing.
