(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s organization, JR Motorsports, is fielding four full-time cars this season, and through the first four races of 2017, they have been quite good.
How good? Well, JR Motorsports entrants occupy three of the top four spots in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driver standings, and all four of the organization’s full-time championship contending teams are inside the top 10.
Elliott Sadler – No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – Sadler is the current NASCAR XFINITY series driver standings leader. The Emporia, Virginia, native continues to impress upon the field his veteran mastery as he has an 11-point lead over second-place William Byron. Sadler and crew chief Kevin Meendering have posted two stage wins and three top 10s in the first four starts of 2017. Sadler has made 12 series starts at Auto Club Speedway, posting one pole, four top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 12.5.
William Byron – No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – Byron is the 19-year old Sunoco rookie rocket. He is currently second in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driver standings, 11 points behind his teammate Elliott Sadler. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native and crew chief David Elenz have posted one pole and three top 10s in the first four races of the season. Byron is also on top of the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. Byron will be making his series track debut this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.
Justin Allgaier – No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – Allgaier snapped an 80-race winless streak last weekend at Phoenix Raceway to become the second NASCAR XFINITY Series title contender to win this season. Allgaier and crew chief Jason Burdett are currently fourth in the series standings, 29 points back from teammate Elliott Sadler. This season, the Riverton, Illinois, native has posted one win (Phoenix-1), two top fives and an average finish of 16.2. Expect Allgaier’s recent success to continue this weekend at Auto Club Speedway, a track he has made eight starts posting three top 10s and an average finish of 14.0.
Michael Annett – No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – Annett is currently ninth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driver standings, 55 points back from his teammate Elliott Sadler. Annett and crew chief Jason Stockert have posted one top 10 and an average finish of 14.8 in the four races of 2017.
If all four teams maintain their position in the standings throughout the regular season, then JR Motorsports could possibly become the first organization in series history to field four teams in the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
